RoadVitals

1996 Jeep Cherokee Transmission Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the transmission system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Transmission reportsComplaints are reports submitted to NHTSA by owners and drivers. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a complaint does not establish that a defect exists. Volume is influenced by how many of a vehicle were sold, how long it has been on the road, and how much attention an issue has received.
53
Latest Dec 5, 2006
Share of all reportsThis category as a share of every owner report on file for this model year. One report can name more than one component, so the categories overlap.
12%
of 447 total
Crash or fire reportedReports in this category whose submitter recorded that a crash or a fire occurred. The reporter's own answer on the NHTSA form, not a verified finding.
22
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
4

What this page shows

Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Jeep Cherokee submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 53 reports on file name it.

Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.

Owner reports naming transmission

The 25 most recent of 53, in the owner's own words

EngineTransmission
Filed Dec 5, 2006

DT*: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A PRIVATE REPAIR SHOP FOR REPAIR OF THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER DUE TO BACK PRESSURE AND RATTLING IN THE ENGINE. ON AUGUST 25, 2006 THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR A CATALYTIC CONVERTER PROBLEM. THE RECALL WAS NOT IN THE NHTSA DATABASE. THE CONTACT SENT THE BILLING INFORMATION TO THE MANUFACTURER, WHO DENIED REIMBURSEMENT BECAUSE THE WORK WAS DONE AFTER THE RECALL. ON MAY 4, 2006 THE WORK WAS COMPLETED BEFORE THE RECALL NOTICE WAS RECEIVED. UPDATED 01/10/07. *JB

NHTSA ID
10175195
Incident
May 4, 2006
Mileage
140,226 mi
Transmission
Filed Jun 1, 2005
Crash reported

DT: CONSUMER'S CHILDREN WERE IN JEEP AND IT WAS RUNNING IN PARK. CONSUMER WAS GOING TO GET THEM OUT AND THE CAR JUMPED FROM PARK AND ROLLED INTO A DRIVE GEAR. *AK

NHTSA ID
10123730
Incident
May 31, 2005
Mileage
112,000 mi
Transmission
Filed Aug 20, 2003

AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION NOT SHIFTING INTO 2ND OR 3RD GEAR (SKIPS FROM 1ST TO 4TH) HOWEVER I CAN MANUALLY SHIFT IT INTO 3RD BY MOVING LEVER TO 3. *AK

NHTSA ID
10033204
Incident
Apr 3, 2002
Mileage
89,000 mi
Transmission
Filed May 28, 2003
Crash reported

NAR 05/28/2003 *MR THE CONSUMER WAS INVOLVED IN AND ACCIDENT THE JEEP WAS LEFT IN A PARK POSITION, THEN WENT INTO REVERSE STRIKING ANOTHER CAR. AUTOMATIC SHIFTER DEFECTIVE. *CB

NHTSA ID
10021718
Incident
Jan 1, 1901
Transmission
Filed Feb 19, 2003
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS UNATTENDED IDLING WHILE IN "PARK". AFTER A PERIOD OF TIME (10+ MIN) IT SELF-ENGAGED INTO "REVERSE" AND ACCELERATED BACK OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND INTO A TREE.

NHTSA ID
10007789
Incident
Aug 1, 2002
Mileage
113,345 mi
Transmission
Filed Jan 2, 2003

CONSUMER STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT ANY SPEED AND WITHOUT WARNING THE VEHICLE WILL NOT SHIFT GEARS CAUSING A DISTRACTION TO THE CONSUMER. DEALER NOTIFIED. TS

NHTSA ID
10001849
Incident
Dec 27, 2002
Transmission
Filed Mar 20, 2002

IF VEHICLE IS ON A SLGHT INCLINE WITH IGNITION ON AND SHIFTER IN PARK, VEHICLE WILL ROLL BACKWARDS, EVEN WHEN IGNITION IS OFF. CAUSE IS UNKNOWN.*AK

NHTSA ID
8006045
Incident
Mar 9, 2001
Transmission
Filed Feb 11, 2002

TRANSMISSION FAILURE, VEHICLE ROLLS BACK WHILE IN GEAR

NHTSA ID
9005214
Incident
Oct 1, 2001
Transmission
Filed Nov 27, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported

AFTER PUTTING VEHICLE IN PARK AND OPENING DOOR, STEPPED OUT OF VEHICLE AND IT STARTED TRAVELING BACKWARDS. CONSUMER GOT STUCK UNDER VEHICLE WHILE HOLDING ON TO STEERING WHEEL. CONSUMER WAS DRAGGED 20 FEET DOWN HILL, HITTING A POST. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
899461
Incident
Apr 1, 1998
Transmission
Filed Nov 13, 2001
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS LEFT IN PARK WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, CONSUMER TURNED AROUND TO PICK UP SOMETHING OFF THE FLOOR AND VEHICLE STARTED TO ROLL BACKWARD. CONSUMER SLAMMED INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER FELT THAT CAR WAS IN PARK AND IT HAD TO HAVE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR. *AK *SLC

