Problems · NHTSA complaints

2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems

Owners filed 1,476 complaints about the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee with NHTSA between Oct 2001 and Apr 2026. The most-cited component is air bags (486).

Complaints
1,476
Filed with NHTSA
Crashes
75
Reported by owners
Fires
20
Reported by owners
Injuries
97
People reported injured
Deaths
4
Reported to NHTSA
01 —By component

Complaints by component

One complaint can cite several components
  1. Air bags486
  2. Visibility323
  3. Service brakes, hydraulic153
  4. Engine and engine cooling146
  5. Seats91
  6. Electrical system85
  7. Power train58
  8. Steering41
  9. Vehicle speed control38
  10. Fuel system, gasoline34
  11. Equipment29
  12. Engine26
  13. Seat belts24
  14. Fuel/propulsion system20

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 Nov 10, 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
20012
200271
200377
200475
200582
2006136
2007187
2008113
200943
201051
201128
201220
2013131
2014126
2015172
2016103
201721
201812
201913
20202
20211
20222
20235
20241
20251
20261

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

Air bags

486 reports35 crashes3 related recalls
“I HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO GET RECALL R06 COMPLETED. ALL THE JEEP DEALERS SAID THAT THEY ARE UNABLE TO GET THE NEEDED PARTS. THEY ARE ON A NATIONAL RECALL LIST. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE AND NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ASAP. THEY STATE THAT THE ORC MODULE AND OTHER ITEMS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE RECALL CANNOT BE OBTAINED ANYWHERE AND THE DEALER'S SAID THAT THEY HAVE BEEN WAITING MONTHS FOR THE BACK ORDERED PARTS SO THE RECALL CAN BE COMPLETED. THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE THAT NEEDS TO BE COMPLETED ON THESE JEEPS. MY AIR BAG LIGHT IS ON AND THE PARTS NEEDED IS ON THE RECALL LIST R06 TO FIX IT. PLEASE ADDRESS THIS SAFETY ISSUE ASAP BEFORE SOMEONE GETS CRITICAL INJURIES. THANKS FOR YOUR TIME.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 11, 2025Air bagsODI 11679986

Visibility

323 reports3 crashes2 fires
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VENT CONTROLS FAILED TO WORK UPON USING THE BUTTON TO TURN ON THE HEAT. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VENTS BLEW COLD AIR REPEATEDLY. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A REPAIR SHOP WHO DIAGNOSED THAT THE RECIRCULATION DOOR ASSEMBLY NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 90,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Nov 25, 2014VisibilityODI 10660852

Service brakes, hydraulic

153 reports6 crashes1 related recall
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED RECALL NOTIFICATIONS FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBERS: 06E011000 (FUEL SYSTEM, GASOLINE), 06E022000 (SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC), AND 12V527000 (AIR BAGS). THE DEALER STATED THAT THE PARTS NEEDED TO COMPLETE THE REPAIRS WERE NOT AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED THE RECALL NOTICES MONTHS AGO. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 18, 2014Service brakes, hydraulic, Fuel system, gasoline, Air bagsODI 10625990

Engine and engine cooling

146 reports1 crash3 fires2 related recalls
“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2002 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT A NEW RADIATOR WAS INSTALLED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT WAS MADE OF PLASTIC. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE STRUCTURAL INTEGRITY OF THE OEM RADIATOR WAS MADE OVERSEAS AND NOT BY CHRYSLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE RADIATOR BURST AND COULD NOT HANDLE THE PRESSURE. THE FAILURE OCCURRED FIFTEEN MONTHS AFTER THE RADIATOR WAS REPLACED BY THE MECHANIC. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 20,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Apr 23, 2019Engine and engine coolingODI 11203192

Seats

91 reports2 crashes8 fires1 related recall
“WHEN I GOT IN MY JEEP THERE WAS A BREAKING SOUND FROM UNDER THE DRIVERS SEAT. I NOTICED THE SEAT WAS ROCKING BACK AND FORTH AND WHEN I LOOKED UNDERNEATH AT THE FRAME OF THE SEAT I SAW WHERE THE FRAME BROKE IN HALF. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE NOW AND IT IS MY ONLY MEANS OF TRANSPORTATION. I USED TO HAVE A LOT MORE FAITH IN JEEP UNTIL I LOOKED IT UP AND STARTED SEEING MORE AND MORE PEOPLE HAVE THE SAME PROBLEM AND CHRYSLER/JEEP HAS NOT RECALLED IT. DUE TO THIS BEING A LIFE THREATENING PROBLEM I WILL NOT BUY ANOTHER JEEP IF THEY DON'T RECALL IT! THERE IS PLENTY OF LIFE LEFT IN THE VEHICLE BUT IS NOW INOPERABLE DUE TO IT BEING AN EXTREMELY UNSAFE VEHICLE.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Aug 11, 2019SeatsODI 11243150

Electrical system

85 reports2 crashes5 fires1 related recall
“I currently own 3 of the same vehicles myself, my husband and my son. Each of the vehicles have been experiencing electrical issues. I have taken all of the vehicles at some point back to the mechanic for repairs for this issue. It was only a temporary fix. Here are examples of some of the electrical issues. The blinkers and break lights may go out and not work while we are driving and some days they work just fine. But it has now become a safety hazard because we never know when they will work and are afraid to be hit by another car from the rear. Another example is when I am driving down the street all of the sudden the windows will automatically roll down by themselves. These issues have put all of our safety at risk, especially while we are driving in high traffic areas such as Atlanta, Georgia. The problem was acessed by our auto mechanic on all three (3) vehicles. They are are 1999-2000, 2001 & 2002 Grand Cherokee one of the vehicles is a limited edition. There are no warning signs or symptoms and the check engine light is not on any of the vehicles.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled May 21, 2024Electrical systemODI 11589954
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 10, 2026

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