Problems · by component

1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee air bags problems

60 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee cite air bags, 4% of all 1,342 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
60
4% of all complaints
Crashes
50
Reported by owners
Fires
0
Reported by owners
Injuries
44
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the air bags

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“MY HORN HAS NOT WORKED FOR MANY YEARS UNTIL YESTERDAY MY HUSBAND WHO DRIVES MY JEEP RARELY WAS DRIVING IT AND HAD A CLOSE CALL AND HE HIT THE HORN AND IT WORKED? HE TRIED TO DO IT AGAIN AND IT FAILED TO WORK. THIS IS A ONE OWNER CAR AND WE HAVE NEVER TAKEN IT IN TO HAVE IT CHECKED OUT. NOT SURE IF IT HAS SOMETHING TO DO WITH THE AIR BAG ASSEMBLY IN THE STEERING WHEEL OR WHAT IT COULD BE. PLEASE ADVISE IF ANY OTHER COMPLAINTS AND POSSIBLE FIXES FOR THIS PROBLEM. THANK YOU *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 10, 2014Electrical system, Air bagsODI 10621257
“ON JANUARY 24,2014 MY WIFE WAS A FATALITY AFTER A 45 M.P.H. COLLISION WITH A GUARDRAIL BUTT, THEN ROLLING OVER AFTER THE INITIAL IMPACT. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY EITHER ON INITIAL IMPACT OR THE ROLLOVER. SHE WAS WEARING HER SEAT BELT. HAS THERE EVER BEEN A RECALL ON THESE VEHICLES PERTAINING TO THESE AIR BAGS FAILING? MY WIFE MAY STILL BE ALIVE TODAY IF NOT FOR THIS DEFECT. *TR”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 11, 2014Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10568623
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE SITTING IDLE AT A COMPLETE STOP, A TRUCK CRASHED INTO THE REAR OF THE CONTACT'S VEHICLE, PUSHING THE VEHICLE INTO A FOREGOING VEHICLE. THE CONTACT'S AIR BAGS FAILED TO DEPLOY. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE NECK AND BACK. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT WAS ALSO CONCERNED THAT THE FUEL TANK LOCATION COULD BE A GREATER DANGER IF THERE WAS ANOTHER REAR END CRASH. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 100,000 AND THE APPROXIMATE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 183,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 12, 2013Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10519511
“TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 1997 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 40 MPH, THE VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A CRASH. THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE CONTACT WAS INJURED. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS DESTROYED. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE AIR BAGS SHOULD HAVE DEPLOYED (AFTER INSPECTING) BUT WERE UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE REASON WHY THEY DID NOT. THE VEHICLE ALSO STALLED INTERMITTENTLY BEFORE THE CRASH. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE APPROXIMATELY 136,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 5, 2010Engine and engine cooling, Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10364152
“THE CONSUMER'S VEHICLE WAS INVOLVED IN A COLLISION, IT STRUCK A TREE HEAD ON. UPON IMPACT, THE AIR BAGS DID NOT DEPLOY. THE MANUFACTURER STATED THAT THE VEHICLE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH IMPACT TO DEPLOY THE AIR BAGS. THE FRONT GRILL WAS PUSHED INTO THE ENGINE. *AK *SC”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 17, 2004Air bagsCrash reportedODI 10087885
“I WAS HAVING BRAKE TROUBLE WITH THE CHEROKEE AND FOR A MONTH I KNEW I HAD TO GET BRAKE PADS ON MY TRUCK 1996 GRAND CHEROKEE. ON AUGUST 21, 2003 I WAS IN CAR ACCIDENT WHICH CAUSED ME TO LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND NOT BE ABLE TO GAIN IT BACK I WENT UP ON TWO AND CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN THE TRUCK OVER THREE TIMES AND I CAME OUT OF THE SEAT BELT AND LANDED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I DID HAVE ON MY SEAT BELT BUT CAME UP OUT OF IT. I THINK THE ROTORS MAY HAVE BEEN CORRDID AND HELPED WITH THE ACCIDENT MY SECOND CONCERN IS HOW I WAS ABLE TO COME OUT OF THE SEATBELT AND BECOME SEVERELY INJURED. I SHATTERED MY LEG AND HAD TO RELEARN TO WALK. I JUST WENT THROUGH MY SECOND SURGERY PERTAINING TO THIS ACCIDENT. WHAT STEPS DO I NEED TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE SEATBELT ISSUE AND THE FACT THAT IT DIDNT SECURE ME FROM THE ACCIDENT. MY HEAD STILL WENT INTO THE WINDSHILED AND I THINK SOMETHING HAPPENED WITH THE AIR BAGS AS WELL BECAUSE THEY WERE TORN BY THE TIME THE TRUCK STOPPED ROLLED AND MY HEAD ISTILL WENT INTO THE WINDOWSHIELD AND WAS CUT UP BAD. *AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 10, 2004Air bags, Seat beltsCrash reportedODI 10075172

Showing 6 of 60 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 11, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

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