66 of the 1,250 complaints about the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee are about the electrical system — 5% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 148,000 miles.
66
Complaints
2
Crashes
7
Fires
1
Injuries
Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #11083164 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #10873479 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
NHTSA complaint #10788731 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* 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.
NHTSA complaint #10745793 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* 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
NHTSA complaint #10683227 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #10637255 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #10630225 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #10628594 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
TL* 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.
NHTSA complaint #10627425 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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
NHTSA complaint #10621257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARDS TO NOT BEING NOTIFIED ABOUT SEVERAL RECALL NOTICES. *SMD
NHTSA complaint #10536646 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
JEEP ADVERTISES THAT THERE GRAND CHEROKEES 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).
NHTSA complaint #10510168 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #10478413 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
DRIVER FRONT, AND BOTH REAR DOOR LOCK ACTUATORS HAVE STOPPED WORKING CORRECTLY.
NHTSA complaint #10462923 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #10452888 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #10449620 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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).
NHTSA complaint #10445848 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
THIS IS A COMMONLY KNOWN DEFECT WITH THESE JEEPS 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.
NHTSA complaint #10444886 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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.
NHTSA complaint #10440161 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
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?
NHTSA complaint #10420981 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
RANDOM STALLING, SUDDEN TRANSMISSION SLAMS AND DROP DOWNS.
NHTSA complaint #10389710 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
STALLS IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC WHILE DRIVING. ALMOST KILLED ME AND MY KIDS TODAY.
NHTSA complaint #10368379 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY VEHICLE STALLS WHEN IT IS HOT OUTSIDE. I HAVE HAD THE COIL REPLACED THEN I HAD THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER REPLACED AND O2 SENSOR AND IT STILL STALLED ON START UP. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP AND IT STALLED AND THEY TOLD ME IT WAS MY FUEL PUMP. I SPENT 965 ON A FUEL PUMP I DIDN'T NEED BECAUSE IT IS STILL STALLING AND THEY HAVE NO CLUE WHY. I SEEN THIS PROBLEM ON MEAN FORUMS. I THINK THE DEALER SHOULD BE AWARE OF THIS PROBLEM AND SHOULD KNOW HOW TO FIX THEM NOT MAKE SOMEONE SPEND A THOUSAND DOLLARS ON A MIGHT.
NHTSA complaint #10328247 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE HAS BEEN STALLING OUT FOR OVER A YEAR. REPLACED COMPUTER LAST SPRING AND WORKED OK FOR A FEW MONTHS. BEGAN INTERMITTENT STALLING AGAIN. MECHANIC REPLACED BAD PRONGS ON PLUG TO COMPUTER. WORKED FOR A COUPLE OF WEEKS BUT STALLED AGAIN ON MY WAY TO WORK TODAY. NO ACCIDENTS (SERIOUS OR NOT) AS YET BUT IS SCARY TO DRIVE. SOMETIMES WILL JUST ACT LIKE IT IS STALLING AND AFTER A FEW SECONDS WILL KICK BACK AND I CAN GO ON MY WAY. HAVE TRIED BACKING OUT THE SCREWS ON THE COMPUTER AS DIRECTED ONLINE BUT THAT ONLY WORKED FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS.
NHTSA complaint #10296207 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
FAILURE: VEHICLE RANDOMLY STALLS OUT AND CUTS OUT. CAN OCCUR AT ANY TIME AND HAS NEARLY CAUSED A COLLISION ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AT INTERSECTIONS AND ON FREEWAYS. VEHICLE CAN STALL AT IDLE, OR ANY SPEED. CAUSE OF FAILURE: THE WIRING HARNESSES AT THE PCM BECOME LOOSE CAUSING THE PCM TO LOOSE CONNECTION WITH THE ENGINE, THUS CREATING THE STALL. I BELIEVE THIS IS DUE TO FAULTY LOCKING TABS ON THE HARNESS, WHICH SECURE THE HARNESSES TO THE PCM. CORRECTION: REPLACEMENT PARTS ARE AVAILABLE FROM DEALER ONLY. I HAVE CONFIRMED THIS AS THE CAUSE BY GENTLY TOUCHING THE HARNESS WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING, THE SLIGHTEST MOVEMENT CAUSES THE ENGINE TO CUT OUT AND STALL. I HAVE INCLUDED THE MOST RECENT OCCURRENCE DATE, HOWEVER THE PROBLEM HAPPENS ON A DAILY BASIS AND I WILL NOT DRIVE THE VEHICLE UNTIL IT IS REPAIRED DUE TO THE SAFETY RISK FOR ME AND MY FAMILY.
