2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Guide

The 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a part of the second generation Jeep Grand Cherokee also regarded as the WJ model. The second generation was completely redesigned with only a handful of components taken from the previous generation. Even with the whole new platform, the flagship Grand Cherokee still had the unique body lines that made it stand out as the Jeep Grand Cherokee.

We will be looking at all the available trim levels and engine options, and everything related that will help you make the best decision.  

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Specs

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Variants/Trim Levels 

The Jeep Grand Cherokee lineup is full of great options. You can choose from 4 different trim levels

• Laredo 
• Overland
• Sport
• Limited 

Each of them has both the rear-wheel-drive and four-wheel-drive variants. Here’s a list of all of them:

The normal 4.7 V8 makes 235hp with 295 pound-feet of torque. But in Overland, the numbers are bumped up to 265hp producing 325-pound feet of torque, and the maximum towing capacity is 1500 pounds more than the normal V8 – at 6500 lbs. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee MPG

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Prices

The 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee can go anywhere between $1800-$8000, depending on the trim level and the condition. The price will also vary according to the aftermarket mods that had been onto it. The overland fetches the highest price and then comes the 4WD drive variants, and after that, we have the 2WD drive variants. 

The 4.0L inline-6 would be better as you would get better fuel economy. Plus, the 4.0L inline-6 has been used in many other Jeep models, so you wouldn’t have to worry about the availability of parts. But if you are looking for more power, then you can opt for the V8. Overland’s V8 is the most powerful even though it’s the same 4.7L bore as all the other V8s of the Jeep Grand Cherokee. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Accessories

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Rear Bumper

When you are modifying your 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, you will need a bigger capacity mount for the spare tire, a hitch, an aftermarket bumper, mounts for fuel canisters, etc. luckily; you can get all of that with just one aftermarket rear bumper that has everything you would need in the back. 

These mounts not only do their job, but they would also make your Jeep look more organized. Plus you wouldn’t have to buy everything separately. During the installation, you might have to make modifications to your Jeep to have the rear bumper fixed in place. You can have a look at some of the options available here.

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Camping

Camping has its industry, and you can find anything you need for camping and throw it on your Jeep, although some alteration might be required. There are Grand Cherokee accessories like sleeping bags, mattresses, camping grill and stove, fishing equipment, portable generators, lights, etc. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Roof Racks

If you are finding the cargo space to be inadequate for your needs, you can go for the roof rack option that will give you a lot more space with plenty of uses. You can have a rooftop tent on your Jeep; you can mount your bike on top; you can put your camping gear or fishing gear on top, etc. in short, having a roof rack is an extremely great investment that has plenty of bang for the buck. You can check them out here on Amazon.

Best 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Replacement Parts

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Tires 

There are two options to choose from when looking at the tires; from the factory, we get either the 16-inch wheel or the bigger 17-inch wheel option, depending on our trim level. If you are looking to personalize your Jeep to be an overlander, then you need bigger tires coupled with a lift kit. 

You can choose from tons of different options available in the market. The best ones would be those that compliment your ride hide. The number of inches that you have lifted the Jeep would be an important aspect to take into consideration. On top of that, you would also need an after-market rear tire mount as a bigger tire won’t fit into the stock mount. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee trim levels Engine Option Tires from Factory (All-Season)

You can buy the one you need here at Tirerack.com. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Air Filters

The k&N filters are the best ones available in the market. These are the top-of-the-line filters that give you a guarantee of increasing the performance of your engines. Cold air intakes are especially useful in increasing your horsepower just by a little fraction, which is worth it – plus, it looks cool. Here’s a link to Amazon 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Headlights

The stock headlights were regarded as sportier-looking headlights that were a rectangle with round edges. You can find similar headlights in the aftermarket if you are not able to find an OEM one. You can also put various other trendy headlights that are widely available in the market.

Finding the ones you prefer won’t be that hard because the Jeep has tons of aftermarket support. There are even those with DRLs installed, and not the mentioned the changing color lights with a touch of a button. Changing your headlights with an aftermarket one will give your Jeep a completely new aesthetic that will further enhance its grandeur. 

Here’s a link to one of the best ones in the market. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Brake Pads 

One of the most important things that should never go wrong is the brakes of any vehicle in question. Inspecting the brakes and the brake lines is the routine part of maintenance to make sure that the vehicle can be put to a stop without crashing into something. Here’s a link to one that shows the most promise and has the best ratings. Here’s a link to another website.

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Mods

Modifying your Jeep is the most fun thing to do, and you will probably be doing that for Overlanding. You can personalize your Jeep to be an overlander without a problem, as there’s plenty of aftermarket support to make that happen. Some of the mods include:

• Wheels and tires
• Front and rear bumpers
• Skid plate
• Roof racks
• Wench
• Hitch 
• Lights, etc 

But lift kits are the most important modification that you would need to make sure that you don’t get stuck and you have plenty of room to crawl through any obstacle during your journey. And from then onwards, you can keep on adding mods according to your needs and the level of Overlanding you are going for. 

