10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
133,221 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee engine problems

engine problem

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1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Owner Comments

problem #17

Jan 192024

Grand Cherokee

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

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 independent mechanics replaced the fuel filter and the fuel pump and installed an unknown computer software on the vehicle; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Kannapolis, NC, USA

problem #16

Sep 012010

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
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 dealer. When the contact brought the vehicle home, the failure recurred. An unknown dealer in york, Maine diagnosed the vehicle and found no failure. The vehicle remained parked at the contact's home for over a year. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown.

- Kittery, ME, USA

problem #15

Dec 122006

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
Engine over heat get worse when A/C is on and it also have a electical problem that kills the battery aften and its not the altenator really tired of this

- St Thomas, VI, USA

problem #14

Dec 132014

Grand Cherokee

  • 315,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The failure occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 315,000.

- Mooresborough , NC, USA

problem #13

Jan 012014

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 165,000 miles
The Jeep will die at any given time, place, temperature. Nothing seems to make a difference. The only thing I can get to make a difference on whether it runs or dies in putting pressure by hand on the number three computer plug. No check engine light, no codes no nothing. Just a faulty computer design that's putting myself and my family in dangerous situations on a regular basis.

- Chubbuck, ID, USA

problem #12

May 252000

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
This was many years ago, but with the investigation into engine's unexpectedly shutting down while driving I thought I should report. The Jeep Grand Cherokee was a '96 or '97, not sure anymore. I was driving on a major road, not a highway but where you could travel in the 40's and the engine totally shut down. I brought the car to a dealer and he couldn't find anything wrong. It happened again, this time at a slower speed. Brought it back the dealer and again they couldn't find anything wrong. I refused to take the car back until they found and repaired. He asked if he could drive it home, hoping to replicate issue, he didn't even make it out of the parking lot. This was a dealer in tampa, fl, so hopefully there is a record of what they found. It did not happen again, but we sold the car shortly after.

- Short Hills, NJ, USA

problem #11

Dec 112013

Grand Cherokee

  • 147,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. The contact stated that while driving approximately 70 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was towed to a private mechanic where it was diagnosed but the repairs were unknown. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was repaired but failed to rectify the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 147,000. The current mileage was 148,000.

- Hunnington Beach , CA, USA

problem #10

Feb 102010

Grand Cherokee

  • 100,000 miles
The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 45 mph, a burning odor was smelled in the cabin. The contact discovered flames and smoke being emitted from the front end of the vehicle. The contact personally extinguished the flames. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact also mentioned that the vehicle suddenly stalled while driving on the highway. The contact took the vehicle to several independent mechanics but the defect could not be identified. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 100,000.

- Grafton, OH, USA

problem #9

Mar 142013

Grand Cherokee

  • 60,000 miles
The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated the engine stalled without warning while driving approximately 20 mph. The vehicle was towed to the residence. Upon restarting the vehicle it was taken to an independent mechanic where the ignition, starter, fuel pump and fuel filter were replaced. In addition to repairing the catalytic converter, the battery was also replaced. The failure recurred numerous times after the repairs were performed. The failure occurred at any speed being driven and while the vehicle was idle. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and that failure was not diagnosed. The manufacturer was notified of the defect. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.

- Los Angeles, CA, USA

problem #8

May 072013

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 231,150 miles
My wife, [xxx] was driving down I 75 at 70 mph and the vehicle just went dead. She coasted over to the shoulder and stopped. She put the vehicle in park, try to start the vehicle several times, fearing the battery would run down. The vehicle finally cranked, the vehicle started fine for a couple weeks and went dead in the middle of traffic in dalton, ga. The vehicle was pushed to the side and again she spent app. 5 minutes, with several tries and the vehicle finally started. The vehicle has stopped on I 75 several times more. Very dangerous. The vehicle has also refused to start twice at first, after setting for a couple hours while [xxx] went in shopping. The vehicle did start. Today the vehicle was setting at home after ridding around town for a couple of hours and refused to start running the battery down. I placed a charger on the battery, got a 25% charge and the vehicle started. The vehicle starts easy, when it starts. The vehicle for the most part is a good vehicle, but I am afraid, this issue is going to cause an accident. Can you help. Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Dalton, GA, USA

