Problems · by component

1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee power train problems

332 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee cite power train, 25% of all 1,342 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 1 recall on this component.

Complaints
332
25% of all complaints
Crashes
102
Reported by owners
Fires
5
Reported by owners
Injuries
56
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the power train

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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
“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
“IN DECEMBER 1996 I WAS RAN OVER BY MY JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE IN MY DRIVEWAY AFTER IT JUMPED BACK INTO GEAR FROM PARK. I REPORTED THIS ISSUE IMMEDIATELY TO THE ANCHORAGE ALASKA DEALER WHO HAD TO FIX THE DRIVERS DOOR THAT HAD BEEN DESTROYED IN THE EVENT AND HE STATED THERE WAS NOT A PROBLEM WITH THE GEARSHIFT. I HAD ALSO REPORTED THE ISSUE HERE ON THE NHTSA WEB SITE IN JANUARY OF 1997. I WAS TAKEN TO THE AIR FORCE HOSPITAL EMERGENCY ROOM AT ELEMENDORF AFB ALASKA AND I BELIEVE SUBMITTED THAT INFORMATION AT THAT TIME. SO THIS RECENT PROBLEM WITH AN ACTOR BEING KILLED BY HIS JEEP IS NOT A NEW ISSUE. THERE WAS SOMETHING WRONG WITH THE DRIVE TRAIN AS FAR BACK AS 1996. WHEN I WAS RAN OVER MY JEEP WAS IN PARK RUNNING IN MY GARAGE. IT DRUG ME BACKWARD INTO THE DRIVEWAY WHERE I SLIPPED ON THE ICE FELL UNDER THE CAR AND MY LEFT LOWER LEG WAS RAN OVER BY THE FRONT TIRE. I STILL HAVE COMPLICATIONS FROM THAT INCIDENT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 27, 2016Power trainODI 10910028
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE PARKED, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY INDEPENDENTLY AT 5 TO 10 MPH. THE VEHICLE CRASHED INTO THE BOUNTY WALL. THERE WERE NO INJURIES AND A POLICE REPORT WAS NOT FILED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED NOR REPAIRED. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 176,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Mar 9, 2016Power trainCrash reportedODI 10845799
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 13V252000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, STRUCTURE) AND 02V053000 (POWER TRAIN); HOWEVER, THE PARTS TO DO THE RECALL REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 13, 2015Power train, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 10790224
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT A LOW SPEED, THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE GEAR LEVER SHIFTED OUT OF THE DRIVE POSITION TO THE NEUTRAL POSITION. IN ADDITION, THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REAR LIGHT SENSOR, WINDSHIELD SENSOR AND THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING LIGHT ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. HOWEVER, THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 02V053000 (POWER TRAIN) AND 13V252000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE, STRUCTURE). THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNKNOWN.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 21, 2015Power trainODI 10677076

Showing 6 of 332 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
02 —Related recalls

1 recall on this component

Power train: floor shift

Remedy pending

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, IF A DRIVER HAS NOT PLACED THE SHIFTER LEVER FULLY INTO THE "PARK" POSITION AND LEAVES THE VEHICLE RUNNING, THE VEHICLE MAY UNEXPECTEDLY MOVE REARWARD AFTER SEEMING TO BE STABLE.

Power trainReported Feb 15, 2002NHTSA 02V053000
Data from NHTSA Recalls API · synced Oct 27, 2026

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