NHTSA complaint #10291252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
I HAVE A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO. IT TURNS OFF AT EVERY STOP OR WHEN I START TO SLOW DOWN. I'VE PAID OVER $500 TO GET THIS PROBLEM FIXED & NOTHING!! I'VE HAD THE COMPUTER CHANGED, COIL CHANGED, TUNE UP, EVERYTHING YOU CAN IMAGINE! MY MECHANIC HAS NO CLUE WHAT'S WRONG WITH IT & WHEN I GOOGLE IT I'M NOT THE ONLY PERSON WITH THIS EXACT TYPE OF VEHICLE & THIS EXACT KIND OF PROBLEM. IT STARTED OVER A YEAR AGO I HAD THE COMPUTER CHANGED. IT WAS WORKING GREAT FOR ABOUT 4 MONTHS. THEN THE PROBLEMS STARTED ALL OVER AGAIN ONE DAY WHEN I WAS SITTING ON THE FREEWAY IN TRAFFIC. THE VEHICLE STARTS TO SHAKE, THEN IT WILL SHUT OFF. SOMETIMES IT'LL SHAKE FOR ABOUT A MINUTE AS IF IT'S ABOUT TO TURN OFF, YET IT'LL STAY ON. IT HESITATES SO MUCH & I'M TIRED OF THIS PROBLEM. I'M A SINGLE MOTHER OF 2 & HAVE NO MONEY TO BUY A NEW VEHICLE. MY CHILDREN ARE NOT SAFE WHEN THEY ARE WITH ME. I'M AFRAID I WILL STALL IN THE MIDDLE OF NO WHERE & GET HIT FROM BEHIND. I'VE HAD SEVERAL ENCOUNTERS LIKE THIS. WHEN THE VEHICLE SHUTS OFF SOMETIMES IT TAKES LONGER THEN 5-10 MINUTES TO TURN ON AGAIN. THIS IS AN EVERYDAY THING! I LIVE 10 MINUTES AWAY FROM WORK & I HAVE TO LEAVE AT LEAST 40 MINUTES BEFORE I HAVE TO CLOCK IN. MOST OF THE TIME THE VEHICLE STALLS ABOUT 2-3 TIMES ON A GOOD DAY. ON A BAD DAY, IT'LL TAKE ME ALL 40 MINUTES TO GET THERE. ONE DAY I HAD TO LEAVE IT AT MY PLACE OF EMPLOYMENT BECAUSE IT WOULDN'T START AT ALL! THE NEXT DAY WHEN I WAS DROPPED OFF I TRIED STARTING IT & IT STARTED LIKE IT WAS BRAND NEW. I HOPE THIS COMPLAINT HELPS OTHERS OUT THERE THAT ARE STRUGGLING LIKE MYSELF. I THINK IF THIS PROBLEM IS HAPPENING WITH MOST VEHICLES LIKE MINE, JEEP NEEDS TO RECALL THIS PROBLEM & GET IT FIXED.
NHTSA complaint #10285826 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
MY 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LIMITED STALLS INTERMITTENTLY FOR NO APPARENT REASON AND WITHOUT WARNING. NORMALLY THE CAR WILL STALL WHILE IDLING EITHER IMMEDIATELY UPON STARTING OR WHILE SITTING AT AN INTERSECTION. I HAVE READ ONLINE WHERE MANY, MANY, MANY PEOPLE ARE HAVING THE SAME PROBLEM WHICH SEEMS TO BE EXTREMELY DIFFICULT FOR A MECHANIC TO DIAGNOSE. I HAVE INSTALLED A NEW STARTER, DISTRIBUTOR CAP AND WIRING WITH NO LUCK. MANY PEOPLE ARE VERY ANNOYED ABOUT HAVING TO SPEND MONEY ON MECHANICS "GUESSES" AND STILL NOT GETTING THE PROBLEM SOLVED. THIS STALLING PROBLEM IS OBVIOUSLY VERY DANGEROUS, ESPECIALLY IF IT OCCURS WHILE THE VEHICLE IS IN MOTION AS IT WOULD BE VERY EASY TO GET REAR-ENDED. FOR THIS REASON, I AM AFRAID TO DRIVE MY VEHICLE.
