Good luck with 2001's??

My brother is getting a 2001 Cherokee Sport. 54,000 miles. Have you guys that have Cherokees of that year had good luck(engine, transmission) with them? I realize that right now they shouldnt have problems because theyre still fairly new. I have a 1990 so theres quite a difference. Hes not mechanically inclined at all so Im hoping for the best of luck to him. Any major probs from anyone though?

jeepguy1990 said:

My brother is getting a 2001 Cherokee Sport. 54,000 miles. Have you guys that have Cherokees of that year had good luck(engine, transmission) with them? I realize that right now they shouldnt have problems because theyre still fairly new. I have a 1990 so theres quite a difference. Hes not mechanically inclined at all so Im hoping for the best of luck to him. Any major probs from anyone though?

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OK, here's what I can tell you about mine; it's a 2001 Sport, 4-door, 4WD, auto. I've only had it for five months at this stage, but it's covered 92,000 miles in its relatively short life (10,000 of which are mine) - consequently, I'm beginning to see a few things start to shake down.

- Replaced tires just after purchase; so far, no major wear issues.

- TPS went at about 84,000, but I think that's because I may have soaked it hitting some water.

- Had to do the lower control arm bushings on both sides.

- Front brake discs are warped, which happened around 3,000 or so miles ago. Planning on replacing them with cross-drilled & vented items.

- Rear brakes seem to be reluctant to self-adjust. Going progressively faster in reverse before nailing the pedal seems to be gradually freeing them up, though.

- Left speaker wiring for the (stock) stereo has recently started cutting out on bumps. Another bump usually fixes it. Haven't got around to looking at it.

It's a Southern California car, so can't really comment about rust. Mine also appeared to have done very little off-road work in its life (the underside was too clean), so the transfer case is quiet and works fine; no popping in and out of ratio or similar.

With any vehicle that new, there shouldn't be problems as long as it hasn't been abused. Also, with only 54,000 on the clock he should still have some of the original warranty left; it'd be worth transferring that into his own name.

So far, I'm happy. I'll be interested to see how it shapes up over the next few months as I start changing things.

Thanks for the input. Any more?

One of my fleet is a '01 XJ Limited... we ordered it with Upcountry, tow package, ABS and some interior niceties. It obviously has the 4.0, AW4, 242, D35 w/ Trac-Lok. We have 65k miles on it, only requiring regular maintenance. Compared to my '97 it has some minor interior changes. Otherwise it has the usual basic durability of any XJ with the variety of minor issues. The control arm bushings are too soft and can cause some front end wobble when hitting bumps in some situations. It has gone through several sets of rotors, but now that I am using a torque wrench on the lugs that problem has been cured. The indicator light for the low setting on the driver side heated seat is out, and the front passenger power window switch is faulty. The transfer case linkage occasionally rattles when sitting at idle. There are some driveline vibes from 75 mph and up. The Infinity stereo is great. It is quick and fun to drive, just wish it was cammed to have more low end torque.

I'm pleased with it, and am glad to have one of the last of the Mohicans. Compared to your '90, the one your brother is considering will have a much nicer interior, smoother looking exterior, a little more power, and similar reliability.

You can see a pic of our '01 here: http://www.thekilpatricks.com/gallery/details.php?image_id=633

jeepguy1990 said:

My brother is getting a 2001 Cherokee Sport. 54,000 miles. Have you guys that have Cherokees of that year had good luck(engine, transmission) with them? I realize that right now they shouldnt have problems because theyre still fairly new. [...] Any major probs from anyone though?

Click to expand...

Not quite an '01... but my '00 Sport has 55k miles, and has yet to undergo anything that I'd call "major".

- I just did a new steering stabilizer/dampner yesterday. It's been shot for a couple of months, and made it a bit interesting to drive on bumpy highways! $85 part (dealer), and an easy 30-minute replacement.

- My drivers' seat frame (the actual "bucket" of the seat) cracked a few months ago. I'm a big guy, but that still seemed out of the ordinary.

- I put on new tires at 39k... (I'm more sensitive about baldness than many folks... but, frankly, I just couldn't deal with another winter on the Wrangler RT/S crap. New ones are Pirelli Scorpion AT, and are better all around: nicer ride, better handling, far better wet/snow traction, and they were cheaper! Hard to find, tho. BFG AT/KO is probably the nearest substitute.

- I still have original shocks, brakes, etc.

