2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee Steering Problems
Owners have filed 73 complaints with NHTSA about steering problems on the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 6% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 75,500 miles. The words owners use most often: “steering gear box” (26% of reports).
- 73steering complaints
- 75,500median miles at failure
- 5mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 15%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.
- Steering gear box: mentioned in 19 of 73 complaints (26%)
- Rack pinion: mentioned in 10 of 73 complaints (14%)
- Difficult maneuver: mentioned in 7 of 73 complaints (10%)
- Wheel became: mentioned in 6 of 73 complaints (8%)
At what mileage do steering problems happen?
Based on 65 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 73 complaints, 5 mention a crash, 2 an injury.
Jeep Grand Cherokee steering complaints by model year
| Model year | Steering complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Grand Cherokee | 2 | 3% | — |
| 2024 Grand Cherokee | 8 | 3% | 55,000 |
| 2023 Grand Cherokee | 44 | 11% | 23,000 |
| 2022 Grand Cherokee | 23 | 9% | — |
| 2021 Grand Cherokee | 102 | 25% | 19,146 |
| 2020 Grand Cherokee | 13 | 5% | 13,100 |
| 2019 Grand Cherokee | 14 | 4% | 18,000 |
| 2018 Grand Cherokee | 14 | 2% | 14,000 |
| 2017 Grand Cherokee | 18 | 5% | 33,000 |
| 2016 Grand Cherokee | 16 | 5% | 20,000 |
| 2015 Grand Cherokee | 42 | 3% | 26,000 |
| 2014 Grand Cherokee | 81 | 3% | 43,000 |
| 2013 Grand Cherokee | 26 | 3% | 40,500 |
| 2012 Grand Cherokee | 100 | 6% | 60,000 |
| 2011 Grand Cherokee | 86 | 5% | 78,900 |
| 2010 Grand Cherokee | 3 | 3% | 80,000 |
| 2009 Grand Cherokee | 11 | 8% | 54,500 |
| 2008 Grand Cherokee | 24 | 3% | 74,500 |
| 2007 Grand Cherokee | 49 | 4% | 97,600 |
| 2006 Grand Cherokee | 37 | 3% | 83,799 |
| 2005 Grand Cherokee | 64 | 3% | 93,000 |
| 2004 Grand Cherokee | 73 | 6% | 75,500 |
| 2003 Grand Cherokee | 24 | 3% | 105,500 |
| 2002 Grand Cherokee | 41 | 3% | 58,500 |
| 2001 Grand Cherokee | 37 | 4% | 62,000 |
| 2000 Grand Cherokee | 48 | 3% | 93,000 |
| 1999 Grand Cherokee | 53 | 3% | 100,000 |
| 1998 Grand Cherokee | 40 | 4% | 126,000 |
| 1997 Grand Cherokee | 47 | 5% | 141,200 |
| 1996 Grand Cherokee | 67 | 8% | 142,000 |
| 1995 Grand Cherokee | 32 | 4% | 126,050 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Steering:gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, the power steering gear may contain an improperly formed spacer clip, which could dislodge within the steering gear.
Risk: A dislodged clip may cause increased steering effort, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the steering gear assemblies. Owner notification began on march 12, 2003. 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
My jeep does the death wobble anytime I hit a small bump in the road, pothole, Lane marker...etc. it is very hard to control at that point and seems as though it might flip if it gets any worst or hit a big enough bump. It is very hard to control and to get to stop once it gets going. It poses a…
Tl* the contact owns a 2004 jeep grand cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal vibration from the front of the vehicle which was also felt in the steering wheel. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vibration…
Anytime i hit a small bump in road or when turning the front end loses control and vehicle shakes violently sending me into other lane. Several wires have melted under the hood and the front driver seat gets extremely hot while driving a distance over 13 miles
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokees have steering problems?
No. NHTSA has 73 owner complaints about steering for the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee (6% of the 1,295 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 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee steering?
Yes: 1 safety recall list steering. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do steering problems start?
The median reported mileage is 75,500 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about steering problems on the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The most frequent phrase is “steering gear box”, in 19 of 73 complaints, followed by “rack pinion” (10).
Other 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems
See all 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems or steering problems across all Grand Cherokee years.