10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 2
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
85,769 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 electrical problems

electrical problem

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1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Owner Comments (Page 1 of 2)

problem #38

Aug 102017

Grand Cherokee

  • 165,000 miles

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

Car usually runs fine cold but when it gets to operating temperature it stalls unexpectedly and in dangerous moments while driving on any road or freeway at any speed. I lose all powered functions like steering and brakes. It won't start again for hours until it has cooled all the way down.

- Valencia, CA, USA

problem #37

Apr 022016

Grand Cherokee

  • 214,000 miles
The vehicle stalls unpredictably in dangerous situations on the road endangering life and safety. It also exhibits explosive backfires randomly which destroys the muffler and endangers safety. This has happened numerous times while in motion on the street.

- Westminster, CA, USA

problem #36

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 #35

Jan 152008

Grand Cherokee

  • 196,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving approximately 45 mph, the vehicle stalled without warning. The vehicle was restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 196,000.

- San Antonio, TX, USA

problem #34

Sep 102014

Grand Cherokee 4WD 6-cyl

  • miles
The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: (electrical system); however, the part to do the repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact had not experienced a failure....updated 05/14/15

- La Vista, NE, USA

problem #33

Sep 022014

Grand Cherokee

  • 181,000 miles
While driving at 65 mph the vehicle shuts off and will not start until the vehicle cools and will run for a while and shut off but this time it will take hours before it starts again which it would begin to repeat the process of shutting off. I changed all the sensors and had the fuel pump checked out but it still shuts off.

- New Haven , CT, USA

problem #32

Jul 122011

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 96,000 miles

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

For three years, Jeep gc has gone through 6 different batteries. Drain occurs randomly but may appear to be related to factory remote keyless entry. Jeep has also experienced other electronic power surges in past (interior lights and gauges going haywire, driver/navigation console literally going up in smoke.) several automobile technicians have serviced the vehicle and have not been able to locate the origin of this problem. The problem, itself, could very well lead to an accident, fire, and even fatality.

- Decatur, GA, USA

problem #31

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 #30

Aug 052014

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
The contact owns a 1996 Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle stalled. The contact also indicated that smoke was coming from under the hood. The vehicle was examined by an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the alternator was faulty. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was unknown. The VIN was not available.

- Memphis , TN, USA

problem #29

Aug 092004

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • miles
My horn has not worked for many years until yesterday my husband who drives my Jeep rarely was driving it and had a close call and he hit the horn and it worked? he tried to do it again and it failed to work. This is a one owner car and we have never taken it in to have it checked out. Not sure if it has something to do with the air bag assembly in the steering wheel or what it could be. Please advise if any other complaints and possible fixes for this problem. Thank you

- Moses Lake, WA, USA

problem #28

Aug 012013

Grand Cherokee

  • miles

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

1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Consumer writes in regards to not being notified about several recall notices.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #27

Apr 292013

Grand Cherokee

  • 190,125 miles
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 #26

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 #25

Jun 152012

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
Driver front, and both rear door lock actuators have stopped working correctly.

- Mechaincsville, VA, USA

problem #24

Mar 222012

Grand Cherokee 4WD 8-cyl

  • 192,000 miles
Jeep stalls without giving any warning sign such as check engine light. Changed so many different part to fix problem no one knows why. When it dies during the left turn many times I feel so danger. Please let Jeep know that so many people are in danger because of their faulty work.

- Pocatello , ID, USA

problem #23

Jan 012010

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 150,000 miles
Jeep has been stalling for 2 years at least. Stalls under all conditions, idle, high speed, cold or hot outside temp. Recently the past month it is stalling constantly at the rate of 2-5 times per day, average mileage 25 miles per day. Stalls at highway speeds are bad, and in traffic can be deadly. Stalls in intersections are worse as there is not enough time to react and get the vehicle away from heavy traffic. Basic research will show that thousands of people have this same exact problem.

- Windsor, NY, USA

problem #22

Jan 282012

Grand Cherokee

  • 141,000 miles
Engine suddenly cut off while driving, power brakes and steering were immediately lost, although lights and gages remained operational. Battery and grounds tested fine. Cap, rotor and plugs are all new, wires and coil test fine, and vehicle has new mopar crank position and throttle position sensors. Research on Jeep technical sites finds identical problems being traced to failure of power control module PCM, sometimes also referred to as engine control module (ECM).

- Louisville, KY, USA

problem #21

Aug 012011

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 148,000 miles
This is a commonly known defect with these Jeep which has never been adequately addressed by the NHTSA. Someone is going to get killed if the manufacturer is not held responsible. Infamous stalling problem. Whether going 10 mph or 70 mph, vehicle will stall with no warning. Generally will re-start after turning off ignition, but not always immediately. On my Jeep, I have replaced the computer module, crankshaft position sensor, fuel pump, fuel filters, maf sensor, distributor cap, rotor, plugs and plug wires. I have had the computer module wiring harness reworked. Still stalls, and I have been forced to park the Jeep for safety reasons.

- Palatka, FL, USA

problem #20

Oct 122011

Grand Cherokee

  • 180,000 miles
Like many other Jeep Grand Cherokee from 95 - 99 my Jeep has starting cutting out for no apparent reason. Many components have been changed. This is a widely documented problem of poor quality control leading to solder joint failures on the ECM board. This causes an interruption of the signal and cause the vehicles engine to die or sputter at any speed or time. I do not understand why this hasn't been recalled when the problem is so well documented on numerous Jeep websites. This Jeep also suffers from the 50mph shake.

- Manassas, VA, USA

problem #19

Aug 222011

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 113,000 miles
1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee ltd., 4.0/6cyl./auto trans. Random intermittent stalling and/or bucking while driving, stalling at stop signs, restarts immediately sometimes (or not). Stalling and/or bucking may occur at 70 mph or 35 mph. Jeep will be running perfectly for miles and then just stall (at 70 mph on interstate while merging with another interstate is very stressful and dangerous.. ie. I75 at knoxville, tenn. Or I71 at I 270 in columbus, Ohio. Many times it will stall while crossing a state highway from a stop sign on a county road. Also occurs on county roads while cruising along at 45 to 55 mph. It is truly a random and intermittent problem...and very dangerous. I have been honked at, cursed at, nearly broadsided, /rearended too many times to even begin to count. Problem has been ongoing for 4 years. Replacing the PCM works for maybe 2 months then problem returns sometimes worse than before (have replaced at least 4-5 times...or more!! Jeep dealer can confirm) have replaced crank sensors, 02 sensors, speed sensors, wiring harness plugs, muffler, catalytic converter, distributer, plug wires and misc. Wire jumps and repairs, rebuilt transmission, battery. Problem is sometimes not even made any better and "always" returns in a few days or months if better at all. I believe it to be a poor PCM design, but admittedly am not a mechanic but an engineer and surveyor. Many other 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners share my stress and aggravation. Some think it the 2 torque screws wearing though and shorting out on the PCM housing at the plugs (too long). I have spent, "literally" thousands of dollars over the past 4-5 years. Runs great 75-85 percent of the time...but when it decides to stall it just does it...stopped, accelerating from stop, slowing down from 55 to 35 mph, cruising along at 50 to 75 mph. I do not understand why you do not make Jeep fix this problem (whatever it is) before someone gets killed...like me. Is it about the money" how many millions is one life"

- Marion, OH, USA

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