On normal trails, you wouldn’t need a lot of modification, but if you want to go completely bonkers and would like to summit difficult terrains, then you would need a lot more than just a lift kit. You would have to have better suspension, diff lock mechanism, off-road tires, etc. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Lift Kits

There are plenty of brands to choose from; if you are looking to increase the height just a little, then you can just have some spacers in between. But for a better offroader, you can get a lift kit that will give you about 3 inches lift. 

However, if you want a dedicated offroader, you can change the suspension to either Fox or Bilstein. Both of them are pro-level suspensions that will give you the most band for the buck. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Maintenance Schedule

Miles Maintenance Schedule

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Recalls

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Cooling Fan Recall

With NHTSA ID number 06V199000, the cooling fan recall can be looked into. The problem was with the fan blades that tend to come off and cause damage inside the hood. If the fan were to come off while the person is standing in front of the open hood, this could cause serious injuries. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Fuel Leakage

This issue was mainly due to an improper brush guard due to which the fuel could no longer be contained. The ORVR control valve could detach during an impact causing a leak, and if there is a source of ignition, a fire hazard will take place. This part was either replaced or reinforced by the dealerships. 02V032000 is the ID number of the NHTSA Campaign.

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Airbag Issue

In the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the airbag’s wiring harness was improperly manufactured that could either prevent the airbags or deploy them incorrectly during a crash. This issue was resolved with the recall – ID 02V099000.

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Recall

Recall 02V104000 is the designated number for this particular recall. The owners were encouraged to take their Grand Cherokees to the nearest dealership and have this issue fixed for free. 

The repair process involves installing a manifold shield to modify the airflow, thus preventing the accumulation of debris in the 3rd cylinder. This recall is the most important one, if not carried out, could cause vehicle fires.  

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Common Problems

There are a bunch of problems that are specific to the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and we have collected these problems that have been reported the most by Jeep Grand Cherokee owners. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Fuel Tank Is Hard To Fill 

The fuel tank becomes a pain, and the nozzle repeatedly shuts off while fueling. There are several possible culprits in this situation, and one of them is causing the issue. If you are having this problem, then you would have to look at the EVAP system whose canister control valve might be causing this issue.

If the EVAP is not the problem, then it might be the vapor recirculation tube. The exact cause will only be known after proper on-site diagnosis. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Won’t Start

This is a common problem that can have tons of different underlying causes, and it could be any one of those, but in the case of the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee not cranking, there is a common cause, which is the (WCM) Wireless Control Module, also known as the (SKREEM) Sentry Key Remote Keyless Entry Module. 

The malfunction of this component will cause the Jeep to think that there’s no key. Thus the engine will not start. Replacing the WCM will solve the problem. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee AC Not Working Properly

The blend door getting stuck is a common problem that occurs in 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and owners have reported that the AC either gets stuck in the cold or in the hot side. It may also get stuck in the middle blowing normal air – not cold and not hot either. 

The whole assembly would have to be replaced as the components are not easy to find separately. A DIY hack would be to open up the dashboard from the glove compartment and manually move the blend door to the required settings. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Brake Lights Issue

The electrical connections in the brake lights tend to short circuit. It is recommended to have a complete inspection to know for sure which part is damaged – then comes the replacement part. 

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Resale Value

This vehicle is about two decades old, and the depreciation that would have happened has already happened. It can not possibly depreciate more than it already has. 

With that in mind, if you are to spend about $2000-$3000 on a stock 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is in great condition – these days, you wouldn’t have to worry about the resale value as it will go for about the same price as when you bought it. 

You should not consider the salvage titles as they would be full of problems. Always go for clean titles.  

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee Competitors

If you are looking for alternatives to the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, then you can look at the following:

• GMC Yukon
• Ford Explorer
• Toyota 4Runner
• GMC Acadia 
• Nissan Patrol
• Chevrolet Tahoe 

There are tons of options that you can look into when you are browsing through alternatives. Each one of the above-mentioned badges has its positives and negatives. Ford, Chevy, and GMCs won’t be a good alternative to the Jeep due to their common problems and poor reliability. 

Nissan and Toyota can put up a good fight when you are looking for reliable alternatives. The best alternative would be the Toyota 4Runner. The parts are readily available, and maintenance won’t be expensive either. 

FAQS

Final Thoughts

The 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a perfect candidate to be personalized as an overlander. With a strong base, 4×4 capability, availability of parts, 4.0L inline-6, after-market support, and much more, you can’t go wrong. 

When you are hunting for a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, make sure that the body is rust-free. Minor rust is no big deal as it can be removed, but if the whole frame is damaged due to rust, then that is the option you should stay away from. 

Get a clean title, rust-free, 4×4, 4.0L inline-6 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and you can go into the wilds without a hitch. For trailer towing, you can go for the more powerful V8. 

Research Citations

• Edmunds, 1
• Auto Trader
• Jeep Manual
• Repair Pal, 1

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Our writers are experts in all things 4x4; they have been driving theirs for years. Some are brand loyal, and others want the best thing for their needs, but the one thing they have in common is a passion for these robust vehicles, the gear and accessories that make them stand out, and of course, how to keep them running. Combined with years of writing experience they are the perfect team to help you with all your 4x4 needs!

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