The main reason lies in a design flaw of the Jeep diesel fuel tank, which causes the metal to rust over time and lose its integrity.
The fuel tank is protected from below and from the sides by a metal skid plate, which helps prevent damage from rocks or debris. While this is a smart engineering choice, it unfortunately has a serious downside.
Mud, water, and sand from the rear wheels constantly get trapped between the tank and the protective plate. Over time, this mixture acts like sandpaper — abrasive particles wear away the paint, leaving the metal unprotected.
Once the paint layer is gone, the steel begins to rust rapidly, and corrosion soon eats through the thin metal sheet. The result is a leaking fuel tank, which is not only inconvenient but also dangerous.
This problem is especially common in regions with wet or snowy climates, where roads are treated with salt to prevent icing. The corrosive chemicals speed up the process, and a Jeep Grand Cherokee WK fuel tank can rust through in just a couple of years.
In many cases, even a replaced fuel tank will rust again — the root cause remains the same design issue. In dry climates, however, this problem is much less common.
To prevent fuel leaks, it’s recommended to inspect the tank and skid plate regularly, clean the area between them, and apply anti-corrosion protection.
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