1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee service brakes, hydraulic problems
181 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee cite service brakes, hydraulic, 13% of all 1,342 complaints for this model year. NHTSA also lists 2 recalls on this component.
What owners say about the service brakes, hydraulic
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“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 NHTSA·Filed Mar 26, 2008·Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10222400
“DT CONSUMER STATED WHILE DRIVING THERE WAS A LOUD NOISE, THEN 2 BOLTS BROKE FROM THE STEERING COLUMN, THIS CAUSED LOSS OF STEERING. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED, THE MECHANIC STATED THERE WAS ALSO ANOTHER BOLT LOCATED ON THE INSIDE OF THE STEERING COLUMN THAT BROKE AS WELL. TWO JEEP DEALERS SAID THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF THIS HAPPENING BEFORE. *JB BOTH CV BOOTS ARE BROKEN AND THE BRAKES HAD TO BE REPAIRED. *TT *NM”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Jun 28, 2005·Steering, Service brakes, hydraulic, Power trainODI 10121614
“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 NHTSA·Filed Nov 3, 2004·Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10089912
“THE VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR, STRIKING ANOTHER VEHICLE AND A MAIL BOX . AFTER RECEIVING A RECALL FOR THE EXISTING CONDITION. THE MANUFACTURER INSPECTED THE VEHICLE AND STATED THAT THE BRAKE LINE WAS WORN. *JB RECALL# 02V053000. *SC”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Oct 15, 2004·Service brakes, hydraulic, Power trainCrash reportedODI 10091429
“THE VEHICLE'S FRONT ROTORS WERE STARTING TO PIT AND CORRODE. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. THERE IS A RECALL FOR THE SAME PROBLEM. RECALL # 00 V 136 000. *NM BOTH DEALER AND MANUFACTURER REFUSED TO HONOR RECALL REPAIR ON CONSUMER'S VEHICLE. THEY'RE CLAIMING THAT THE RECALL DOESN'T APPLY TO THE VEHICLE BECAUSE WAS NOT IN OHIO WHEN RECALL WAS ISSUED. *LA”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Apr 20, 2004·Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10059357
“CONSUMER STATED WHEN APPLYING THE BRAKES HEARD LOUD NOISE. ALSO, THERE WAS EXTENDED STOPPING DISTANCE. DEALER HAS INSPECTED VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES, AND COULD NOT DUPLICATE OR CORRECT THE PROBLEM.*AK”
Owner complaint to NHTSA·Filed Aug 12, 2003·Service brakes, hydraulicODI 10033726
Showing 6 of 181 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Oct 27, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
CERTAIN AFTERMARKET BRAKE HYDRAULIC MASTER CYLINDERS SOLD AS REPLACEMENT BRAKE CYLINDERS FOR CERTAIN FORD, DAIMLERCHRYSLER, AND JEEP PASSENGER VEHICLES. THESE BRAKE CYLINDERS WERE SOLD UNDER THE BRAND NAMES OF NAPA, RAYBESTOS, AIMCO, AC DELCO, CARQUEST, BENDIX, AND WAGNER. ONLY PRODUCTS THAT WERE MANUFACTURED FROM JULY 27, 2005 THROUGH JANUARY 17, 2006 (DATE CODES 0529 THROUGH 0602) ARE SUBJECT TO THIS RECALL. WHEN SUBJECT TO VERY COLD TEMPERATURES, AN INTERNAL SEAL IN THE MASTER CYLINDER COULD LOSE FLEXIBILITY AND MAY CAUSE BRAKE FLUID TO LEAK.
Service brakes, hydraulic·Reported Mar 13, 2006·NHTSA 06E022000
VEHICLE DESCRIPTION: PASSENGER AND MULTI-PURPOSE VEHICLES ORIGINALLY SOLD OR CURRENTLY REGISTERED IN THE STATES OF CONNECTICUT, ILLINOIS, INDIANA, MAINE, MARYLAND, MASSACHUSETTS, MICHIGAN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, OHIO, PENNSYLVANIA, RHODE ISLAND, VERMONT, OR WISCONSIN, AND THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA. THE FRONT DISC BRAKE ROTORS CAN EXPERIENCE SEVERE CORROSION IF OPERATED FOR AN EXTENSIVE PERIOD IN THE "SALT BELT." IF THE ROTORS ARE NOT REPLACED, THE CORROSION CAN EVENTUALLY COMPROMISE THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE STAMPED STEEL CENTER HUB SECTION OF THE ROTOR.
Service brakes, hydraulic·Reported May 10, 2000·NHTSA 00V136000
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.