problem #7

Apr 292013

Grand Cherokee

  • 190,125 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Jeep advertises that there Grand Cherokee can withstand water up to 20 inches deep. I beg to differ and I have been lied to. Was driving through my neighborhood on my way to a buddy's house a few blocks away, I hit a small puddle on my way and my engine just seized up and everything went ballistic. Measured the puddle and it was a whopping inch and a half deep. Had my buddy tow me back home to check it out and low and behold, there it was, rod #1 sticking right through my oil pan about an inch. Bent to high [xxx] and sheared right off (note: Also noticed the electrical components said "Japan" and when I pulled the oil pan and pulled the rod, in big bold letters "china" stamped on the rod") now I have a 6000lb paper weight sitting in my driveway that I can do nothing with. Now if Jeep advertises that their vehicles are safe in water up to 20 inches, why did an inch and a half deep puddle hydrolock my engine resulting in rod #1 being shot through the oil pan and all electronics fried? hmmmm interesting. Also notice how the foreign mass market parts were the only ones to fail. Seems a little fishy. It grinds my gears because I have been a die hard mopar enthusiast since I was born, my father worked for Chrysler from the day he graduated to the day he died and slaved for the company and this is the products they are selling to the american public. I smell [xxx]and it pains me to say that I will never ever purchase a Chrysler product for the rest of my days........screw Chrysler and their Fiat owned corporation. I do not support foreign products in any way shape or form. [xxx]= complete crap information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Barnhart, MO, USA

problem #6

Mar 072013

Grand Cherokee

  • 312,000 miles
The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the vehicle stalled in the middle of the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who ran a diagnostic test and stated that they could not duplicate the failure. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 312,000.

- South Chesterfield, VA, USA

problem #5

Feb 012011

Grand Cherokee

  • 142,000 miles
The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 45 mph, the vehicle began to shake before stalling without warning. After allowing the vehicle to sit for 30 minutes, the contact was able to restart the vehicle however, the failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic for diagnosis where the cam shaft sensor, ignition coil, ignition switch, distributor cap, crank sensor, and the starter was replaced over the course of several visits. The failure recurred after each repair. The ECM was replaced and the failure did not recur until seven months later. The vehicle was not further repaired. The failure mileage was 142,000 and the current mileage was 151,000.

- Wilson, NC, USA

problem #4

Jan 052013

Grand Cherokee

  • 198,000 miles
The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that white smoke emitted from the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the water pump and head gasket were defective and needed to be replaced. The components were replaced but the failure recurred. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 198,000 and the current mileage was 199,400.

- West Bloomfield, MI, USA

problem #3

May 152002

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 100,000 miles
Stalling/stumbling of engine, fuel or electrical while driving at 35 miles per hour on city street. Has never stalled at freeway speeds, low speed only. Last stalling Friday December 7, 2012 on city street. Previous incident occurred March of 2012 on city streets.

- San Diego, CA, USA

problem #2

Sep 102012

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 186,000 miles
Started out to go to work @ 6 am traveled with no issues to the kids sitter's house and then continued on to work on double lane highway speed limit 60 mph. The Jeep started sputter, jerk and eventually died, didn't realize it had died so pulled off to side of road, turn the Jeep back on it kept sputtering, jerking and died again. Finally, it backfired 3 to 4 times and stayed started. Check engine light came on went and had the code read it stated it was the ignition coil and catalyst system. So we changed the ignition coil and catalytic converter, along with the muffler do to the fact the backfiring blew a hole plum through the muffler. Still same problems. Have had several near miss of crashes, and bodily injury. Now it doesn't want to start and you sit on the side of the road like I did for 2 hours before it wanted to start up.

- Pennville, IN, USA

problem #1

Sep 132011

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 118,478 miles
The engine stalls randomly at various speeds.this has happened on busy and dangerous highways.I have replaced the ECM and gave it a complete tune-up and crank position sensor. The engine usually restarts after a few minutes of sitting. This problem is all over the internet. Nobody has figured it out. I hate to see anybody get hurt or killed by this unexplained problem.

- Ford Cliff, PA, USA

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