NHTSA ID
899020
Incident
Nov 1, 2001
Transmission
Filed Aug 30, 2001
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK POSITION IN DRIVEWAY, AND VEHICLE SUDDENLY JUMPED OUT OF GEAR SHIFTING INTO REVERSE. VEHICLE ROLLED INTO A NEIGHBOR'S YARD, CRASHING INTO DINING ROOM WALL. NO INJURIES. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
895531
Incident
Feb 1, 2001
Transmission
Filed Aug 10, 2001
Crash reported

WHILE PARKED VEHICLE JJUMPED OUT OF PARK INTO DRIVE CAUSING A CRASH WITH A MOBILE HOME AND CARPORT. VEHICLE WAS NOT PARKON AN INCLINE. *AK

NHTSA ID
894091
Transmission
Filed Aug 1, 2001

THE DRIVER HEARD A LOUD NOISE FROM THE VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR SUDDENLY STARTED MOVING BACKWARDS ALTHOUGH THE DRIVER NEVER SHIFTED GEARS, THE DRIVER HIT THE BRAKE BUT THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MOVE BACKWARDS, AS A RESULT THE VEHICLE HIT ANOTHER VEHICLE, ALTHOUGH THE TWO VEHICLES IMPACTED THE CONSUMER VEHICLE,IT CONTINUED PUSHING THE OTHER CAR BACKWARDS, THE VEHICLE CONTINUED EVEN WHEN TURNED OFF. NLM

NHTSA ID
562284
Incident
Aug 12, 2000
Transmission
Filed Jul 23, 2001
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS IN PARK AND RUNNING. VEHICLE SLIPPED FROM PARK INTO REVERSE GEAR AND RAN INTO THE SIDE OF ANOTHER PARKED VEHICLE. I WAS ALMOST CAUGHT BETWEEN THE TWO VEHICLES, BUT MOVED AWAY FROM THE COLLISION AT THE LAST MOMENT. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE JEEP DEALER FOR INSPECTION ON 8/29/00 FOLLOWING THE ACCIDENT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION CHECKED OUT FINE. *AK

NHTSA ID
748994
Incident
Aug 18, 2000
Transmission
Filed Jul 23, 2001

THE VEHICLE CONTINUES TO MOVE WHEN IT IS PLACED IN "PARK". THE PROBLEM IS INTERMITTENT AND HAS OCCURED APX 6 TO 8 TIMES IN THE LAST 6 WEEKS. I USUALLY NEED TO SET THE PARKING BRAKE TO BE SURE THAT THE VEHICLE WILL NOT MOVE.

NHTSA ID
748971
Incident
Jul 13, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jul 13, 2001
Crash reported

ON 2 DIFFERENT OCCASIONS WITH VEHICLE RUNNING AND SHIFTING GEAR INTO PARK POSITON, VEHICLE SHIFTED INTO REVERESE ON ITS OWN FROM PARK, ROLLING BACKWARDS. INSURANCE HAS COVERED SOME COST OF DAMAGE, BUT DID NOT DETERMINE CAUSE.*AK CONSUMER HAS MADE SIX TRIPS TO THE AUTO SHOP TO HAVE VEHICLE REPAIRED, BUT PROBLEM CONTINUES, ON THE FIRST OCCAISON, CONSUMER WAS ALMOST PINNED BETWEEN THE WALL AND VEHICLE, THE SECOND INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE RAN INTO THE HOUSE CAUSING DAMAGES WHILE KIDS WERE IN THE BACK SEAT, LUCKILY NO ONE WAS INJURED. *SLC

NHTSA ID
892707
Incident
Jan 16, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jul 11, 2001

VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED. DRIVER LEFT VEHICLE, WHEN IT STARTED TO MOVE BACKWARDS. DRIVER MANAGED TO GET INTO VEHICLE, AND NOTICED SHIFT LEVER WAS IN REVERSE POSITION, EVENTHOUGH VEHICLE HAD BEEN TURNED OFF. MANAGED TO SHIFT BACK INTO PARK.*AK

NHTSA ID
892512
Incident
Jun 2, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jul 10, 2001
Crash reported

WHILE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON LEVEL GROUND WITH ENGINE RUNNING VEHICLE UNEXPECTEDLY CAME OUT OF PARK WENT INTO REVERSE, AND HIT TWO VEHICLES. PLEASE GIVE ANY FURTHER DETAILS.*AK

