1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Grand Cherokee years
- About as many complaints as other years 14th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 6 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 893 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. That ranks 14th out of 32 Grand Cherokee model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (280 complaints, 31%), typically at around 141,000 miles. Complaints mention 135 crashes, 23 fires, 101 injuries. There are 6 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 8 defect investigations involving it.
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- 893owner complaints
- 6safety recalls
- 8NHTSA investigations
- 135complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 280 | 31% | 141,000 | “jumped park” (8%) | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems | 105 | 12% | 112,000 | “brake rotors” (19%) | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline problems | 102 | 11% | 121,000 | “fuel pump” (50%) | $1,600 |
| Engine and Engine Cooling problems | 88 | 10% | 116,250 | “exhaust manifold” (17%) | $1,650 |
| Structure problems | 85 | 10% | 174,000 | “fuel gasoline structure” (25%) | — |
| Steering problems | 67 | 8% | 142,000 | “power steering pump” (18%) | — |
| Electrical System problems | 65 | 7% | 148,000 | — | — |
| Suspension problems | 50 | 6% | 190,000 | “death wobble” (14%) | — |
| Tires | 35 | 4% | 118,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 35 | 4% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 34 | 4% | 130,000 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 28 | 3% | 196,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 27 | 3% | 143,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 26 | 3% | 115,608 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 21 | 2% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Engine | 17 | 2% | 165,000 | — | — |
| Visibility | 15 | 2% | 155,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 14 | 2% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 13 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 7 | 1% | 100,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 7 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 6 | 1% | 70,000 | — | — |
| Wheels | 6 | 1% | 250,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 5 | 1% | 175,500 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 4 | 0% | 170,000 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Air | 4 | 0% | 64,000 | — | — |
| Child Seat | 2 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 2 | 0% | 151,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 0% | 75,950 | — | — |
| Trailer Hitches | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee recalls (6)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Structure; fuel system, gasoline:storage:tank assembly
Problem: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 1993-1998 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty vehicles. The fuel tanks in these vehicles are at risk of failure and leakage in certain rear impacts.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire.
Fix: Owners may take their vehicles to dealers and the dealers will perform a free inspection of the rear structure. On vehicles in the recall that are not equipped with a tow hitch, Chrysler will install a Chrysler designed tow hitch free of charge, provided the condition of the vehicle can support proper installation. On vehicles in the recall that are equipped with an aftermarket tow hitch, Chrysler will assess whether the hitch and surrounding areas show evidence of sharp edges or other puncture risks. If so, Chrysler will replace the tow hitch with a Chrysler designed tow hitch free of charge, provided the condition of the vehicle can support proper installation. On vehicles already equipped with a Chrysler designed tow hitch, Chrysler will inspect the area around the tow hitch installation, and if any installation issues are identified, they will be repaired free of charge. The recall began on August 1, 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign numbers are N45 (for the Grand Cherokee vehicles) and N46 (for the Liberty vehicles).
Power train:automatic transmission:lever and linkage:floor shift
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, if a driver has not placed the shifter lever fully into the "park" position and leaves the vehicle running, the vehicle may unexpectedly move rearward after seeming to be stable.
Risk: Inadvertent movement of the vehicle could result in a crash.
Fix: Dealers will install a secondary detent system to the floor shifter assembly. Daimlerchrysler sent interim notices to owners concerning this problem on march 22, 2002. Owner notification began september 23, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:rotor
Problem: Vehicle description: passenger and multi-purpose vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, illinois, indiana, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, or wisconsin, and the district of columbia. The front disc brake rotors can experience severe corrosion if operated for an extensive period in the "salt belt." if the rotors are not replaced, the corrosion can eventually compromise the structural integrity of the stamped steel center hub section of the rotor.
Risk: The reduced strength can allow the cast iron wear surface to separate from the hub, reducing the brake effectiveness of the vehicle.
Fix: Dealers will replace these rotors with rotors that are coated with a corrosion protection.
Suspension:front
Problem: Vehicle description: multi-purpose vehicles equipped with "quadra-trac" transfer case, temporary spare tire, and any of 225/70r16, 225/75r16 or 245/70r15 road tires. When the temporary spare tire is in use, the front axle can overheat.
Risk: An overheated axle can force axle fluid out of the seals, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire.
Fix: Dealers will replace the temporary spare tire with a full sized tire and wheel.
Electrical system:wiring
Problem: Vehicle description: vehicles equipped with memory seat option. The memory seat module wiring harness can come in contact with the seat spring, a low resistance short circuit can develop resulting in localized heating.
Risk: The localized heating can result in ignition of the seat cushion material and a vehicle fire.
