RoadVitals

1996 Jeep Cherokee Visibility Problems

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

Data refreshed

Visibility 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.
16
Latest Dec 16, 2011
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.
4%
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.
2
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
0

What this page shows

Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors. 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. 16 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 visibility

Shown in the owner’s own words, exactly as filed

Visibility
Filed Dec 16, 2011
Fire reported

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATING UNIT WAS ACTIVATED AND THE VEHICLE BEGAN TO MISFIRE. THE CONTACT LIFTED THE HOOD AND FOUND THAT THE SWITCH FOR THE HEATING FAN HAD FAILED AND A SMALL FIRE STARTED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED AND ADVISED THE CONTACT THAT THE PART NEEDED FOR REPAIRS WAS NO LONGER BEING MANUFACTURED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 167,275.

NHTSA ID
10440194
Incident
Dec 11, 2011
Mileage
167,275 mi
ElectricalVisibility
Filed Jan 21, 2010

I HAVE A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE HEATER STARTED MAKING A FUNNY NOISE SO WE BOUGHT A NEW BLOWER MOTOR. THEN WE BOUGHT A NEW RESISTOR. WE STILL COULD NOT GET THE SPEEDS TO WORK IN THE HEATER. SO WE THEN BOUGHT A SWITCH. WELL WE COME TO FIND OUT THAT THE SWITCH HARNESS WAS BURNT TO A CRISP. I CALLED THE PARTS STORE AND THEY DON'T CARRY THEM, SO I THEN CALLED A DEALER. THE DEALER TOLD ME THEY DON'T JUST SELL THAT HARNESS I HAD TO BUY THE ENTIRE ONE FOR EVERYTHING IN THE JEEP. THEN TOLD ME TO GO CUT ONE OUT OF A JUNK YARD. I CALLED MY LOCAL JUNK YARD AND THE GUY WENT AND CUT THREE HARNESSES OUT. ONE THAT WAS A 1996, ONE THAT WAS A 1995, AND BOTH OF THE ENDS WERE BURNT JUST LIKE MINE. HE THEN CUT ONE OUT OF AN EVEN OLDER ONE, AND THE WIRES WERE THICKER THAN THE ONES ON MINE, AND DIFFERENT COLORS. I TRIED HOOKING IT UP AND IT DOESN'T WORK. I BELIEVE THAT SHOULD BE A RECALL AND IT SHOULD HAVE TO BE REPLACED BY THE COMPANY. THE COMPANY SHOULD ALSO SELL INDIVIDUAL HARNESSES. *TR

NHTSA ID
10301780
Incident
Jan 2, 2010
Mileage
183,000 mi
Visibility
Filed Aug 1, 2008
Fire reported

96 JEEP CHEROKEE HEATER FAN SPEED CONTROL SWITCH FAILED. FOUND SWITCH AND WIRING CONNECTOR TO BE MELTED. REPLACEMENT UNIT FROM JUNK YARD HAD EXACT SAME DEFECT. APPEARS TO BE A COMMON PROBLEM. *TR

NHTSA ID
10236692
Incident
Jul 15, 2008
Visibility
Filed Nov 29, 2004

WHILE DRIVING 20 MPH CONSUMER NOTICED THAT THE REAR LIFTGATE OVERHEATED. IT ONLY HAPPENED WHEN ANOTHER VEHICLE WAS BEHIND. THIS CAUSED POOR VISIBILITY TO THE DRIVER. CONSUMER WILL CONTACT THE DEALER IN THE NEAR FUTURE. *AK

NHTSA ID
10101787
Incident
Nov 27, 2004
Body & structureVisibility
Filed Jul 23, 2002

WHILE DRIVING 65 MPH AND WITHOUT WARNING SUNROOF AND FRAME CAME OF VEHICLE.

NHTSA ID
8014545
Visibility
Filed Jul 1, 2002

SUN ROOF BLEW OFF TOP OF VEHICLE WHILE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. CAUSE UNKNOWN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION.*AK

NHTSA ID
8013019
Incident
Jun 22, 2002
Body & structureTires & wheelsVisibility
Filed Apr 2, 2001

FLOODING WATER IS ENTERING DRIVER'S SIDE OF VEHICLE. ALSO, ICE IS FORMING ON INSIDE OF WINDSHIELD. CONSUMER HAS CONTACTED DEALER. *AK ALL 4 GOODYEAR WRANGLER TIRES WITH LESS THAN 13000 MILES HAD TO BE REPLACED. CONSUMER STATES THAT THE SERVICE MANAGER WILL NOT RETURN THE CALLS CONCERNING MAKING AN APPOINTMENT TO HAVE VEHICLE FIXED, DEALER IS REQUESTING THAT CONSUMER PAY FOR ALL REPAIRS, LABOR, AND PARTS. *SLC

NHTSA ID
884746
Visibility
Filed Mar 28, 2000

REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID DOES NOT COME OUT WHEN CONSUMER PRESSES THE BUTTON TO CLEAN THE WINDSHIELD, BECAUSE OF A PIECE OF THE ASSEMBLY THAT CRACKED AND BROKE OFF. DEALER IS AWARE OF THE PROBLEM. THE REAR WINDSHIELD WIPER FLUID ASSEMBLY NEEDS TO BE REPLACED IN ORDER TO CORRECT IT. *AK.ET.

NHTSA ID
859335
Incident
Jan 1, 1999
Visibility
Filed Dec 2, 1997

WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED THE SIDE WINDOW ON THE RIGHT PASSENGER'S SIDE SHATTERED, CAUSE UNKNOWN. *AK CONSUMER STATES WINDOW SHATTERED AS THE FRONT DOOR ON DIRVER'S SIDE WAS CLOSED. *SLC

NHTSA ID
819627
Driver assistanceVisibility
Filed Oct 27, 1997

PROBLEMS WITH ACCELERATION.

NHTSA ID
604261
Visibility
Filed Oct 27, 1997

WINDSHIELD WIPER CONTROL SWITCH FAILED.

NHTSA ID
604206
Visibility
Filed Aug 29, 1997

WINDOW GASKET FAILED.

NHTSA ID
603537
Incident
Dec 1, 1995
Visibility
Filed Jul 2, 1997

STARTED TO NOTICING DROPPINGS AND DOG FOOD INSIDE VEHICLE. LATER FOUND OUT THAT THERE WERE MICE ENTERING THE VEHICLE. DEALER TOLD CONSUMER THE MICE WERE COMING IN THROUGH FRESH AIR VENTS. THEY ONCE MADE A SCREEN TO COVER IT, BUT IT BEGAN TO CAUSE OTHER PROBLEMS, SO THEY NO LONGER USE THE SCREEN. *AK

NHTSA ID
813732
Incident
Mar 15, 1997
Body & structureExterior lightingVisibility
Filed Feb 12, 1997

HEADLIGHTS SWITCH INOPERATIVE.

NHTSA ID
602845
Incident
Sep 1, 1996
Body & structureElectricalInterior & seats+3 more
Filed Dec 17, 1996

POOR TRACTION.

NHTSA ID
512994
Incident
Nov 26, 1996
Visibility
Filed Jun 12, 1996

THE JEEP IS A TWO DOOR AND THE REAR WINDOWS HAVE TOTALLY CORRODED OUT AND MIGHT FALL OUT AND HURT SOMEONE. PLEASE DESCRIBE. *AK

NHTSA ID
985573
Incident
Jun 12, 1996

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.

Other components reported on this vehicle

Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own

Elsewhere on this vehicle

Data sources

Data on this page last refreshed .