NHTSA complaint #10257649 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION:ANTI-THEFT:CONTROL MODULE
PROBLEM... DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD OR STOPPED AT LIGHT OR IN THE MIDDLE OF A TURN OR ON EXPRESSWAY... IT WOULD SHUT OFF WITHOUT WARNING, SOMETIME IT WOULD RESTART IMMEDIATELY, SOMETIMES NOT!!!... EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATIONS DEVELOPED, WHICH I WAS LUCKY!!! 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE, 4.0 , 6 CYL.... SPENT 6 MONTHS DOING REPAIRS/ REPLACEMENT PARTS AND MANY ,MANY DOLLARS SPENT TRACKING DOWN PART AFTER PART. USING DIAGNOSTICS MACHINE TO DETERMINE FAULTY PART... PROBLEM WAS THE POWER CONTROL MODULE ( PCM OR ECU SAME PART) WAS DEFECTIVE AND EITHER WAS MISREADING CODES OR GIVING OUT BAD CODES TO PARTS (LIKE TO THE CRANK SHAFT POSITION SENSOR OR THE COIL, OR THE 01 OR 02 OX SENSORS OR IT GOES ON AND ON AND ON). NOT SURE HOW IT WORKS BUT YOU GET MY DRIFT. SINCE SIGNING UP WITH CNET.COM, HAVE FOUND MANY PEOPLE ACROSS AMERICA WITH THE SAME ISSUE ON JEEP WITH DIFFERENT YEARS (1994/2000) AND MODELS. TO SEARCH... LOOK UP JEEP STALLS OR JEEP FIXED AND YOU WILL SEE OTHER TOPICS AND FORUMS AROUND THAT TOPIC AND YOU WILL ALSO SEE WHERE THE MANUFACTURE DOESN'T KNOW HOW TO ADDRESS THE PROBLEM EITHER. ANOTHER POSSIBLE RECALL ISSUE IS THE SCREWS THAT HOLD THE PCM MIGHT BE TOO LONG AND ARE GROUNDING OUT THE UNIT AFTER PAINT WEARS OFF ON FIREWALL... IMPORTANT TO READ ALL ARTICLES AND DIFFERENT FORUMS!!! ... IS A MUST LASTLY... INSTEAD OF REPLACING PCM'S, IS IT POSSIBLE TO HAVE THE PCM RE FLASHED UNDER RECALL??? I'M STRETCHING, BUT MAYBE ELECTRICAL POWER STORMS AND RAIN IS CAUSING PARTS TO DEFECT??? LASTLY... JEEP PARTS CONSISTS OF MODULE POWER UNITS THAT WORK OR DON'T WORK BUT THE PCM READS THE CODES AND ADJUSTS THE WORKABLE OF THE MOTOR... ANOTHER ISSUE IS THAT THERE ARE SEVERAL ISSUES THAT WILL SHUT DOWN THE MOTOR BESIDES THE FORE MENTIONED PARTS... IE... ASD RELAY, THE SECURITY SYSTEM, DOOR LOCKS, STEERING COLUMN, THE ELECTRONIC KEY, THE BACK WINDSHIELD WIPER...
NHTSA complaint #10223656 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
I RETURNED HOME FROM A 1 MILE DRIVE TO PICK UP MY DAUGHTER. WE WENT UPSTAIRS TO OUR SECOND FLOOR APARTMENT. ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER I HEARD THE ALARM TO OUR 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE GOING OFF. I WENT OUTSIDE TO SHUT IT OFF, AND FOUND THE WHOLE ENGINE UP IN FLAMES. MY HUSBAND TRIED TO PUT IT OUT WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, BUT IT WAS TOO LATE. BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPT. GOT THERE IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS.
NHTSA complaint #10208403 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
VEHICLE STALLS WHILE DRIVING WITH FOOT ON GAS CAUSING POTENTIAL ACCIDENT WITHOUT WARNING. CRANKSHAFT SENSOR WAS REPLACED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. THIS ALSO OCURRED IN MARCH, 2003. THE SAME SENSOR WAS REPLACED TO CORRECT PROBLEM. VEHICLE WILL NOT RUN WITHOUT THIS SENSOR, AND THERE IS NO SAFTEY DEFAULT MODE PROVIDED TO THE COMPUTER TO KEEP VEHICLE RUNNING IF CRANK SENSOR CIRCUIT FAILS.
NHTSA complaint #10078591 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.