Fix: Dealers will relocate the memory seat control module and wiring harness and a protective shield will be installed on the seat frame.
Electrical system:wiring:fuses and circuit breakers
Problem: The fasteners which secure the alternator circuit fuse to the power distribution center may have an improper clamp load.
Risk: Improper clamping can result in arcing at the connection potentially causing a fire in the engine compartment.
Fix: Dealers will replace the alternator fuse with a fuse link and any damage to the power distribution center will be repaired.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires (EA12005) — opened Jun 12, 2012, closed Nov 14, 2014, led to recall 13V252000.
- Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires (PE10031) — opened Aug 23, 2010, closed Jun 14, 2012.
- Fuel Storage System Crash Related Fires (DP09005) — opened Nov 6, 2009, closed Aug 23, 2010.
- Hood latch failure (EA02029) — opened Oct 16, 2002, closed Feb 10, 2004.
- Hood latch (PE02045) — opened May 17, 2002, closed Oct 16, 2002.
- Roll-away in reverse when parked (EA01017) — opened Nov 1, 2001, closed Dec 18, 2002, led to recall 02V053000.
- Inadvertent rollaway in reverse park (PE01021) — opened Jun 28, 2001, closed Nov 1, 2001.
- Safety blt latch operation (PE96008) — opened Jan 25, 1996, closed Jun 28, 1996.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled inadvertently. The vehicle was able to restart immediately on some occasions and restarted after a while on other occasions. There was no warning light illuminated. Several…
The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that prior to purchasing the vehicle, he researched online and became aware that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 98V006000 (Suspension) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was…
The inspection recall on my 1996 jeep grand cherokee did nothing to fix the problem with pcm and catalytic converter specified in the defective issue within the recalls issued. This harms the driver, pedestrians, other passengers and motorists. The tech where i went to have recall work performed…
Hankook optimo h724 p225/75 /r15 102 slww tires - set of 4 tires purchased new on 5/25/2018. Kept up with regular tire rotations and air pressure checks. First replacement (side wall defect) 10/21/2019. Flat repair 2/24/2020 second tire replacement (side wall defect) 8/10/2020. This is highly…
Tl* the contact owns a 1996 jeep grand cherokee. While driving in traffic, the vehicle stalled and the steering wheel seized. The vehicle was taken to 21 different independent mechanics where it was tested from top to bottom. The vehicle passed inspection even after it was test driven by the…
Other Jeep Grand Cherokee years
← 1995 Grand Cherokee · 1997 Grand Cherokee →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Grand Cherokee | 25 | 6 |
| 2025 Grand Cherokee | 76 | 4 |
| 2024 Grand Cherokee | 249 | 16 |
| 2023 Grand Cherokee | 397 | 21 |
| 2022 Grand Cherokee | 264 | 13 |
| 2021 Grand Cherokee | 409 | 12 |
| 2020 Grand Cherokee | 240 | 3 |
| 2019 Grand Cherokee | 370 | 7 |
| 2018 Grand Cherokee | 855 | 10 |
| 2017 Grand Cherokee | 364 | 5 |
| 2016 Grand Cherokee | 311 | 8 |
| 2015 Grand Cherokee | 1,366 | 9 |
| 2014 Grand Cherokee | 2,381 | 18 |
| 2013 Grand Cherokee | 804 | 9 |
| 2012 Grand Cherokee | 1,644 | 10 |
| 2011 Grand Cherokee | 1,640 | 6 |
| 2010 Grand Cherokee | 118 | 5 |
| 2009 Grand Cherokee | 138 | 2 |
| 2008 Grand Cherokee | 734 | 4 |
| 2007 Grand Cherokee | 1,108 | 5 |
| 2006 Grand Cherokee | 1,280 | 4 |
| 2005 Grand Cherokee | 2,051 | 3 |
| 2004 Grand Cherokee | 1,295 | 8 |
| 2003 Grand Cherokee | 762 | 4 |
| 2002 Grand Cherokee | 1,476 | 10 |
| 2001 Grand Cherokee | 883 | 4 |
| 2000 Grand Cherokee | 1,447 | 6 |
| 1999 Grand Cherokee | 1,638 | 4 |
| 1998 Grand Cherokee | 1,028 | 4 |
| 1997 Grand Cherokee | 991 | 5 |
| 1996 | 893 | 6 |
| 1995 Grand Cherokee | 719 | 4 |
See all Jeep Grand Cherokee problems by year, every Jeep model, or the Jeep VIN decoder.
Similar Jeep models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Owners most often report power train, service brakes, hydraulic, fuel system, gasoline problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 280 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Yes, 6 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Grand Cherokee model years, the 1996 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.