Half of all complaints arrive by 11 years of age, so 100% land after the 3-year basic warranty ends. The system owners report most is Seat Belts, with 8 complaints.
Jeep Comanche years to avoid — and the best ones
| Model year | Per run | Complaints | Runs | Enough history? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1990 | 8 | 6 | yes | |
| 1989 | 6 | 6 | yes | |
| 1988 | 6 | 6 | yes | |
| 1987 | 4 | 4 | yes | |
| 1986 | 3 | 3 | yes |
Among the 5 Jeep Comanche years with enough history, the three to walk away from are 1990, 1986, 1987; the three worth hunting are 1989, 1988, 1987.
When it starts to break
| Age at failure | Complaints | Running total | Warranty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 years | 33.3% | you pay | |
| 11 years | 100% | you pay |
Basic warranty on this car is 3 years / 36,000 miles. Only 0% of reported failures happen inside it — the remaining 100% come out of the owner's pocket. Powertrain cover (5 years / 60,000 miles) reaches further, but it only covers the engine and transmission, which account for about 20% of the complaints here.
What actually fails — and at what age
What waits further out is Service Brakes at 11 years — past every basic warranty, and the bill lands on whoever owns the car then.
| System | Complaints | Typical age | Crash | Fire |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Seat Belts | — | — | — | |
| Service Brakes | 11 yrs | 2 | — | |
| Hydraulic | 11 yrs | 2 | — | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | — | 1 | — | |
| Engine And Engine Cooling | — | — | 1 | |
| Power Train | — | — | 2 | |
| Steering | — | 1 | — | |
| Parking Brake | 11 yrs | 2 | — |
What else in this class
4 models share the Comanche's vehicle class. Per production run, the Ford F-250 draws 1.9 and the Dodge Dakota 2.16, against 1.07 for the Comanche. That is the fewest complaints of the group.
| Same class as the Comanche | Complaints on record | Recall campaigns | Years built |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ford F-250 | 294 | 1981–2026 | |
| Dodge Dakota | 152 | 1987–2012 | |
| Chevrolet El Camino | 14 | 1981–1988 | |
| Toyota T100 | 7 | 1993–1998 |
The table shows totals on record; the rates per production run are in the sentence above.
Good year or bad year — the VIN settles it.
- Check any VIN against complaints for its exact build year and plant
- Exact value for that car, adjusted for its mileage
- Full research report as a PDF you can hand to a mechanic
- Alerts if a recall lands on a car in your garage
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Frequently asked questions
Is the Jeep Comanche reliable?
By complaints per production run it is better than typical: 1.07 against 3.73 for the average car, and fewer than each of the 2 class rivals we compared.
Which Comanche years should you avoid?
By complaints per production run, 1990, 1986, 1987. The cleanest years old enough to judge are 1989, 1988, 1987. Years newer than 6 are left out: complaints keep arriving for years after a car is sold.
When do Comanche problems usually start?
Half of all complaints arrive by 11 years of age. The most reported system is Seat Belts, followed by Service Brakes.
Will the warranty cover Comanche problems?
Mostly not: basic cover is 3 years / 36,000 miles, and only 0% of reported failures fall inside it. Powertrain cover lasts longer, but engine and transmission make up about 20% of the complaints here.
Is the Comanche more reliable than the Ford F-250?
Yes: 1.07 complaints per production run for the Comanche against 1.9 for the Ford F-250.
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