RoadVitals

1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Seat belts Problems

Owner-reported complaints naming the seat belt system, filed with NHTSA

Data refreshed

Seat belts 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.
15
Latest Jun 10, 2004
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.
2%
of 893 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.
6
Injuries or deaths reportedTotals the submitters entered on their own reports in this category. Not verified by NHTSA and not a casualty statistic.
9

What this page shows

Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners. 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. 15 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 seat belt

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

AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jun 10, 2004
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS HAVING BRAKE TROUBLE WITH THE CHEROKEE AND FOR A MONTH I KNEW I HAD TO GET BRAKE PADS ON MY TRUCK 1996 GRAND CHEROKEE. ON AUGUST 21, 2003 I WAS IN CAR ACCIDENT WHICH CAUSED ME TO LOSS CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND NOT BE ABLE TO GAIN IT BACK I WENT UP ON TWO AND CRASHED INTO A MEDIAN THE TRUCK OVER THREE TIMES AND I CAME OUT OF THE SEAT BELT AND LANDED IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I DID HAVE ON MY SEAT BELT BUT CAME UP OUT OF IT. I THINK THE ROTORS MAY HAVE BEEN CORRDID AND HELPED WITH THE ACCIDENT MY SECOND CONCERN IS HOW I WAS ABLE TO COME OUT OF THE SEATBELT AND BECOME SEVERELY INJURED. I SHATTERED MY LEG AND HAD TO RELEARN TO WALK. I JUST WENT THROUGH MY SECOND SURGERY PERTAINING TO THIS ACCIDENT. WHAT STEPS DO I NEED TO GO THROUGH IN ORDER TO GET THE WORD OUT ABOUT THE SEATBELT ISSUE AND THE FACT THAT IT DIDNT SECURE ME FROM THE ACCIDENT. MY HEAD STILL WENT INTO THE WINDSHILED AND I THINK SOMETHING HAPPENED WITH THE AIR BAGS AS WELL BECAUSE THEY WERE TORN BY THE TIME THE TRUCK STOPPED ROLLED AND MY HEAD ISTILL WENT INTO THE WINDOWSHIELD AND WAS CUT UP BAD. *AK

NHTSA ID
10075172
Incident
Aug 21, 2003
Interior & seatsSeat belts
Filed Sep 30, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported

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

NHTSA ID
767897
Incident
Sep 20, 2002
Seat beltsTires & wheels
Filed May 3, 2002
3 injuries reported

WHILE DRIVING, TIRE BLEWOUT AND CAUSED CONSUMER TO LOSE CONTROL, VEHICLE FLIPPED AND CRASHED INTO AN EMBANKMENT, THE RIGHT REAR SEATBELT CAME LOOSE, THERE WERE THREE INJURIES,NO SPECIFIC TIRE INFORMATION WAS GIVEN, CLAIM 40-2530-292. *SLC

NHTSA ID
6901122
Incident
Jul 4, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Mar 15, 2002

THE GEN-3 SEATBELTS ARE DEFECTIVE AND CAN RELEASE OCCUPANT DURING CRASH. THERE NEEDS TO BE A RECALL AND REPLACEMENT TO THE GEN-4. *AK

NHTSA ID
759405
Seat belts
Filed Mar 8, 2002

REAR PASSENGER SIDE SEATBELT WITH A CONVERTIBLE CHILD CARSEAT ATTACHED FAILED ON TWO OCCASIONS. BOTH OCCASIONS INVOLVED AN OLDER (9 YR. OLD) RELATIVE WHO WAS SEATED IN THE MIDDLE AND THE FAILED BUCKLE WAS BUMPED LOOSE.*AK

NHTSA ID
759112
Incident
Mar 15, 2001
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jan 21, 2002
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS IN A CAR ACCIDENT WHEN I TRIED TO AVOID ANOTHER CAR THAT SLID INTO MY LANE. THE BACK PART OF THE JEEP HIT A TELEPHONE POLE AND THEN I SLID IN THE ICE AND HIT A TREE HEAD ON. POLICE ESTIMATED THE SPEED I HIT AT WAS 30 MPH. NONE OF THE AIRBAGS DEPLOYED AND MY SEAT BELT DIDN'T LOCK UP WHEN THE BRAKE WAS ON SO I HIT THE WINDSHIELD AND STEERING WHEEL. *AK

