1994 Jeep Grand Cherokee: jerking or lurching

Filed Dec 10, 2007 · Acceleration · 110,000 miles · CA

While driving with my infant son on the freeway, I felt the vehicle seeming to speed up involuntarily, I.e. Without putting my foot on the accelerator. I exited the freeway at the nearest off-ramp, looking for a place to pull over safely and inspect my vehicle. Having no place to pull over, I kept driving, by this time having to stomp on the brake to maintain a safe speed on the city street I was driving on. Upon coming to a red light and attempting to brake, the car accelerated, thus causing the brake to be ineffective. In order to avoid hitting the car stopped at the light in front of me I had my foot slammed on the foot brake, the emergency brake pulled and the car in park. Even with all of this, the car engine revved, the car lurched, smoked and make hideous noises before the light finally turned green and I put the car in drive and continued on. Finally, after continuing to drive with my foot depressing the brake pedal, I found a safe place to stop and was only able to stop the car from moving forward by shutting it off. Amazingly, no one was hurt, nothing was damaged and we walked away from the incident understandably shaken and confused. No attempt has yet been made to fix the vehicle. We consider ourselves to be extraordinarily lucky.

Filed Jul 14, 2004 · Transmission · 162,729 miles · KY

About 5/6 months ago, I noticed that my 1994 jeep grand cherookee had a very bad herky-jerky movement when you try to make a tight turn (especially a u-turn). Then very audible noises started coming from the front-end undercarriage everytime you back-up,..or hit a pothole,...especially at low speed. The worst part happened when for the first time,..we hit a pothole at about 55/65 MPH,....and the whole front end of the vehicle began to severely vibrate and bounce up and down. This happened a couple of times,..and we were planning on taking it to the mechanic when we noticed that the vehicle was not staying parked even when it's turned off,..put in park,..and the emergency brake put on, especially if there is an elevation/tilt towards either end. We had the transmission checked,..the braking system checked, and they were both fine. It was finally recommended that we have the axle checked,..and it was discovered that this was the problem. The front axle was changed and we also had to pay for a new link pin kit. Everithing was fine for a couple of months, and then it started all over again. We took it back to the garage that fixed it the first time, and the same problem was diagnosed again. The replacement of the axle was free this time,..but we had to pay for the left cv booth,..because that was busted too. That was around 5/11/04. The cycle repeated itself again around early june of 2004 and we took the vehicle back to the garage and had the axle replaced again. It's been about a mont later,..and the cycle has begun again. There has never been any loss of control or crashes yet to date due to the vibrations or the axle breaking, but those vibrations sure are scary, especially at 65mph to 70mph on the interstate.

Filed Nov 18, 2003 · Fuel system · 119,000 miles · AL · crash

My 1994 jeep grand cherokee has fuel line problems that know one can seem to fix. There aren't any leaks, however, it jerks and slips into a neutral state from time to time. First I began to add expensive fuel cleaners (didn't work), then I had it serviced by 3 different mechanics who all performed fuel emission cleaning. Currently, it still slips, then jerks forward with extreme force-one time causing an accident. Now the jeep cannot stay on when it is started, it comes on and drops dead, I have to race the engine to keep it from shutting back down. In 2001 I had a transmission overhaul therefore it cannot be a transmission problem. The "coolant sensor is bad" signal stays on the computer, I went to replace it, however, jeep eagle and the rest of the autoparts businesses have a different model sensor that doesn't appear to be the same as the one in my jeep, their reply is "I don't know why they look different, it must be the wrong one." the rear lamp failure light is also on yet there are no bad lights in the rear, and I checked every last one of them. During the summer there is water leaking from under the dash board onto driver and the passengers feet. What I would like to know is whether these issues are only my problem or the manufacturer?

Filed May 24, 2002 · Suspension · IN

While driving under 55 MPH and making a turn vehicle makes a knocking noise. Also, starts to jerk. Had repaired vehicle, but problem still exists. Dealer contacted.

Filed Jan 8, 2002 · Transmission · NC

Consumer had experienced problems with transmission when shifting from park to reverse. Could feel a delay and jerking. Then, will go to reverse, and at same situation shift from drive to park. While driving could notice that gears will skip. Dealer had been contacted, and seals replaced. Please provide more information.

Filed Nov 9, 2001 · Acceleration, Electrical · CA

Car stops while foot is on gas, then lurches forward; car rolls backward when in park or drive; car dies in traffic while idling; steering knuckle bolts stripped, had to be replaced, had to replace tires twice, had to replace brakes repeatedly, worn to rotors, continual problems with transmission, intermittent, hard to recreate at mechanic, but occur in traffic, creating safety hazard. Bprave ha.

Filed Jul 11, 2001 · Transmission · CA · crash

Consumer turned on the ignition and the jeep revved and slipped into reverse causing it to crash into the car behind it, and then the vehicle lurched forward crashing into the vehicle in front.

Filed Dec 16, 1999 · Transmission · MA

Whenever slowing down or down shifting, transmission would make a clunking noise. Vehicle also jerked when slowing down. This caused driver to be thrown forward. Notified the dealership. Informed by mechanic problem not repairable.

Filed Nov 23, 1998 · Transmission · AZ

While driving at 70mph the electronic transmission shifter caused the vehicle to drop out of overdrive, causing the vehicle to jerk into a lower gear very hard. Consumer says it was like slamming the brakes very hard. Dealer has been contacted.

Filed Jun 10, 1998 · Engine · CA

Traveling at approx. 6 MPH vehicle lurched forward and sounded as if the engine hit the ground. Upon investigation noticed engine bracket bolt was completely split in two. Engine dropped approx 2 inches on passenger side. Engine is now restion on distributor and on steering linkage.

Filed Oct 23, 1996 · Brakes · GA

Brake rotors warped/failed at 10,000 miles; relaced 3 times within 43,000 miles, when applying brakes, steering wheel jerks back/forth, no accident.

Filed Mar 31, 1995 · Transmission · CA

Auto-tran: sudden acceleration; vehicle starts in 2nd gear; suddenly downshifts to 1st gear; lurches forward; slips into neutral; nearly caused accidents. Tt