1990 Jeep Cherokee Problems, Recalls & Reliability
368 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 1990 Jeep Cherokee, alongside 9 recall campaigns and 6 defect investigations. It scores 11/100 on the trouble index — one of this model's quieter years. Brakes & stability leads the reports, typically around 137,000 miles.
One of the quieter years. Relative to its siblings, the 1990 Jeep Cherokee has drawn well-below-average complaint volume with at least four years on the road.
Better year
Where 1990 sits among all Cherokee years
What owners report
“Anti lock brake pump (recall item) repaired however other brakes components were damaged due to faulty pump.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1990 Cherokee
“Vehicle suddenly accelerated out of control, took it out of gear and came to a stop. Tt”— owner report to NHTSA, 1990 Cherokee
“Without warning our 1990 jeep fuel injectors started leaking/spraying gas in the engine compartment, the car could have caught fire or possibly even explode due to all the gasoline the was being leaked.”— owner report to NHTSA, 1990 Cherokee
Recalls (9)
DOPE, INC. IS RECALLING 42,540 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: DOPE, INC. WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON JULY 28, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DOPE, INC. AT 1-626-272-1798.
SABERSPORT IS RECALLING 16,270 COMBINATION CORNER AND BUMPER LAMP ASSEMBLIES OF VARIOUS PART NUMBERS SOLD FOR USE AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR VARIOUS PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE HEADLAMPS FAIL TO CONFORM TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY…
Fix: SABERSPORT WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER A FULL REFUND FOR THE NONCOMPLIANT COMBINATION LAMPS. THE SAFETY RECALL BEGAN ON MAY 11, 2009. OWNERS MAY CONTACT SABERSPORT AT 1-909-598-7589.
CERTAIN PRO-A MOTORS CORNER LAMPS, TURN SIGNALS, AND HEADLIGHTS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT LAMPS FOR USE ON CERTAIN PASSENGER VEHICLES LISTED ABOVE. SOME COMBINATION LAMPS THAT ARE NOT EQUIPPED WITH AMBER SIDE REFLECTORS FAIL TO CONFORM TO FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE…
Fix: PRO-A MOTORS WILL NOTIFY OWNERS AND OFFER TO REPURCHASE THE LAMPS. THE RECALL BEGAN ON APRIL 3, 2006. OWNERS MAY CONTACT PRO-A MOTORS AT 323-838-2988.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER AND MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE…
Fix: DEALERS WILL REPLACE THESE ROTORS WITH ROTORS THAT ARE COATED WITH A CORROSION PROTECTION.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: MULTIPURPOSE PASSENGER VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS. THIS IS NOT A SAFETY RECALL IN ACCORDANCE WITH FEDERAL REGULATION 573. HOWEVER, IT IS DEEMED A SAFETY IMPROVEMENT CAMPAIGN BY THE AGENCY. DRIVERS CAN MISTAKENLY…
Fix: DEALERS WILL INSTALL A SHIFT INTERLOCK ON THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION OF THESE VEHICLES.
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS). THE ANTILOCK BRAKE SYSTEM (ABS) HYDRAULIC CONTROL UNIT CAN EXPERIENCE EXCESSIVE BRAKE ACTUATOR PISTON SEAL WEAR WHICH COULD CAUSE PUMP-MOTOR DETERIORATION.
Fix: DEALERS WILL TEST THE VEHICLE'S ABS AND REPAIR AS NECESSARY. THE WARRANTY ON ALL ABS COMPONENTS WILL BE EXTENDED TO 10 YEARS OR 100,000 MILES (EXCEPT FOR THE BRAKE ACTUATOR PISTON ASSEMBLY AND THE…
THERE MAY BE HYDRAULIC FLUID CONTAMINATION FROM CONDENSATION FORMATION THAT CAN PLUG THE ABS BRAKE BOOSTER PUMP FILTER; STRESS CORROSION OF THE MASTER CYLINDER SNAP RING HAS BEEN TRACED TO CHLORINE LEAKING FROM THE LOW PRESSURE HYDRAULIC HOSE WHICH MAY CAUSE…
Fix: REPLACE ABS LOW PRESSURE HOSE; REBUILD MASTER BRAKE CYLINDER; INSPECT, SERVICE INTERFERENCE PROBLEMS, AND REPLACE FRONT BRAKE HOSE AS NECESSARY.
IMPROPER INSERTION/CRIMPING OF THE HOSE-TO-END FITTINGS OF THE HIGH PRESSURE HOSE ON THE ANTI-LOCK BRAKE SYSTEM CAN CAUSE DETACHMENT OF THE HOSE FROM THE ABS SYSTEM, AND DISCHARGE OF HYDRAULIC FLUID.
Fix: REPLACE THE ABS HIGH PRESSURE HOSE.
MALFUNCTION OF FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM THROTTLE POSTITION SENSOR COULD CAUSE INTERMITTENT HIGH ENGINE IDLE SPEED IMMEDIATELY AFTER STARTING ENGINE.
Fix: REPLACE THROTTLE POSITION SENSORS WITH SENSORS THAT WOULD SEND CORRECT SIGNALS TO THE FUEL INJECTION SYSTEM.
Federal defect investigations
Led to recall campaign 98V005000.
Led to recall campaign 91V003000.
Technical service bulletins
18 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on engine and body & structure — are on file for the 1990 Jeep Cherokee. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 1990 Cherokee TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 1990 Jeep Cherokee reliable?
The 1990 Jeep Cherokee drew 368 complaints in federal safety records — one of this model's quieter years. Its trouble index is 11/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 1990 Jeep Cherokee problems?
The top reported problems for the 1990 Jeep Cherokee are brakes & stability (178 complaints), speed control (57), and engine (35).
Does the 1990 Jeep Cherokee have recalls?
9 recall campaigns apply to the 1990 Jeep Cherokee. Recall repairs are free at any franchised dealer.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.