CarComplaints.com Notes: The fourth generation Grand Cherokee took the relatively trouble-free run of the 3rd-generation and flipped the script.

From 2010 to 2011, complaints about the vehicle not starting increased 10-fold. In fact, the 2011 model year is riddled with engine problems and a defective TIPM might be to blame. The TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module) distributes power to all the eletrical components in the vehicle, so when it starts acting funny so do numerous other components in the car. Orders for new TIPMs were so abundant that parts became scarce, prompting a class-action lawsuit claiming Chrysler ignored this obvious defect.

By 2012 complaints dropped back down by about 80%. Needless to say, if you see a used 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee on a lot just keep walking.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
23 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
20 / 1
Average Mileage:
50,731 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.

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee seat belts / air bags problems

seat belts / air bags problem

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2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Owner Comments (Page 3 of 3)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #18

May 052016

Grand Cherokee

  • miles

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

The sun visors on the passenger side caught on fire the lining was burned, the compass on the dashboard was out as well. Also I have been having a problem with the driver airbag light it has been turning on and off for the past 3 years. I have taken it multiple times to the dealership service to get fixed and they are unaware of the problem. It is a safety issue because if I was to get in an accident the airbag will not deploy.

- Porterville, CA, USA

problem #17

Jul 272015

Grand Cherokee

  • 42,000 miles
7/27/15 I was at a complete stop before I was going to turn into the parking space. I waited until a van passed and again, was at a complete stop. I gently pressed the gas pedal when within seconds the car took off on its own. Within seconds my car revved on its own and took off; slamming me into a concrete wall barrier that saved me from driving into a dry cleaning store window.during this entire time, my foot barely pressed the accelerator and my car took off. Thankfully a man came to me and told me to just put the car in park as I was hitting the break and my wheels were still spinning. The barrier was literally keeping me from going through the large window. It wasn't until then that my car stopped. According to the police report I was going 5 mph. If this was the case, why did I crack the concrete barrier, burn rubber into the asphalt so much that my wheels made deep black marks on the road and my entire front bumper all the way to the rails were completely crushed. Would 5mph cause $7,000 worth of damage" I don't think so. In addition my seatbelt did not lock upon impact. My head slammed into the steering wheel before the seatbelt locked resulting in whiplash. My air bag also did not deploy. At the rate I was going and with the force of impact I hit the barrier with there was no reason for my seatbelt not to instantly lock and my airbag not deploy to protect my head and neck. My car is currently being fixed but I do not feel safe with that car nor selling it to anyone else, lest this happen. What if a family buys this car and dies due to this" I know I am not the only one with this issue and I want someone to take responsibility and admit there is something going on with these cars. Three major recalls for the 2011 and one that I feel lead to my accident. How many people have to go through this before an investigation occurs.

- Jupiter, FL, USA

problem #16

Jul 272015

Grand Cherokee

  • 42,000 miles
7/27/15 I was at a complete stop before I was going to turn into the parking space. I waited until a van passed and again, was at a complete stop. I gently pressed the gas pedal when within seconds the car took off on its own. Within seconds my car revved on its own and took off; slamming me into a concrete wall barrier that saved me from driving into a dry cleaning store window.during this entire time, my foot barely pressed the accelerator and my car took off. Thankfully a man came to me and told me to just put the car in park as I was hitting the break and my wheels were still spinning. The barrier was literally keeping me from going through the large window. It wasn't until then that my car stopped. According to the police report I was going 5 mph. If this was the case, why did I crack the concrete barrier, burn rubber into the asphalt so much that my wheels made deep black marks on the road and my entire front bumper all the way to the rails were completely crushed. Would 5mph cause $7,000 worth of damage" I don't think so. In addition my seatbelt did not lock upon impact. My head slammed into the steering wheel before the seatbelt locked resulting in whiplash. My air bag also did not deploy. At the rate I was going and with the force of impact I hit the barrier with there was no reason for my seatbelt not to instantly lock and my airbag not deploy to protect my head and neck. My car is currently being fixed but I do not feel safe with that car nor selling it to anyone else, lest this happen. What if a family buys this car and dies due to this" I know I am not the only one with this issue and I want someone to take responsibility and admit there is something going on with these cars. Three major recalls for the 2011 and one that I feel lead to my accident. How many people have to go through this before an investigation occurs.

