Problems · by component

1996 Jeep Cherokee structure problems

41 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Jeep Cherokee cite structure, 9% of all 450 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
41
9% of all complaints
Crashes
0
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the structure

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO HAVE THE VEHICLE REPAIRED UNDER NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 13V252000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE , STRUCTURE) BUT WAS INFORMED THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT FELT THAT SINCE THE FAILURE WAS REPORTED IN JUNE OF 2013, THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN A REMEDY AVAILABLE BEFORE APRIL OF 2014. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER HAD EXCEEDED A REASONABLE TIME FOR REPAIR. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 2, 2014Structure, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10576935
“WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH THE MOTOR MOUNT BOLTS SHEARED OFF WITHOUT WARNING AND CAUSED ENGINE TO DROP THREE INCHES. WAS MY BIRTHDAY TODAY. HAPPY BIRTHDAY. [XXX] *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 11, 2010StructureODI 10348616
“THIS COMPLAINT IS FOR A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT. IT IS A 2-DOOR VEHICLE WITH 4 WHEEL DRIVE. THE ENGINE MOUNT STUDS SHEARED OFF BETWEEN THE ENGINE MOUNT AND THE ENGINE. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THAT THIS HAS OCCURRED. THE FIRST INCIDENT OCCURRED WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND THE DEALERSHIP CURED THE ISSUE. THE EVENT TOOK PLACE ON THE BAY BRIDGE BETWEEN OAKLAND, CA AND SAN FRANCISCO, CA. THE SECOND EVENT TOOK PLACE ON A BUSY STREET IN MEMPHIS TENNESSEE. I DROVE OVER AN AREA THAT LOOKED LIKE THE CITY HAD DONE SOME STREET WORK AND HAD FILLED THE AREA BACK IN WITH ASPHALT. THE DIVET FROM THIS WORK WAS INSIGNIFICANT AND CREATED A FEW INCH DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE OLD STREET CONCRETE AND THE NEW ASPHALT FILL AND THERE WAS NO EDGES. THE REPAIR WORK WAS CURVED. MY SPEED WAS LESS THAN 5 MILES AN HOUR. THE BOLTS SHEERED OFF ON THE RIGHT ENGINE MOUNT AND THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION SHIFTED TO THE RIGHT. THIS VEHICLE IS HAS A MANUAL TRANSMISSION AND THE SHIFT CAUSED ME TO NOT BE ABLE TO SHIFT INTO 3RD - 5TH GEAR AND REVERSE. THE ENGINE IS STOCK AND NO AFTERMARKET ADD-ONS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO THE ENGINE. I FEEL THAT THESE INCIDENTS HAVE OCCURRED DUE TO POOR…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 20, 2008StructureODI 10231709
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STEERING GEAR BOX FAILED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS. IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE FRAME WAS CRACKED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT ONLY ONE OF FOUR RECALLS WERE FOUND IN THEIR SYSTEM THAT WERE COMPARABLE TO THEIR RECALLS. WHILE TURNING THE VEHICLE AT AN UNKNOWN SPEED, THE CONTACT HEARD A LOUD POP. SHE HAS REPLACED THIS UNIT THREE TIMES, TOTALING $1,000. THE MANUFACTURER HAS NOT OFFERED ANY ASSISTANCE WITH THE REPAIR COSTS AND STATED THAT THEY DO NOT HONOR THE RECALL. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER IS 97V069000 (STEERING:GEAR BOX (OTHER THAN RACK AND PINION)). THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 103,000 AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 106,797. UPDATED 03/06/08. *LJ”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Dec 7, 2007Steering, StructureODI 10211162
“THIS IS THE 3RD TIME I AM COMPLAINING ABOUT A WATER LEAK IN MY 96 CHEROKEE DRIVER SIDE FLOOR. THE PROBLEM STARTED 1 YEAR AGO AND I HAVE SPENT A OVER $900 TO HAVE IT FIXED BY THE DEALER (ANTWERPEN, BALTIMORE, MD 21228). SINCE THIS IS THE 3RD OCCURRENCE IN ONE YEAR, I THINK THE PROBLEM IS A STRUCTURAL DEFECT AND THAT CHRYSLER SHOULD STAND BEHIND IT AND FIX IT. IT GOES BACK TO ANTWERPEN ON 4/5 FOR ANOTHER GO AROUND. I CONCEPT IS THEY ARE STALING AND WAITING FOR THE WARRANTY ON THE 1ST REPAIR TO RUN OUT, BUT SORRY THIS ISN'T GOING TO HAPPEN, EVEN IT I HAVE TO TAKE IT THERE WEEKLY UNTIL SOMEBODY FIXES IT PROPERLY. *JB”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 2, 2004StructureODI 10064380

Showing 6 of 41 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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