Owner-reported complaints naming the interior system, filed with NHTSA
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Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings. Every record below is an owner-reported complaint about the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee submitted to NHTSA — not a confirmed defect, not a recall and not a manufacturer bulletin. 36 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.
The 25 most recent of 36, in the owner's own words
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR LATCH FRACTURED AND ALLOWED THE DOOR TO OPEN WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 315,977.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, HE NOTICED THAT THE SEAT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000. ..UPDATED 07-05-13 *BF
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOCK ON THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR FAILED. THE CONTACT STATED THE DOOR ONLY STAYED CLOSED BY BEING TIED SHUT. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS DUE TO NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NO LONGER UNDER WARRANTY. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 115,000 AND THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS UNAVAILABLE.
DRIVER FRONT, AND BOTH REAR DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE STOPPED WORKING CORRECTLY. *TR
THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF MY VEHICLE BROKE. THE SEAT IS UNABLE TO SIT FULLY UPRIGHT AS THE BRACKETS HOLDING IT IN PLACE (TO RAIL) ARE BROKEN. THE METAL APPEARS TO BE ACTUALLY TORN. 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO (6 CYL). *TR
PROBLEM... DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD OR STOPPED AT LIGHT OR IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN OR ON EXPRESSWAY... IT WOULD SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, SOMETIME IT WOULD RESTART IMMEDIATELY, SOMETIMES NOT!!!... EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS DEVELOPED, WHICH I WAS LUCKY!!! 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE, 4.0 , 6 CYL.... SPENT 6 MONTHS DOING REPAIRS/ REPLACEMENT PARTS AND MANY ,MANY DOLLARS SPENT TRACKING DOWN PART AFTER PART. USING DIAGNOSTICS MACHINE TO DETERMINE FAULTY PART... PROBLEM WAS THE POWER CONTROL MODULE ( PCM OR ECU SAME PART) WAS DEFECTIVE AND EITHER WAS MISREADING CODES OR GIVING OUT BAD CODES TO PARTS (LIKE TO THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR OR THE COIL, OR THE 01 OR 02 OX SENSORS OR IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON). NOT SURE HOW IT WORKS BUT YOU GET MY DRIFT. SINCE SIGNING UP WITH CNET.COM, HAVE FOUND MANY PEOPLE ACROSS AMERICA WITH THE SAME ISSUE ON JEEP WITH DIFFERENT YEARS (1994/2000) AND MODELS. TO SEARCH... LOOK UP JEEP STALLS OR JEEP FIXED AND YOU WILL SEE OTHER TOPICS AND FORUMS AROUND THAT TOPIC AND YOU WILL ALSO SEE WHERE THE MANUFACTURE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM EITHER. ANOTHER POSSIBLE RECALL ISSUE IS THE SCREWS THAT HOLD THE PCM MIGHT BE TOO LONG AND ARE GROUNDING OUT THE UNIT AFTER PAINT WEARS OFF ON FIREWALL... IMPORTANT TO READ ALL ARTICLES AND DIFFERENT FORUMS!!! ... IS A MUST LASTLY... INSTEAD OF REPLACING PCM'S, IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE THE PCM RE FLASHED UNDER RECALL??? I'M STRETCHING, BUT MAYBE ELECTRICAL POWER STORMS AND RAIN IS CAUSING PARTS TO DEFECT??? LASTLY... JEEP PARTS CONSISTS OF MODULE POWER UNITS THAT WORK OR DON'T WORK BUT THE PCM READS THE CODES AND ADJUSTS THE WORKABLE OF THE MOTOR... ANOTHER ISSUE IS THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES THAT WILL SHUT DOWN THE MOTOR BESIDES THE FORE MENTIONED PARTS... IE... ASD RELAY, THE SECURITY SYSTEM, DOOR LOCKS, STEERING COLUMN, THE ELECTRONIC KEY, THE BACK WINDSHIELD WIPER... *TR