- I have a few rattles, including the Tcase shifter rattle that someone else mentioned. Overall, still quite solid for 5 years.

- There is a bit of rust rearing it's ugly head in places underneath. I haven't investigated it closely yet... but mainly on places such as the pinch seams along the sides, where a sheetmetal edge is left in the open. And I did take care of a bit of rust in the front corners of the drip gutters, and in the door frames last fall.

- My front diff is leaking a bit around the pinion. The dealer overfilled it when I had them do my 30k maintenance. Serves me right for being so stupid!

I'm quite happy... and expect that she'll run to 200k like everyone elses' has!

Den

Lawn Cher' said:

It has gone through several sets of rotors, but now that I am using a torque wrench on the lugs that problem has been cured.

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Can I get the details on that? I'm about to replace mine and would love to know any way of extending their life.

One thing that was also replaced which I neglected to mention: the steering stabiliser. It started leaking heavily at around 84,000, and was replaced with a Rancho heavy-duty unit. At $56, it was cheaper than the $80 or so the dealer wanted for the same item (a trend that has continued in my investigation of suspension components, it seems).

I'm real happy with mine, although the engine and tranny are the only parts in the drivetrain that are still stock. No rattles, no issues at all. I have almost 59K on mine. I have no rust, but mine's an AZ vehicle. :thumbup:

casm said:

Can I get the details on that? I'm about to replace mine and would love to know any way of extending their life.

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Our '01 has the full cast rotors, and aluminum wheels. Supposedly the full cast rotors are better at resisting warping than the composite rotors as found on my '97, but I found out through trial and error that it is more critical to properly torque the lug nuts to keep the rotor from warping. My '97 has steel wheels, which are more forgiving for zapping with the impact wrench until tight. Doing this on the '01 with aluminum wheels resulted in 2 sets of Mopar rotors getting warped with low mileage on them. When I put the 3rd set on (from NAPA,) I used a torque wrench to avoid over tightening them, and they are working out very well.

Lawn Cher' said:

Doing this on the '01 with aluminum wheels resulted in 2 sets of Mopar rotors getting warped with low mileage on them. When I put the 3rd set on (from NAPA,) I used a torque wrench to avoid over tightening them, and they are working out very well.

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Good to know, since that's exactly the setup I'm running. What're the torque specs for the lugs?

Incidentally, thanks very much for the answers - they are truly appreciated. Being my first foray into both Cherokees and modified 4WD, I've got something of a learning curve here with the XJ - but this forum in general has been a major help to me. It really is relieving to run into a group of enthusiasts who are as patient and helpful as everyone here has been.

casm said:

What're the torque specs for the lugs?

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I don't recall offhand, but it may be listed in your owners manual; if not, then it is definitely in the service manual. Someone may have posted it on oem tech before, so doing a search there may prove fruitful. I think is was somewhere around 80-90 ft-lbs, but don't quote me on that. Not responsible for loose nuts!

Here, I found it...

http://www.naxja.org/forum/showthread.php?t=19448&highlight=lug+torque

I was kinda right.

jeepguy1990 said:

My brother is getting a 2001 Cherokee Sport. 54,000 miles. Have you guys that have Cherokees of that year had good luck(engine, transmission) with them? I realize that right now they shouldnt have problems because theyre still fairly new. I have a 1990 so theres quite a difference. Hes not mechanically inclined at all so Im hoping for the best of luck to him. Any major probs from anyone though?

Click to expand...

I have a 2000 Sport with 65K on it and have had NO problems!

Oh wait, the passenger side door trim is starting to peel off..

JeepGuy,

I bought my '01 Sport last October with 19,000 miles on it - I just turned 30,000 yesterday. Stock Sport setup - 4.0, p/t 4WD, steel wheels. Here have been my issues:

An annoying fuel evaporation problem in the injector #2 or #3. There has been a TSB on this, and ever since my last dealer visit it has been fine.

Speaker wires leave a lot to be desired. That is my next project. I lost the left drivers side speaker competely.

Occasional T-case rattle, but not major.

Brakes have been fine - no warping - yet.

Terrible gas mileage though. I am only getting about 13-15 mpg, but it probably has more to do with the lousy MTBE gas they sell in Chicago. In the winter I was between 18-20.

Occasionally I have indicator lights which go on like the airbag light and/or the MIL - these are a result of bad electrical connectors. Haven't gotten to the point where a firm bump to the dash does not fix it. I will need to deal with this soon though.

