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#BS-1981-JEECHE-1720

1981 Jeep Cherokee

Based on reports from 1 owners and 2 recalls for this exact model.

Complaints
1
Crashes
0
Fires
0
Recalls
2
TSBs
0
✅

Preliminary Verdict

Green Light

Based on 1 complaints, 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 2 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the SeatsHIGH

1 owners reported seats issues.

+ 3 more items in full checklistUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Seats (1 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Seats1 (100%)

1981 Jeep Cherokee: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Seats Issues

Seats complaints account for 100% of all reports filed for the 1981 Jeep Cherokee, with 1 owners filing complaints with NHTSA.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (2 recalls)

81V015000Jul 1981

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

THE TRANSMISSION THROTTLE CONTROL ROD SPRING MAY HAVE BEEN IMPROPERLY INSTALLED. THIS MAY CAUSE THE THROTTLE TO CLOSE MORE SLOWLY THAN NORMAL. VEHICLES MAY RETURN TO IDLE SLOWLY.

87V178000May 1988

VISIBILITY:GLASS, SIDE/REAR

THE KEY OPERATED TAILGATE WINDOW WILL CONTINUE TO CLOSE IF THE SPRING LOADED KEY DOES NOT RETURN TO OFF POSITION WHEN RELEASED.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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The worst model year for the Jeep Cherokee is the 2019 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 1 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 2 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Other Jeep Cherokee Model Years

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View all Jeep Cherokee years →

1981 Jeep Cherokee: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 1981 Jeep Cherokee?
The most commonly reported issue with the 1981 Jeep Cherokee is related to the seats, with 1 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 1981 Jeep Cherokee reliable?
The 1981 Jeep Cherokee has 1 complaints, 0 crash reports, and 0 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How much does it cost to fix 1981 Jeep Cherokee problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 1981 Jeep Cherokee have any recalls?
Yes, the 1981 Jeep Cherokee has 2 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Jeep Cherokee problems start?
Mileage data is limited for this vehicle. The full report analyzes available data to identify failure patterns by mileage range.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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