- Jupiter, FL, USA

problem #15

Feb 282014

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 70,000 miles

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

My husband was in an accident on a sunny morning with no precipitation or ice involved while driving in a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. He was not speeding or found responsible for this accident. A Chrysler authorized body shop and the insurance company totaled the car based on the steering column, electrical system, the airbags, as well as the seat belts - which we found strange since we drove the car from the accident. It has been over a year now that he has been dealing with the aftermath of this accident - a traumatic brain injury from this small collision, still out to work, having trouble functioning, and trying to get some answers as to how an airbag that deployed at a speed of 30 mph or less can injure someone so much. Fca (which is now Chrysler) is not giving us any straight answers as to whether this case is involved with the tanaka airbag recall situation. Based on their actions we feel that fca doesn't want to pay for/take responsibility for the vehicles that they have inherited from Chrysler. Through our dealings with fca we are learning that they cannot be trusted to do what they say they are going to do. Fca has told us a few different stories about the orc module, airbags, and seat belts, what we have found is that fca is a group of liars and this needs to be looked into by the federal government immediately as fca is directly putting american safety at risk. We were very loyal Jeep customers prior to the fca buyout because of Chrysler's previous track record of safety and their reliability as a company to take care of important issues like these, fca is not following in their footsteps and I hope all who read this that can do something about this will.

- Agawam, MA, USA

problem #14

Jul 222014

Grand Cherokee 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 36,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving 25 mph, the air bags inadvertently deployed and the vehicle crashed into a mailbox. The contact sustained injuries to the right arm, the shoulders, and the left waist that required medical attention. The contact did not disclose if a police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 36,000. MA 10/6 updated 9/18/2017

- Shelby Township , MI, USA

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problem #13

Dec 262014

Grand Cherokee

  • 43,805 miles
On December 26, 2014 I was rear ended in my 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee as I was making a right turn onto my road. I was slowed down to approximately 10 mph or less as I was turning and got hit by a large pick-up truck. First of all, I am happy that my Jeep tolerated the force from the rear end collision as well as it did, and it even took bouncing off a guide rail pretty well too; however, the safety feature in the headrest is something that needs to be addressed. Since I had no front or side impact, none of my airbags deployed. However, the airbag in the headrest made the headrest slam my head forward causing whiplash and a neck injury. I understand this is supposed to be a safety feature; however, it caused me more injury. I was never aware that my car had this feature. Several days after the accident, I decided to look in my owner's manual and there is nothing in there regarding the headrests. It only mentions the front airbags, curtain airbags and seat airbags. My insurance adjustor wasn't even familiar with this feature when he came out to inspect the damage to my vehicle. If I would have known about the airbag in the headrest and the injury that it could cause, I would have had the headrests removed from my car and replaced them with standard headrests! since the accident, I am dealing with headaches and am going to physical therapy for my neck injury. I seriously hope no one else suffers from this "safety feature" that I wasn't even made aware of as the owner.

- Andreas, PA, USA

problem #12

Jul 022014

Grand Cherokee 4WD 6-cyl

  • 48,000 miles

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

This past July, on an extremely hot afternoon, while driving on the highway, I noticed that the leather covering on the dashboard from window to glove box was lifting and wrinkling before my eyes. Under this area of the dash are airbags. I pulled off the highway and relayed this information to a mechanic friend, he felt that I'd be able to continue driving safely until I reached my destination, but should immediately call my Jeep dealership once I arrived. I have since spoken with my dealership and Chrysler several times and they keep telling me it's a cosmetic defect and the dash just wasn't glued properly when manufactured. I have been told they will repair it at a discounted price of $500 because my car is over the warranty. I am extremely concerned that my in-dash airbags may deploy at anytime and don't feel this repair should be at my expense, especially with the most recent recalls but can't get anyone at Chrysler to take this seriously. Is there any information supporting my concern?

- Fairfield, CT, USA

problem #11

Sep 102014

Grand Cherokee 4WD 6-cyl

  • 20,000 miles
Vehicle will not start. I am told it is related to a tipm failure. 1300 dollars to fix on a car that is out of warranty with less than 20K miles. The part is also ok back order for over a month. I am told there could be random deployment of airbags also.

- Oklahoma City , OK, USA

problem #10

Oct 182013

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 60,000 miles
On 10/18/13 I was traveling 40 mph on a main road and an F-250 pulled out into oncoming traffic from being stopped on a side road and we collided. Both our vehicles had to be towed away. I hit his driver side area and my whole front end was smashed, bumper torn off, fluid leaking from the car. It was not drivable. I had my baby in the car seat in the back but he was fine. I was fine too aside from being sore for 3 weeks and getting whiplash but the main issue that concerns me is that my driver side airbag never went off. It seems to me it should have gone off and I'm wondering if something is faulty. We contacted Chrysler and they were supposed to look at it while it was in the shop, didn't do that, now they want us to bring to dealership to have code read and in the meantime I'm still driving around in a potentially unsafe vehicle. And someone else out there with the same type of vehicle might be as well.......

