Shop for Jeep Grand Cherokee Parts

The Jeep Grand Cherokee is a mid-size SUV made by the American manufacturer Jeep. Some other SUVs have a body-on-frame construction. But the Jeep Grand Cherokee has always had a unibody chassis. When AMC began developing the next Jeep model in 1985, management implemented a business process known as product lifecycle management. America's smallest automaker was looking for a way to speed up the product development process to better compete with its larger rivals. The development of the XJC was facilitated by computer-aided design systems that increased the productivity of engineers. New communication systems also made it possible to resolve potential conflicts more quickly. All drawings and documents were stored in a central database. This system proved so effective that Chrysler extended it company-wide. It brought together all parties involved in product development and manufacturing.

The original Jeep Grand Cherokee was launched in 1992 as a 1993 model in the luxury SUV segment. ZJ models were produced from 1992 to 1998 and were initially available in three trim levels. The base model came with a full dash, cloth upholstery, and a five-speed manual transmission as standard. And it was designated "SE" for the 1994 model year. The base model did not come standard with power windows and power locks. The low price differential meant that consumer demand was low. Consequently, the production of this economic model was discontinued. The driver's side airbag and four-wheel anti-lock braking system were standard equipment. The Laredo was a mid-range vehicle with power windows and locks, cruise control, and leather steering wheel as standard equipment. The chassis had gray plastic trim and five-spoke alloy wheels.

The limited-edition version was a luxury model with gold bodywork and details. When the Jeep Grand Cherokee entered production, it had only one powertrain. It was powered by a 4.0-liter AMC inline six-cylinder engine with 190 hp. It was the Jeep Grand Cherokee's "displacement engine." There was a choice between a four-speed automatic transmission and an Aisin AX15 manual transmission. Low demand for the manual transmission caused it to be discontinued after 1994, but the ZJ retained it for the European market in combination with the diesel engine. It was not available in North America. There was a choice of rear-wheel drive or four-wheel drive. This engine was withdrawn from production in 1995 due to new EPA regulations that went into effect for the 1996 model year. And a new Chrysler PowerTech engine replaced the two powerful V8 piston engines. The new V8 engine had less torque than the old gasoline engines. However, it was lighter, more fuel-efficient, and had similar performance characteristics.

This generation of Jeep Grand Cherokee incorporates Quadra-Drive automatic AWD with New Venture Gear's NV247 gearbox. This two-speed chain drive system uses a clutch connected to a hydraulic pump to transfer torque between the front and rear axles. All of the torque is transferred to the rear axle under normal conditions in All-Weather mode. When the rear axle begins to rotate faster than the front axle, the gearbox hydraulic pressure increases and gradually transfers torque to the front axle until both axles again reach the same speed. The WJ 45RFE and 545RFE automatic transmissions were excellent. The four-speed automatic transmissions had three planetary gears instead of the usual two. In theory, the gearbox was a six-speed automatic. It was the first six-speed automatic produced, but it was programmed to use only five gears.