1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Suspension Problems
Owners have filed 50 complaints with NHTSA about suspension problems on the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 6% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 190,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “death wobble” (14% of reports).
- 50suspension complaints
- 190,000median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 50%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Death wobble: mentioned in 7 of 50 complaints (14%)
- Front end: mentioned in 6 of 50 complaints (12%)
- Sway bar: mentioned in 5 of 50 complaints (10%)
At what mileage do suspension problems happen?
Based on 11 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 50 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Jeep Grand Cherokee suspension complaints by model year
| Model year | Suspension complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Grand Cherokee | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2024 Grand Cherokee | 6 | 2% | 74,265 |
| 2023 Grand Cherokee | 66 | 17% | 26,800 |
| 2022 Grand Cherokee | 23 | 9% | 28,889 |
| 2021 Grand Cherokee | 30 | 7% | 36,000 |
| 2020 Grand Cherokee | 8 | 3% | 16,319 |
| 2019 Grand Cherokee | 11 | 3% | 68,408 |
| 2018 Grand Cherokee | 16 | 2% | 28,004 |
| 2017 Grand Cherokee | 8 | 2% | 55,375 |
| 2016 Grand Cherokee | 3 | 1% | 13,100 |
| 2015 Grand Cherokee | 18 | 1% | 20,000 |
| 2014 Grand Cherokee | 51 | 2% | 2,400 |
| 2013 Grand Cherokee | 8 | 1% | 80,000 |
| 2012 Grand Cherokee | 32 | 2% | 53,000 |
| 2011 Grand Cherokee | 37 | 2% | 61,000 |
| 2009 Grand Cherokee | 2 | 1% | 132,000 |
| 2008 Grand Cherokee | 9 | 1% | 76,000 |
| 2007 Grand Cherokee | 10 | 1% | 103,200 |
| 2006 Grand Cherokee | 9 | 1% | 103,500 |
| 2005 Grand Cherokee | 22 | 1% | 47,280 |
| 2004 Grand Cherokee | 22 | 2% | 98,000 |
| 2003 Grand Cherokee | 13 | 2% | 72,200 |
| 2002 Grand Cherokee | 17 | 1% | 94,139 |
| 2001 Grand Cherokee | 23 | 3% | 131,500 |
| 2000 Grand Cherokee | 31 | 2% | 78,616 |
| 1999 Grand Cherokee | 76 | 5% | 52,800 |
| 1998 Grand Cherokee | 32 | 3% | 124,995 |
| 1997 Grand Cherokee | 43 | 4% | 105,834 |
| 1996 Grand Cherokee | 50 | 6% | 190,000 |
| 1995 Grand Cherokee | 18 | 3% | 165,550 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
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…
Experienced death wobble on freeway at 45-55 and to regain control have t0 apply brakes and almost come to a dead stop. Six months after, the steering housing cracked found two out of the three bolts had snaped the bolt closest to the firewall had the broken casting still tourqe to the frame. I…
I had my power steering bracket break into 3 pieces, causing me to go through 2 pulleys and 4 serpentine belts before figuring out the problem. I have also experienced the "death wobble" a few times at speeds between 40-50 mph. It is very disturbing and scary and forced me off the road. I have to…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokees have suspension problems?
No. NHTSA has 50 owner complaints about suspension for the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee (6% of the 893 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee suspension?
Yes: 1 safety recall list suspension. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do suspension problems start?
The median reported mileage is 190,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about suspension problems on the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The most frequent phrase is “death wobble”, in 7 of 50 complaints, followed by “front end” (6).
Other 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems
See all 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems or suspension problems across all Grand Cherokee years.