Problems · NHTSA complaints

1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems

Owners filed 1,342 complaints about the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee with NHTSA between Oct 1995 and Nov 2024. The most-cited component is power train (332).

Complaints
1,342
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
192
Reported by owners
Fires
50
Reported by owners
Injuries
123
People reported injured
Deaths
7
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Power train332
  2. Service brakes, hydraulic181
  3. Engine and engine cooling137
  4. Fuel system, gasoline123
  5. Structure121
  6. Electrical system102
  7. Steering100
  8. Suspension73
  9. Air bags60
  10. Tires50
  11. Vehicle speed control45
  12. Equipment36
  13. Fuel/propulsion system32
  14. Visibility26

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 Oct 27, 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
19954
199654
1997144
199892
199998
2000194
2001304
2002112
200359
200441
200518
20069
200715
200817
200910
201017
20116
201216
201320
201456
201525
201612
20175
20186
20192
20202
20211
20220
20231
20242

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

Power train

332 reports102 crashes5 fires1 related recall
“THE INSPECTION RECALL ON MY 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE DID NOTHING TO FIX THE PROBLEM WITH PCM AND CATALYTIC CONVERTER SPECIFIED IN THE DEFECTIVE ISSUE WITHIN THE RECALLS ISSUED. THIS HARMS THE DRIVER, PEDESTRIANS, OTHER PASSENGERS AND MOTORISTS. THE TECH WHERE I WENT TO HAVE RECALL WORK PERFORMED ORDERED PARTS (SEE ATTACHMENT), BUT NOTHING WAS INSTALLED ON MY VEHICLE. ONLY "INSPECTED." THE TECH WAS TOLD OF DETAILED POOR PERFORMANCE AND SYMPTOMS OF A BAD PCM. SUCH AS SHIFTING, STALLING, FUEL ECONOMY & HARD TO START. THE JEEP IS NOT OPERATING OPTIMALLY & THIS COULD MEAN THERE ARE. OTHER PROBLEMS BETWEEN DIFFERENT SYSTEMS. ALL OF THESE ARE INDICATIONS OF A FAULTY PCM. AS WELL AS THE ABS LIGHT BEING ON THE DASHBOARD. THE PCM IS A "CRITICAL" SYSTEM & NEEDS TO BE REPLACED. I'M REQUESTING THAT YOU FIX THIS PROBLEM FOR FREE, AS IT IS DEFECTIVE AND COULD MINGLE WITH OTHER SYSTEMS AND CAUSE A COMPLETE VEHICLE BREAK DOWN. OR REFUND THE COST TO ME IN FULL, INCLUDING LABOR CHARGES, IF I REPLACE/REPAIR MYSELF. IF THIS DEFECTIVE PART IS NOT FIXED, IT COULD RESULT IN PROPERTY DAMAGE, IN WHICH CDJ WOULD BE LIABLE FOR. PLEASE ADVISE AS TO HOW YOU CAN HELP ENFORCE THE MANUFACTURE…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 19, 2021Power train, Service brakes, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11403865

Service brakes, hydraulic

181 reports11 crashes2 related recalls
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 65 TO 70 MPH, THE VEHICLE BEGAN SHAKING ON THE FRONT END WITH EXTREME FORCE. THE BRAKES WERE WARPED AND CAUSED THE FAILURE. DRIVING OVER A BUMP IN THE ROAD CAUSED THE SHAKING TO BE MORE EXCESSIVE. A MECHANIC REPLACED THE FRONT BRAKES AND THE FAILURE RECURRED AT 120,000. A FIRESTONE MECHANIC REPLACED THE BRAKES ON TWO OCCASIONS AND THEY FAILED AGAIN AT 150,000. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INCLUDED IN RECALLS 00V136000 OR 06E022000. THE PURCHASE DATE IS UNAVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 150,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 26, 2008Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10222400

Engine and engine cooling

137 reports3 crashes11 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER: 13V252000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE AND STRUCTURE) BUT WAS ADVISED BY THE DEALER THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE REPAIR WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE NOTICE MONTHS PRIOR TO CONTACTING THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS ALSO CONTACTED AND COULD NOT PROVIDE AN ESTIMATED DATE FOR WHEN THE VEHICLE WOULD RECEIVE THE RECALL REPAIRS. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. ..UPDATED 06/09/14 *BF UPDATED 06/16/2014 *JS”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 2, 2014Engine and engine cooling, StructureODI 10586124

Fuel system, gasoline

123 reports5 crashes5 fires2 related recalls
“The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. The vehicle was able to restart immediately on some occasions and restarted after a while on other occasions. There was no warning light illuminated. Several independent mechanics replaced the fuel filter and the fuel pump and installed an unknown computer software on the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 9, 2024Fuel system, gasoline, EngineODI 11570967

Structure

121 reports1 crash1 fire
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE SHOOK UNCONTROLLABLY. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 450,000. UPDATED 12/01/16*LJ”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 20, 2016Suspension, StructureODI 10908127

Electrical system

102 reports2 crashes21 fires2 related recalls
“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
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026

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