I am going in for my 30K service this weekend. So far, no leaks, squeaks or clunks. The car is fast, full of power, a little more comfortable than earlier models, and will likely meet my goal of 200,000 miles. They are still tanks and as long as you do not overpay for it, it will be a great investment.

remat said:

I have a 2000 Sport with 65K on it and have had NO problems!

Oh wait, the passenger side door trim is starting to peel off..

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THANKS for reminding me!

I took my side moldings off when my Jeep was but a pup. I've been sitting on them until my lease was over, in case I had to reinstall them for turn-in! The Jeep is now officially MINE, but I keep forgetting to toss the moldings.

Unless someone WANTS a set of wax-stained, sloppy-looking gray moldings for a 2000 2-door XJ... I think it looks SOOOOOO much better without...

Den

I Have a 2000 Limited, Tow Package, Heated seats, blah blah... I also had the rattle from below on the linkage, the left front speaker cut out on me a few days ago, the passenger window control is intermitent... if you mess with the driver switch, it will right itself, i plan on pulling it and cleaning the contacts. My heated driver seat is not working....ERRR i loved that damn thing in the winter. It sits normally until i press the button, then the button proceeds to blink at me for a few minutes- and NO heat. PS: I did kinda modify the switches....:doh:
I have it setup so that when i remote start my truck in "winter mode" (toggle switch) the heated seats come on, and the rear defroster and heated mirrors kick on. Oh well, i don't think that had anything to do with the failure, i believe it is the heating element in the seat, but have not had time to check it out.
You can see a picture of my 00' here: http://www.airstreamphotos.com/photos/data/500/5557PICT0006-med.JPG

Lawn Cher' said:

Our '01 has the full cast rotors, and aluminum wheels. Supposedly the full cast rotors are better at resisting warping than the composite rotors as found on my '97, but I found out through trial and error that it is more critical to properly torque the lug nuts to keep the rotor from warping. My '97 has steel wheels, which are more forgiving for zapping with the impact wrench until tight. Doing this on the '01 with aluminum wheels resulted in 2 sets of Mopar rotors getting warped with low mileage on them. When I put the 3rd set on (from NAPA,) I used a torque wrench to avoid over tightening them, and they are working out very well.

Click to expand...

I did that with mine... used Napa cast rotors, torqued the lugnuts down to 90 ft/lbs. Still warped... Before the Napas I had a set of OE rotors, and a set of Pepboys rotors.. all warped with in 10k miles. My solution was to get some cyrotemperd, slotted, and crossdrilled rotors from Porterfield. I don't know which part did it, or if Porterfield just uses a premium rotor to begin with, but I haven't had a warped rotor in over 30k miles. And they show no wear.

-Chris

2000 sport 4.0 auto. Al wheels and bone stock. 65,000 miles so far.
i was hit hard awhile ago and after it was straightened out and new tail and fenders put on it...nothing to note. a little clunk when i go from reverse to drive (looking into a solution)...other than that everything works. compared to other cars/truck i drive the brakes suck, and it is a dog (always want more down low), but i love it. stock off road has been a real test and every time i am amazed even when stuck....fun.

biscuitboy87 said:

2000 sport 4.0 auto. Al wheels and bone stock. 65,000 miles so far.
i was hit hard awhile ago and after it was straightened out and new tail and fenders put on it...nothing to note. a little clunk when i go from reverse to drive (looking into a solution)...other than that everything works. compared to other cars/truck i drive the brakes suck, and it is a dog (always want more down low), but i love it. stock off road has been a real test and every time i am amazed even when stuck....fun.

Click to expand...

Do you have the stock air box? My 2000 seemed like a dog compared to my 1991. Replaced teh Airbox with a 6x9 K&N and Rusty's airtube and it doesn't seem like a dog anymore.

-Chris

BTW, there is a TSB for the TC shifter linkage rattle.

JeepinAudiophile said:

the passenger window control is intermitent... if you mess with the driver switch, it will right itself, i plan on pulling it and cleaning the contacts. My heated driver seat is not working....

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Cleaning the contacts won't do it. The problem is the window lockout switch. Had the same problem with my 2000.
And the problem with your heated seat is in the heating element itself. It is either shorted or open. That is what the blinking means. The light will illuminate in 1/2 second off, 1/2 second on pulses.

Now tell me how you changed the switches to make them come on with a signal from the remote start. I have remote start and owuld love to have the seats come on in the winter when I RS it.

BTW, you have my twin.

-Chris