Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Jeep Cherokee problems

Owners filed 450 complaints about the 1996 Jeep Cherokee with NHTSA between Jan 1996 and Nov 2024. The most-cited component is service brakes, hydraulic (80).

Complaints
450
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
57
Reported by owners
Fires
27
Reported by owners
Injuries
27
People reported injured
Deaths
1
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Service brakes, hydraulic80
  2. Power train59
  3. Engine and engine cooling55
  4. Structure41
  5. Electrical system40
  6. Steering34
  7. Suspension29
  8. Air bags26
  9. Fuel system, gasoline21
  10. Visibility16
  11. Tires15
  12. Seats15
  13. Vehicle speed control12
  14. Seat belts11

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Trend

When complaints were filed

Does it get worse with age? Complaints per calendar year filed
View as table
Model yearComplaints filed per calendar year
199629
199765
199840
199936
200089
200156
200233
200318
200414
20057
20065
20077
20089
20094
20105
20113
20124
20137
20144
20153
20164
20172
20184
20190
20201
20210
20220
20230
20241

Mileage at failure isn’t a structured field in NHTSA complaint data, so we don’t chart it. Some owners mention it in their reports below.

03 —Owner reports

Top problems in owners’ words

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first

Service brakes, hydraulic

80 reports8 crashes2 related recalls
“WHILE BRAKING THERE WOULD BE A GRINDING NOISE, THEN VEHICLE WOULD LURCH FORWARD. DEALERSHIP WAS NOTIFIED, BUT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. *AK BRAKE ROTOR SEPARATED WHILE VEHICLE IN OPERATION. VEHICLE , SOUDS LKE METAL RUBBING METAL. *TC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 3, 2004Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10089912

Power train

59 reports20 crashes2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. IN ADDITION, THE POWER STEERING SEIZED AND THEN BECAME LOOSE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT A NEW POWER STEERING GAUGE AND A FRONT END ALIGNMENT WERE NEEDED. THE DEALER AND MANUFACTURER WERE NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 26, 2018Steering, Suspension, Power trainODI 11090348

Engine and engine cooling

55 reports1 crash6 fires
“ALL OF A SUDEN THIS VERY BAD SHAKING PROBLEM HAS OCCURED AT ABOUT 50 MPH. VERY UNSAFE. MY CETIFIED ASE MECHANIC HAS BEEN TRYING TO FIND THE PROBLEM FOR OVER A WEEK NOW - NO LUCK SO FAR. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 21, 2013Suspension, Engine and engine coolingODI 10513044

Structure

41 reports
“SEVERE RUST ALL OVER THE BODY BUT ESPECIALLY ON THE FRAME. HAVE HAD MULTIPLE COMPONENTS FAIL AND CRACK, NOW TAKING IN WATER THROUGH CORNERS OF THE ROOF THROUGH RUST HOLES. PASSENGER SIDE OF FRAME LIKELY TO SEVER UNDER FURTHER DRIVING. RUST ON THE BRACKETS HOLDING THE FUEL TANK TO THE VEHICLE CREATED A HOLE IN THE FUEL TANK. PART WAS REPLACED, NO PICTURE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 16, 2015StructureODI 10810825

Electrical system

40 reports14 fires1 related recall
“The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle was running rough and then stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence. The contact had a mobile mechanic diagnose the vehicle, and it was determined that there was a failure of the manifold. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was not running properly and called another mobile mechanic. The second mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that an aftermarket distributor and aftermarket computer had both failed. The contact stated that the distributor and computer were installed previously by another independent mechanic. The contact had purchased the aftermarket parts, Cardone Distributor Part Number 84-4694, and Cardone Computer Part Number: 79-1199 Model Number: 04886961, online. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure and declined to stand behind the aftermarket computer and distributor parts. The failure mileage was approximately 223,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 20, 2024Electrical system, EngineODI 11626385

Steering

34 reports1 crash2 fires1 related recall
“WHILE DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE HIGHWAY AT ABOUT 65 TO 75 MPH VEHICLE BEGAN TO SHAKE IN THE FRONT END SO SEVERELY WE HAD TO SLOW COMPLETELY DOWN AND PULL TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND TO A STOP COMPLETELY. THE JEEP IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE AND I HAVE READ OF OTHER INCIDENTS THAT THEY HAVE NAMED IT THE DEATH WOBBLE. IT COULD HAVE MADE US FLIP OVER AND WE COULD HAVE DIED IN A ROLL OVER. THIS HAS HAPPENED TO US BEFORE AND WE THOUGHT IT WAS THE SHOCKS, BUT THAT HAS EVIDENTLY NOT FIXED THE PROBLEM. IT APPEARS FROM WHAT WE READ AND HAVE EXPERIENCED THAT THIS IS A PROBLEM IN THE FRONT END AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED BY THE MANUFACTURER.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 19, 2018SteeringODI 11096835
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.