1996 GRAND CHEROKEE HOOD STRUCK WINDSHIELD WHILE DRIVING. *TS THE HOOD LATCH WAS DEFECTIVE. *NM
TAILGATE LATCH ON 1996 GRAND CHEROKEE HAS FAILED, WON'T UNLOCK. *NM
WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR POPPED OPEN AND WOULD NOT CLOSE. THE CONSUMER TOOK THE VEHICLE TO THE DEALER, AND WAS TOLD THAT THE VEHICLE WAS OUT OF WARRANTY AND THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. THE CONSUMER THEN TOOK THE VEHICLE TO AN AFTERMARKET BODY SHOP, AND WAS TOLD THAT IT WAS THE WELD, WHICH WAS VERY THIN THAT CAUSED THE LATCHES TO POP OFF INSIDE THE DOOR. *AK *SC
THIS COMPLAINT WAS SENT BY A WEB USER VIA E-MAIL. WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER'S DOOR OPENED AND WOULD NOT CLOSE. LUCKILY NO ACCIDENT OCCURRED, BECAUSE CONSUME R WAS ABLE TO CONTROL THE CAR. UPON INSPECTION NOTICED THAT THE DOOR LATCH INSIDE THE DRIVER'S DOOR BROKE OFF FROM DOOR FRAME BY ITSELF, WAS HANGING, AND NOT CONNECTED. WHEN TRYING TO SHUT THE DOOR IT WOULDN'T SHUT. CONSUMER TOOK THE CAR TO A DEALERSHIP, AND THEY SAID THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO. CONSUMER TOOK IT TO A BODY SHOP, AND THEY SAID IT WOULD BE $1636.75 TO REPLACE THE DOOR AND LATCH. *AK *TC
I HAVE A 96 GRAND CHEROKEE LTD 4X4 WITH 115K MILES. SINCE IT TURNED 65K MILES I HAVE REPLACED THE BRAKE PADS AND DRUMS 3 TIMES. I HAVE WATER LEAKS IN THE SEAT BELT WELLS, THE PASSENGER SIDE WINDOW, AND THE BELTS ARE WET WHEN IT RAINS. TODAY, WATER IS POOLING IN THE FLOOR OF THE DRIVER'S SIDE. WATER POURS FROM JUST ABOVE THE ACCELERATOR. MUST BE FROM A/C?THE REAR DOOR HATCH HAS JAMMED IN LOCK POSITION. THE ELECTRONIC MILEAGE/ FUEL READOUT (ON CEILING MODULE) FLUCTUATES WILDLY AND IS INACCURATE. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER WENT OUT AT 64,975 MILES. NOW HAVE A CRACK IN THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, QUOTED $1200 BY DEALER TO REPAIR. I HAVE GONE THROUGH STOCK 3 RADIOS, TUNER PROBLEMS. MASSIVE A/C PROBLEMS IN PAST. I PAID A NON DEALER TO REPAIR IT, THE REPAIRS HELD FOR 30 DAYS AND SAME PROBLEM STARTED AGAIN. THEN HAD DEALER REPAIR AND IT WAS A RECALL ITEM SO WAS COVERED AFTER I'D PAID FOR 2 PREV REPAIR JOBS AT $1100 TOTAL. THE POWER STEERING PUMP WENT OUT AT 90K MILES. REPLACED SO MANY OTHER PARTS, I'D HAVE TO REFER TO THE SERVICE RECORDS FOR MORE DETAILS. THIS LIST IS ONLY FROM MEMORY. TOTAL COST OVER 3 YRS....AROUND $4000! OH, AND THE REAR HATCH/DOOR PAINT IS FADED AND DULL, TOTALLY DIFFERENT FROM THE REST OF THE CAR. ALL BLACK METAL PAINTED PARTS PAINT IS COMING OFF. HAS BEEN FOR COUPLE OF YEARS. ALSO THE ROOF RATTLE REALLY LOUD AT OVER 50MPH. THE POWER OUTLET CAME APART STILL ATTACHED TO MY PHONE CORD ONE DAY. FINALLY, THE FRONT END HAS SOME PROBLEM WITH THE AXLE? AND WILL COST APPROX $700 TO REPAIR. I THOUGHT I HAD A LEMON UNTIL I TALKED WITH 3 OTHER JEEP OWNERS, THEY'VE HAD SIMILAR PROBLEMS. DO WE HAVE ANY RECOURSE WITH CHRYSLER OVER THESE VEHICLES...I AM CONSIDERING INVOLVING AN ATTNY.
