Relability: When it comes to Jeeps their super reliable phase was pretty much pre-2007. Mechanical was reliable because it was all old proven technology.(Thus, very outdated too.) Electrical was very good 1997 through around 2004. AMC based electrical before 1997 was just okay. The AMC electrical had numerous fundamental design issues with the wiring harnesses that made them prone to killing systems if a ground wire was disrupted.

The Gas Tank Thing: The Cherokee (XJ) was designed in the 1980's and the Grand Cherokee (ZJ/WJ) was based on the Cherokee (XJ) even though it debuted in 1993. Locating the gas tank behind the axle in the rear was fairly standard back then. I really can not blame Chrysler when they get defensive about it since that was how vehicles were being built in that time period. They had even switched to double walled plastic tanks by early 1990's which are much less prone to being ruptured. Adding a tow hitch can help, but only other practical solution is to toss on a skid plate.

Even the Wrangler had behind the axle mounted gas tanks through 2006. Both the Wrangler (TJ) and Cherokee (XJ) are not part of the gas tank recall even though they both could be similarly affected.