NHTSA ID
757116
Incident
Jan 19, 2002
Seat belts
Filed Jun 28, 2001
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS DRIVING NORTHBOUND IN THE 1996 JEEP (A FEDERAL GOVERNMENT VEHICLE) ON A MULTIPLE LANE DIVIDED HIGHWAY (POSTED SPEED LIMIT OF 45 MPH) AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP AT AN INTERSECTION FOR A RED LIGHT. MY VEHICLE WAS THE FIRST NORTHBOUND CAR TO STOP AT THE INTERSECTION. I WAS WEARING MY SEAT BELT AND SHOULDER HARNESS WITH MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE WHILE STOPPED HERE. SEVERAL SECONDS LATER, AN INATTENTIVE DRIVER IN A PICKUP TRUCK COLLIDED INTO THE LEFT-REAR PORTION OF MY VEHICLE AT A WITNESS-ESTIMATED SPEED OF ABOUT 30 MPH. FOLLOWING THE IMPACT, THE SHOULDER RESTRAINT SYSTEM DID NOT RESTRAIN MY UPPER BODY. AS A CONSEQUENCE, MY HEAD HIT THE STEERING WHEEL WITH SUFFICENT FORCE TO CAUSE MULTIPLE HEAD AND NECK TRAUMA INCLUDING CONTUSIONS, LACERATIONS, MUSCLE STRAIN, A FRACTURED NASAL BONE AND SEPTUM, A SEVERE HEADACHE, LINGERING PAIN, AND DELAYED VERTIGO. MY INJURIES WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH MORE SEVERE HAD I BEEN WEARING MY EYEGLASSES OR SUNGLASSES. THE JEEP WAS PROPELLED THROUGH THE CONTROLLED INTERSECTION AND EVENTUALLY CAME TO A STOP IN THE SOUTHBOUND LEFT-HAND TURN LANE; IT DID NOT COLLIDE WITH ANY OTHER OBJECTS. I EXPRESSED MY CONCERNS TO DAIMLER-CHRYSLER OFFICIALS ABOUT THE "APPARENT" FAILURE OF THE SHOULDER RESTRAINT SYSTEM TO PREVENT MY INJURIES AND THEY LAUNCHED AN INVESTIGATION. THEIR FINDINGS WERE THAT "THE SHOULDER RESTRAINT SYSTEM WAS NOT DESIGNED TO RESTRAIN THE DRIVER IN A REAR END COLLISION". IF THIS IS THE CASE AND IF THE SHOULDER RESTRAINT MECHANISM IN THIS JEEP IS THE CURRENT AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY STANDARD IN THE U.S., THEN I WOULD RECOMMEND FEDERAL REGULATIONS REQUIRING VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS TO: (1)DESIGN AN IMPROVED INDUSTRY-WIDE SHOULDER RESTAINT SYSTEM(S) TO BETTER PROTECT MOTOR VEHICLE OPERATORS AND PASSENGERS FROM SUSTAINING TRAUMATIC HEAD INJURIES IN REAR-END COLLISIONS; (2)INSTALL SUCH AN IMPROVED RESTRAINT SYSTEM IN ALL NEW AUTOS AND TRUCKS; AND (3)PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES TO INSTALL THESE IMPROVED RESTRAINTS IN VEHICLES MADE EARLIER. *AK

NHTSA ID
747521
Incident
Jan 4, 2001
Seat belts
Filed Dec 5, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported

I WAS STOPPED AT A RED LIGHT WAN ABOUT ONE MINUTE LATER I WAS REAR-ENDED BY A CHEVY BLAZER. I HAD MY SEAT BELT AND SHOULDER HARNESS ON BUT THE TOP ROLLER ON THE SHOULDER HARNESS DID NOT GRAB. FOR THAT REASON MY HEAD HIT FIRST THE STEERING WHEEL AND THEN THE WINDSHIELD, LEAVING ME WITH A FRACTURED NOSE AND CONTUSION ON MY FOREHEAD. I BELIEVE THE BLAZER MUST HAVE BEEN TRAVELING AROUND 45 MPH BECAUSE THAT IS THE SPEED LIMIT ON THAT ROAD AND HE DID NOT TRY AND STOP AT ALL (COMPLETE INATTENTION): THERE WERE NO SKID MARKS UNTIL AFTER WHERE HE HIT US. WE WERE SENT CLEAR THROUGHT THE INTERSECTION AND UP THE SIDEWALK. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO CROSS TRAFFIC OR PEDESTRIANS. *AK

NHTSA ID
737331
Incident
Apr 12, 2000
AirbagsSeat belts
Filed Jan 3, 2000
Crash reported1 injury reported

NOT DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAG AND FAILURE OF SAFETY BELT TO RESTRAIN THE DRIVER DURING AN ACCIDENT RESULTED IN A BROKEN STERNUM, CHEST, NECK AND LEG TRAUMA. NLM

NHTSA ID
550183
Incident
Nov 1, 1999
Seat belts
Filed Jan 6, 1999

WHEN BASE OF CHILD SAFETY SEAT WAS INITIALLY INSTALLED, INFANTS HEAD FELL FORWARD WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. CONSUMER WAS FORCED TO MANUALLY HOLD INFANT'S HEAD UNTIL SHE WAS ABLE TO COMPLETELY REMOVE THE BASE. LAST INCIDENT INVOLVED THE STROLLER/CARRIER PART OF THE SYSTEM. HAD CARRIER LOCKED IN PLACE ON THE STROLLER. THE SECURING BAR AND CARRIER FELL OUT HEAD FIRST, CAUSING CHILD TO LAND UPSIDE DOWN.

NHTSA ID
781870
Seat belts
Filed Aug 28, 1998

REAR SEAT BELT STRAPS, WHEN BUCKLED, RUB AGAINST THE SEAT FABRIC CAUSING EXCESSIVE WEAR.

NHTSA ID
540374
Seat belts
Filed Jun 3, 1998

SEAT BELT LOCKING CLIP CAN BE PLACED INTO PROPER LOCATION AS WELL AS THE IMPROPER LOCATION, GIVING THE FALSE IMPRESSION THAT THE BELT IS LOCKED IN PLACE WHEN IT ISN'T.

NHTSA ID
536222
Body & structureExterior lightingSeat belts
Filed Oct 27, 1997

REAR TAIL LIGHTS LEAKING WATER CREATING MOISTURE INSIDE LENSE.

NHTSA ID
604542
Incident
Apr 1, 1996
Seat belts
Filed Sep 8, 1997

SEAT BELT ON RIGHT SIDE OF VEHICLE FAILED.

NHTSA ID
603856
Seat belts
Filed Feb 7, 1996

DRIVERS LAP BELT FAILS TO EXTEND WHEN ATTEMPTING TO LATCH. PLEASE DESCRIBE DETAILS. TT

NHTSA ID
978824

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 .