- Lebanon, CT, USA

problem #9

Nov 112013

Grand Cherokee

  • 26,000 miles
Jeep is unreliable turning on. Will crank and crank and crank, but never turn over. After 10 or so tries, will sometimes start. Other times, I have to leave it and try again later. Dealer says it is related to the tipm. Which is backordered, with no estimated ship date in sight. This part is also linked to my automatic brakes, airbags, electrical, etc. My car is still under warranty and the dealer refuses to grant me a courtesy or rental car until the part comes in. They suggested I keep my unreliable car for the time being.

- Homewood , AL, USA

problem #8

Sep 202013

Grand Cherokee 8-cyl

  • 41,751 miles

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

Totally integrated power module is going out on multiple Jeep vehicles. The tipm controls lights, horns, wipers, air bags, etc. When the part quits working, it causes multiple issues with the vehicle. The vehicle will not start, which can leave the owner stranded. The wipers, horn, etc., just turn on, which could cause an accident. And, the air bags may not deploy if in an accident. The tipm is on national back order, which means waiting weeks for repair and Chrysler is refusing to pay for a rental car for the owner. And, will the replacement last longer than the original? the vehicle needs to be recalled and replaced.

- Flower Mound, TX, USA

problem #7

Aug 162012

Grand Cherokee 4WD 8-cyl

  • 80,000 miles
Diagnosed as tipm problem (totally integrated power module) car initially had problems with headlamps and wipers malfunctioning, then ignition wouldn't turn over and then when it finally did the car could not be turned off! brought car straight to Jeep dealer after it wouldn't turn off and was told it was tipm. They said part was back ordered over a month and car can not be driven in the meantime. This is a huge consumer problem across the country with multiple model Jeep and several model years. The part is impossible to get and I was even told a boat sank and that it why it is back ordered nationally for months. Looking at other consumer complaints online this should be a recall. Cars are not able to be driven and people are waiting months for the part.

- Weston, CT, USA

problem #6

Jul 112013

Grand Cherokee 4WD 8-cyl

  • 48,000 miles
My problem is with my totally integrated power module (tipm). It is faulty and needs replaced and so are 25,000 other 2011 vehicles in the usa. Part is on backorder and there is a business problem with the vendor. I am flagging this situation as a life, health, and safety matter now because you have on file 5 - 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee accidents where the air bags were written up in the police reports as not deploying. This goes right back to the tipm which is the brains of the whole vehicle. The air bags are wired into the totally integrated power module. This is the case where you need to connect the dots. There are thousands of us out there that won't start because we need the tipm. What about the other thousands out there that didn't develop the fault yet in the tipm but in the event of an accident the odds that the air bags don't deploy has been greatly increased. This consumer/Jeep owner has no faith at all that my bags will ever deploy when needed. When my Jeep is returned to me I am immediately trading it in. NHTSA needs to force Chrysler to make a recall, they will never do it on their own.[xxx]parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C.552 (B) (6).

- Collingswood, NJ, USA

problem #5

Aug 152013

Grand Cherokee

  • 35,000 miles
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 mph, the contact crashed into another vehicle and the air bags did not deploy. The contact was taken to the hospital and a police report was filed. The contact was not injured. The vehicle was towed to a body shop but was not taken to a dealer for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure and current mileage was 35,000.

- Urbandale , OH, USA

problem #4

Nov 022012

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 11,000 miles
Jeep was headed East bound in to lighted intersection. 2nd car headed West made a left across the East bound lane. The accident happened when the East bound car hit the car that was turning. The speed of the impact was 40 plus miles per hour. The air bags in the Jeep did not deploy.

- Antioch, IL, USA

problem #3

Jun 252012

Grand Cherokee

  • 24,000 miles
The contact owns 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4X4. The contact stated that while turning left, he was crashed into by another vehicle on the front driver's side. Non of the air bags deployed at the time of the crash. There were no warning lights in regards to the air bags prior to the crash. The police department was present and a report was available. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or repair shop for inspection or repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the airbag failure. The VIN was unavailable. The failure and current mileages were 24,000.

- Chicago , IL, USA

problem #2

Dec 192011

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
The air bag light goes on sporadically/randomly for different amounts of time and then shuts off. When taken to Jeep they found the error code for the air bag light turning on however didn't find any defects. So they reset the computer to clear the note that the air bag light had turned on. That lasted about 3 days and the air bag light came back on at a random time while driving. I will be returning back to Jeep next week to see if they can find the source of the problem. Concern is whether or not the air bag would deploy properly if in an accident or whether it would deploy when it shouldn't while driving. Jeep said they checked for a blown fuse and found none. Not sure what else they checked but maybe there's a loose electrical connection somewhere.

- Longwood, FL, USA

problem #1

Oct 052011

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 7,200 miles
Oct 5, 2011 I was in an accident, 3 car pile up. My head hit the steering wheel I suffered a concussion, facial contusion, hematoma.

- Rochester Hills, MI, USA

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