NHTSA ID
892298
Transmission
Filed Jul 10, 2001
Crash reported

PE01021; VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF WHILE CONSUMER HOOKED A BOAT TO THE BACK OF VEHICLE. BOAT WEIGHED LESS THAN A 1,000 LBS. VEHICLE ROLLED BACK, HITTING SIDE OF THE TRAILER AND INTO LAKE HOUSTON UNDER 12FT OF WATER. VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. CONSUMER HAD NOT MADE ANY CONTACTS TO MANUFACTURER AND DEALER AT THIS TIME*AK. CONSUMER STATES WHILE LOADING BOAT ONTO THE TRAILER, ALL 4 WHEELS OF THE JEEP WERE NOT IN THE WATER, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS PULLED AND THE VEHICLE WAS IN PARK, CONSUMER LEANED IN VEHICLE TO TURN KEY OFF WHEN IT BEGAN TO MOVE BACKWARD, BOTH THE TRAILER AND THE JEEP WENT COMPLETELY UNDERWATER, WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PULLED OUT, THE EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS STILL ON AND THE TIRES WERE ROLLING. *SLC

NHTSA ID
892276
Incident
Jun 30, 2001
Transmission
Filed Jul 5, 2001

VEHICLE WAS PARKED WITH MOTOR RUNNING WHEN IT SUDDENLY STARTED MOVING BACKWARDS.EMERGENCY BRAKE WAS NOT ENGAGED. CONSUMER RAN AFTER VEHICLE, JUMPED IN AND SHUT OFF ENGINE. NO ACCIDENT.*AK

NHTSA ID
891989
Incident
Apr 15, 2001
Driver assistanceTransmission
Filed Jul 4, 2001
Crash reported

THE DESCRIPTION OF THE PROBLEM AS PER THE NEWS ON 07/04/2001 FITS THE INCIDENT. AT THE TIME OF THE INCIDENT, A TEENAGE FRIEND WAS DRIVING ALONE. HE BACKED OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY AND NOTICED THE DOG WAS OUT OF THE YARD. HE SAID HE PUT IT IN PARK AND GOT OUT TO GET THE DOG. THE JEEP INADVERTENTLY ROLLED IN REVERSE INTO A NEIGHBORS FENCE CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE TO THE REAR BUMPER AND EXHAUST SYSTEM. I HAD TO PAY THE NEIGHBOR FOR THE DAMAGE TO HIS FENCE. INCIDENT WAS NOT REPORTED AS I DEEMED IT HIS ERROR AND DAMAGE WAS MINIMAL.*AK

NHTSA ID
747795
Incident
Aug 10, 1998
Powertrain (other)Transmission
Filed Aug 28, 2000

REAR WHEEL MAKES A WINDING NOISE. TRANFER CASE, WHENAPPLIED FUEL /SPEED VEHICLE STARTED TO SHAKE. CONSUMER TOOK VEHICLE TO THE DEALERSHIP, AND DEALERSHIP MECHANIC COULDN'T DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM. A FRONT AXLE WAS BENT,AND THERE WAS A LOT OF SHAKING.*AK

NHTSA ID
868959
Incident
Aug 1, 2000
Transmission
Filed Jun 19, 2000

I WAS TOLD BY A MACHANIC THAT THE 5 SPEED MANUAL TRANSMISSION IS KNOWN FOR THIS PROBLEM. IN 1996 JEEP STARTED USING A TOYOTA TRANSMISSION AND THAT SHIFTING 1ST AND 2ND GEAR IS A PROBLEM. I HAVE NOTED THIS PROBLEM AFTER ABOUT 30000 MILES OR SO AND I WAS TOLD BY THE JEEP DEALERSHIP THAT NOTHING WAS WRONG WITH THE TRANSMISSION OR CLUTCH.

NHTSA ID
724183
Transmission
Filed May 19, 2000
Crash reported

VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN PARK POSITION AND JUMPED OUT OF GEAR INTO REVERSE, ROLLING BACKWARDS, AND CRASHING INTO ANOTHER VEHICLE. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER DETAILS. *AK

NHTSA ID
862162
Transmission
Filed Apr 12, 2000

WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, MY JEEP WILL NOT GO, IT HESITATES BADLY, SEEMS TO HAVE NO POWER. IT DOES THIS DAILY. NOT EVERY TIME FROM A STOP BUT QUITE OFTEN. I HAVE TAKEN THIS TO A DEALER IN GERMANY WHILE STATIONED THERE AND THEY COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG WITH IT OR HAVE ANY EXPLAINATION ON WHAT IS CAUSING THIS PROBLEM. MY JEEP HAS LESS THAN 42,000 MILES ON IT NOW AND WAS UNDER WARRANTY WHEN IT FIRST STARTED DOING THIS, IT HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR YEARS. IT IS SCARY TO PULL OUT INTO TRAFFIC AND HAVE THE CAR GO NO WHERE, IT IS NOT STALLING, IT SEEMS TO LOOSE GO-POWER, MAYBE NOT ENOUGH FUEL. I HAVE AM THE PRIMARY DRIVER OF THIS VEHICLE AND HAVE TO DEAL WITH THIS VERY OFTEN. IS ANYONE ELSE HAVING THIS PROBLEM? PLEASE HELP. *AK

NHTSA ID
721389
Incident
Jan 1, 1997

Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.

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Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .