Your vehicle report
2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 1,476
- Received Oct 2001 to Apr 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Heater blows cold air, defroster fails209 complaints · 14% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Airbag warning light stays on110 complaints · 7.4% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Front brake rotors warp and wear early93 complaints · 6.3% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #15V046000Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured January 9, 2001, to March 28, 2003, 2002-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 13, 2001, to May 23 2003, and 2003-2004 Dodge Viper vehicles manufactured November 1, 2001, to June 30, 2004. Due to electrical noise beyond the tolerance of the air bag electronic control module (ECM), a component in the ECM may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
- Recall #12V527000Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2002 and 2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured January 9, 2001, through March 28, 2003, and 2002 through 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 13, 2001, through May 23, 2003. A component in the air bag control module may fail causing the front airbags, side curtain airbags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 75 crashes, 20 fires, 97 people injured, 4 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
- Airbag warning light stays on
- Heated seat overheats and burns occupants
- Airbags fail to deploy in crashes
1 more problem
Steering, suspension & tires
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2001 | 2 |
| 2002 | 71 |
| 2003 | 77 |
| 2004 | 75 |
| 2005 | 82 |
| 2006 | 136 |
| 2007 | 187 |
| 2008 | 113 |
| 2009 | 43 |
| 2010 | 51 |
| 2011 | 28 |
| 2012 | 20 |
| 2013 | 131 |
| 2014 | 126 |
| 2015 | 172 |
| 2016 | 103 |
| 2017 | 21 |
| 2018 | 12 |
| 2019 | 13 |
| 2020 | 2 |
| 2021 | 1 |
| 2022 | 2 |
| 2023 | 5 |
| 2024 | 1 |
| 2025 | 1 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 1 |
| Total | 1,476 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Heater blows cold air, defroster fails | 209 | 14% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 110 | 7.4% | – | NHTSA recall #02V099000, #12V527000 |
| Front brake rotors warp and wear early | 93 | 6.3% | – | |
| Power window regulator fails and window drops | 54 | 3.7% | – | |
| Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving | 48 | 3.3% | – | |
| Heated seat overheats and burns occupants | 47 | 3.2% | – | NHTSA recall #09V117000 |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 46 | 3.1% | – | NHTSA recall #12V527000 |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 37 | 2.5% | – | |
| Air conditioner blows hot air or fails | 27 | 1.8% | – | |
| Head gasket leaks coolant into engine | 21 | 1.4% | – | |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 20 | 1.4% | – | |
| Steering wheel shakes violently at highway speed | 20 | 1.4% | – | |
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 18 | 1.2% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 18 | 1.2% | – | NHTSA recall #01V348000, #01V374000, #02V032000 |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 16 | 1.1% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 14 | 0.9% | – | |
| Vehicle rolls backward out of park | 12 | 0.8% | – | |
| Ford Escape engine overheats from coolant intrusion | 11 | 0.8% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 11 | 0.8% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 11 | 0.8% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #15V046000January 28, 2015752,644 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured January 9, 2001, to March 28, 2003, 2002-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 13, 2001, to May 23 2003, and 2003-2004 Dodge Viper vehicles manufactured November 1, 2001, to June 30, 2004. Due to electrical noise beyond the tolerance of the air bag electronic control module (ECM), a component in the ECM may fail, causing the front air bags, side air bags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
Inadvertent deployment of the air bags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Chrysler dealers will replace the air bag control module and side impact sensors as required, free of charge. This recall remedy was applied during earlier recall campaigns of these vehicles under safety recalls 12V527 and 13V040. All owners that have not had the recall repair performed under safety recalls 12V527 or 13V040 are strongly encouraged to have it performed and not wait for the final remedy to be deployed to the field. The recall began on December 29, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R06.
