1996 Jeep Cherokee problems
Owners have filed 584 complaints with NHTSA about the 1996 Jeep Cherokee. Brakes is the most reported problem area, at 19% of complaints. Next are engine (10%) and transmission (9%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 584 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Brakes 19% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 72 and 30
- Injuries and deaths
- 32 and 1
- Typical mileage
- 140,000 miles 89 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 5 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 1 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 1 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 4 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 8 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 12 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 13 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 12 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 7 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 9 |
| 200k+ miles | 17 |
What the data shows
Of the 89 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 140,000 miles.
Safety-related details: 72 complaints mention a crash; 30 complaints mention a fire; 32 injuries reported; 1 death reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 1996 ranks 11th most-complained-about out of 21 model years of the Jeep Cherokee with enough data (331 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 6 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
First instance, while driving slipped on ice, hit head first into guard rail, driver's air failed to deploy, driver sustained 3 crushed discs in back/broken finger. In second instance, while driving at 57 MPH, violent deployment of passenger's air bag, distracted driver, causing a major collision. Passenger suffered a broken neck and died.
Consumer was driving when apply the brake it pulls to the right causing accident the air bag didn't deploy and seat belt didn't restrain head hit windshield .
When driving, if vehicle exceeded over the speed of 50 MPH and I ran into the littlest bump in the road the truck will be shaking, none stop until I slow down below 25 MPH or it will keep shaking badly. ***dimsii ivoq entry posted after 12/12/02 cut-over to artemis****769316.
Severe rust all over the body but especially on the frame. Have had multiple components fail and crack, now taking in water through corners of the roof through rust holes. Passenger side of frame likely to sever under further driving. Rust on the brackets holding the fuel tank to the vehicle created a hole in the fuel tank. Part was replaced, no picture.