DRIVING DOWN FREEWAY AND DRIVERS DOOR POPS OPEN AND WON'T SHUT. HAVE TO PULL OVER IN A HURRY TO AVOID ACCIDENT. FOUND DOOR LATCH HANGING FROM DOOR FRAME. WEAK WELD OF LATCH HAD GIVEN WAY AND DOOR POPPED OPEN. VERY DANGEROUS. LOCAL CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP COULDN'T HELP FINANCIALLY OR OTHERWISE AND SENT ME TO A BODY SHOP. BODY SHOP SAID THIS IS A REGULAR PROBLEM ON CHRYSLER PRODUCTS. THEY USE A CHEAP METAL AND WELDING TO ATTACH DOOR LATCH. I WOULD LIKE TO BE REFUNDED THE $1800 IT IS COSTING ME TO REPLAC THE ENTIRE DOOR. CAR IS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. I WOULD THINK THIS SHOULD LAST MORE THAN EIGHT YEARS.*AK
THE BULBS THAT ILLIMINATED THE SWITCH ENABLING THE CONSUMER TO TURN ON THE FOG LIGHT, DIM THE PANEL LIGHT, AND LOCATE THE HEADLIGHT SWITCH, BURNT OUT. AS A RESULT, CONSUMER WAS UNABLE TO LOCATE AND UTILIZE THE COMPONENTS. THE BULBS COULD NOT BE REPLACED BECAUSE THEY WERE NOT AVAILABLE FROM THE MANUFACTURER OR AFTER MARKET.*AK
VEHICLE WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT AND WAS HIT BY ANOTHER VEHICLE FROM THE REAR TRAVELING APPROX. 62-71 MPH ACCORDING TO POLICE CALCULATIONS. REAR END COLLISON RESULTED IN DRIVER SIDE FRONT SEAT/SEATBACK COLLAPSING TO THE REAR JUST AFTER IMPACT. IS THE SEAT SUPPOSE TO COLLAPSE FROM THIS TYPE OF REAR END COLLISON OR IS IT A DEFECT? SHOULD THE SEAT HAVE STAYED IN THE UPRIGHT POSITION? THE COLLAPSING OF THE SEAT MAY HAVE SAVED THE OCCUPANTS LIFE. DOES THE SAFETY BOARD TEST THESE TYPES OF REAR END ACCIDENTS AT THESE SPEEDS TO TEST THE INTEGRITY OF THE SEATS? MR
CONSUMER STATED THE ALARM ON DASH KEEPS INDCATED THE DOORS ARE OPEN. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. NLM
THE GAUGES ON THE INSTRUMENT PANEL FLASH ON AND OFF AND THE LIGHT IS VERY BRIGHT. THE CONSUMER REMOVED THE FUSES SO THE LIGHT WOULD TURN OFF. THE DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. NLM
DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR LATCHES ARE INOPERABLE ON AN INTERMITTENT BASIS. DEALER HAS BEEN CONTACTED. PLEASE PROVIDE FURTHER DETAILS.*AK
THE SECONDARY LATCH WAS RUSTED IN THE OPEN POSITON CAUSING THE HOOD TO OPEN WHILE DRIVING, THE MAIN LATCH MECHANISM REMAINED PARTIALLY OPEN DUE TO RUST THAT HAD ENCRUSTED IT AS WELL AS MUCH OF THE UNDERSIDE AND EDGES OF THE HOOD. NLM *TT
TRAVELING AT 50MPH WHEN HOOD FLEW OPEN. UPON INVESTIGATION SAW THAT BOTH MAIN LATCH AND BACKUP SAFETY CATCH WERE RUSTED AND NOT FUNCTIONING PROPERLY. LEX, KY DEALER STATED "NO RESTRICTIONS" TO REPLACE "HOOD, LATCH, AND SAFETY CATCH" BUT S.FLA DEALER WONT COOPERATE (RELOCATED TO S.FLA.) NOR WILL CHRYSLER.*AK
THE FUEL GAGE DOES NOT PROPERLY INDICATE THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE TANK. THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM SHORTS FREQUENTLY, LOCKING AND UNLOCKING THE DOORS, OPENING AND SHUTTING WINDOWS BY ITSELF. THE ALARM SYSTEM ALSO SHORTS FREQUENTLY, DOING THE SAME THING.
DASH LIGHT'S BRIGHTEN AND DIM ON THEIR OWN. *AK
BOTH HOOD LATCHES WERE RUSTED AND NEEDED LUBRICATION WHICH CAUSED THE HOOD TO FLY OPEN AND HIT THE WINDSHIELD, BOTH LATCHES WERE LUBRICATED AND THE VEHICLE WAS PRONOUNCED SAFE. NLM
INTERMITTENTLY, FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, OWNER WOULD EXPERIENCE ALL TYPES OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS, SUCH AS, INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTS AND DOME LIGHTS GOING OUT. WHEN VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR A TIRE RECALL, WIRING HARNESS ON THE REAR LEFT DOOR WAS FOUND BROKEN. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
CONSUMER'S POWER SEAT TOTATLLY DISCONNECTED FROM THE FLOOR. DEALER HAS REPLACED 47 PARTS IN THE ELECTRICAL PART OF THE JEEP. CONSUMER HAS ALSO BEEN INJURED BECAUSE OF THIS. *AK
WHILE DRIVING REAR DOOR FLEW OPEN. DOOR WAS STUCK/CLOSED. LATCH HAD BEEN REPLACED 3 TIMES BECAUSE OF RUSTING. DESIGN OF THE LATCH ALLOWED WATER TO JUST SIT. PLEASE PROVIDE ANY FURTHER INFORMATION. *AK
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.
Categories with enough reports to have a page of their own
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