NHTSA recall #12V527000November 8, 2012744,822 vehicles affected
air bags; air bags: frontal: sensor/control module-inactive
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2002 and 2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured January 9, 2001, through March 28, 2003, and 2002 through 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 13, 2001, through May 23, 2003. A component in the air bag control module may fail causing the front airbags, side curtain airbags, and/or seatbelt pretensioners to deploy inadvertently while the vehicle is being operated.
Inadvertent deployment of the airbags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a supplemental jumper harness to the airbag control module, free of charge. Owners were notified of the recall by interim letter in January 2013. The remedy for affected Liberty vehicles is expected to be available in April 2013. The remedy for affected Grand Cherokee vehicles is expected to be available later in the year. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753.
NHTSA recall #09V117000April 9, 2009103,409 vehicles affected
seats: front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Chrysler is recalling 103,409 my 2001-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles with heated seats and with Chrysler recall no. 06V-197 completed (03-04 my) or seat heater elements service replacement (01-02 my). The front seat electric heater elements could overheat.
Overheating could potentially cause a fire or injury.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the front seat heater elements free of charge. The recall began on november 23, 2009. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #06V199000June 8, 2006189,479 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: cooling system: fan
On certain sport utility vehicles, the plastic blades of the electric motor driven cooling fan may separate and penetrate the shroud.
If this occurs while the hood is open, a person in the vicinity of the engine could be struck by the blade and injured.
Remedy
Dealers will replace the electric cooling fan modules free of charge. The recall began on september 4, 2006. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #02V104000April 8, 20021,115,322 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: fuel injection system: injectors
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with a 4.0L engine only, the design of the intake and exhaust manifolds could allow debris to accumulate at the #3 cylinder location.
This could result in a vehicle fire.
Remedy
Dealers will install a manifold shield to modify the air flow characteristics and to prevent the accumulation of debris in the area of the #3 cylinder. Owner notification began may 13, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #02V099000March 26, 200227 vehicles affected
air bags: frontal
On certain sport utility vehicles, the passenger air bag wiring harness was improperly manufactured.
This could cause improper air bag deployment in certain crash conditions.
Remedy
Dealers will add a wiring jumper to the existing circuitry to correct this condition. Owner notification began april 29, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #02V032000January 31, 200271,677 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery: hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Certain sport utility vehicles equipped with a fuel tank brush guard fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 301, "fuel system integrity." the onboard refueling vapor recovery (orvr) control valve Can become detached during a crash, allowing fuel leakage.
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source Can result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will either replace the fuel tank brush guard with a skid plate or reinforce the existing fuel tank brush guard with a reinforcement bracket. Owner notification will begin march 4, 2002. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #01V374000December 5, 200150,200 vehicles affected
fuel system, gasoline: delivery
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The fuel inlet check valve could stick in the partially open position. This condition could cause fuel to spill out of the filler tube during refueling.
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the fuel inlet check valve. Vehicles found to have a sticking fuel inlet check valve will have the fuel tank assembly replaced. Owner notification began december 24, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #01V348000November 13, 200138,700 vehicles affected
engine and engine cooling: exhaust system: emission control
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. The onboard vapor recovery system vent hose may have been misrouted. This could allow water to enter the canister which Can cause fuel to spill out of the filler tube when refueling the tank.
Fuel leakage in the presence of an ignition source could result in a fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect (and reposition as necessary) the vent hose. If the vent hose is found in the bent down position, and the vehicle has been driven more than 20 miles, the canister assembly will be replaced. Owner notification began december 3, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
NHTSA recall #01V288000September 10, 200143,000 vehicles affected
electrical system: wiring: interior/under dash
Vehicle description: certain sport utility vehicles are being recalled for a software error in the instrument cluster microprocessor. Under certain conditions, the cluster, with the majority of its gauges, illumination, and warning lamps, could become inoperative.
Driving the vehicle with an inoperative cluster could cause a distraction, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Dealers will re-flash the cluster software to correct the condition. Owner notification began october 8, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a reasonable time should contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN