1996 Jeep Cherokee: recalls and complaints

NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 1996 Jeep Cherokee. The newest campaign is 11V279000. NHTSA received the report on 6 May 2011. The NHTSA record gives the component Exterior Lighting / Brake Lights. NHTSA has 447 complaints on file for this model year. 1 NHTSA investigation names this model year.

The NHTSA recall file shows no do-not-drive advisory and no park-outside advisory on these campaigns.

This page cannot show if a recall applies to one vehicle. The NHTSA VIN lookup shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle.

Remedy of the newest campaign, 11V279000, in the NHTSA record

U.s. Drive right will notify owners and mail kits along with instructions to have the vehicle repaired by a qualified mechanic of their choice, free of charge. The safety recall began on september 12, 2011. Owners may contact u.s. Drive right at 1-888-632-5936.

NHTSA VIN lookup

Complaint information entered into NHTSA’s Office of Defects Investigation vehicle owner's complaint database is used with other data sources to identify safety issues that warrant investigation and to determine if a safety-related defect trend exists.
NHTSA publishes these words. Source: NHTSA Datasets and APIs, section Complaints, read on 1 Oct 2026. Complaint file through 30 Sep 2026. Recall file through 30 Sep 2026.

Since the last update

No tracked figure of this page changed in a data update. What the log tracks

All updates to the register

Recall campaigns

6 campaigns, newest first. 701,733 units in total.

11V2790006 May 2011Exterior Lighting / Brake Lights
08V0560006 Feb 2008Electrical System / Instrument Cluster/Panel
00V13600010 May 2000Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Disc / Rotor
97V06900028 Apr 1997Steering / Gear Box (Other Than Rack and Pinion)
97V04000017 Mar 1997Seat Belts / Rear/Other
95V19300011 Oct 1995Electrical System / Wiring / Fuses and Circuit Breakers

11V279000Received 6 May 2011. 1,126 units.
Exterior Lighting / Brake Lights
Defect, in the NHTSA record
U.s. Drive right is recalling certain model year 1994-1996 jeep cherokee vehicles imported from january 2007, through april 2011 for failing to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment," for the high mount brake lamp assembly. The vehicles are not equipped with the required third brake lamp.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Inadequate lighting could reduce visibility of vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
U.s. Drive right will notify owners and mail kits along with instructions to have the vehicle repaired by a qualified mechanic of their choice, free of charge. The safety recall began on september 12, 2011. Owners may contact u.s. Drive right at 1-888-632-5936.
Report filed by U.S. DRIVE RIGHT. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 12 Sep 2011.
08V056000Received 6 Feb 2008. 107 units.
Electrical System / Instrument Cluster/Panel
Defect, in the NHTSA record
U.s. Drive right is recalling 107 my 1994-1998 right hand drive, 4-wheel drive jeep cherokee vehicles. These vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of FMVSS no. 101, 'controls and displays;' no. 108, 'lamps, reflective devices and associated equipment;' no. 111, 'rearview mirror;' no. 114, 'theft protection;' no. 115, 'vehicle identification number;' no. 118, 'power window system;' no. 120, 'tire selection and rims for motor vehicles other than passenger cars;' no. 208, 'occupant crash protection;' and no. 301, 'fuel system integrity.'
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
These vehicles do not meet the required standards.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
U.s. Drive right will make all the required modifications. A representative will travel to the customer's location and make the modifications on site. The recall will be performed on a regional basis beginning march 2008. Owners may contact u.s. Drive right at 1-888-632-5936.
Report filed by U.S. DRIVE RIGHT. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 12 Mar 2008.
00V136000Received 10 May 2000. 589,000 units.
Service Brakes, Hydraulic / Foundation Components / Disc / Rotor
Defect, in the NHTSA record
Vehicle description: passenger and multi-purpose vehicles originally sold or currently registered in the states of connecticut, illinois, indiana, maine, maryland, massachusetts, michigan, new hampshire, new jersey, new york, ohio, pennsylvania, rhode island, vermont, or wisconsin, and the district of columbia. The front disc brake rotors can experience severe corrosion if operated for an extensive period in the "salt belt." if the rotors are not replaced, the corrosion can eventually compromise the structural integrity of the stamped steel center hub section of the rotor.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
The reduced strength can allow the cast iron wear surface to separate from the hub, reducing the brake effectiveness of the vehicle.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace these rotors with rotors that are coated with a corrosion protection.
Report filed by DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION. Manufacturer campaign number 879. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 5 Jun 2000.
97V069000Received 28 Apr 1997. 2,500 units.
Steering / Gear Box (Other Than Rack and Pinion)
Defect, in the NHTSA record
During assembly of the frame, a fillet weld that joins the inner steering gear attachment reinforcement to the frame rail, was omitted.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Due to high steering load events, vehicles can exhibit broken steering gear attaching bolts or frame rail cracking at the steering gear attaching point increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will inspect the vehicles for cracks in the frame rail. Vehicles that show cracks will be equipped with reinforcement plates. Vehicles that are found to be free of cracks will have a slot cut in the cross member and the fillet weld will be added.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 20 Jun 1997.
97V040000Received 17 Mar 1997. 77,000 units.
Seat Belts / Rear/Other
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The web mounted rear seat belt inboard anchor positions may not achieve the required load of FMVSS no. 210, "seat belt assembly anchorages."
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
In the event of a crash, the vehicle occupant would not be properly secured.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will add a washer to each rear inboard seat belt anchor attachment.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 24 Mar 1997.
95V193000Received 11 Oct 1995. 32,000 units.
Electrical System / Wiring / Fuses and Circuit Breakers
Defect, in the NHTSA record
The fasteners which secure the alternator circuit fuse to the power distribution center may have an improper clamp load.
Consequence, in the NHTSA record
Improper clamping can result in arcing at the connection potentially causing a fire in the engine compartment.
Remedy, in the NHTSA record
Dealers will replace the alternator fuse with a fuse link and any damage to the power distribution center will be repaired.
Report filed by CHRYSLER CORPORATION. Owner notification date in the NHTSA record: 20 Feb 1996.

The campaign number opens the NHTSA record. Each quotation is the text of the NHTSA recall file.

Recall campaign: One recall in the NHTSA recall file, with one campaign number. A campaign can name many makes, models and model years.

Units: The number of vehicles or products that a recall can include. The manufacturer or the firm reports the number to the agency.

Complaints by component

447 complaints, 584 component mentions.

A complaint can name more than one component. Each component that a complaint names is one component mention. The figure per 1,000 component mentions shows how many of each 1,000 mentions name the component.

1996 Jeep Cherokee
All 1996 vehicles

1996 Jeep Cherokee: complaints by component, per 1,000 component mentions
Component	1996 Cherokee	All 1996 vehicles	Cherokee, all years	Mentions
Service Brakes, Hydraulic	178.1	120.9	65.5	104
Power Train	113	97.9	269	66
Engine and Engine Cooling	102.7	140.9	34.9	60
Structure	87.3	39.5	42.3	51
Electrical System	77.1	84	114.4	45
Steering	66.8	48.9	31.6	39
Suspension	59.9	55	17.7	35
Air Bags	44.5	66.9	22.6	26
Fuel System, Gasoline	37.7	51.5	13.8	22
Visibility	30.8	59	9.2	18

The table shows the 10 components with the most mentions, of 28.

Complaints that report a crash: 57
Complaints that report a fire: 27
Injuries in the complaints: 27
Deaths in the complaints: 1
Date of the newest complaint: 20 Nov 2024

These figures are the entries of the persons who sent the complaints.

Complaint: A report about a possible safety problem that a person sends to NHTSA. This site shows the number of complaints and not their text.

Complaints about the 1996 Jeep Cherokee, by the year NHTSA received them. The largest year is 2000, with 89 complaints.

Investigations

NHTSA investigations that name the 1996 Jeep Cherokee
Number	Type	Subject	Component	Opened	Closed	Campaign
EA12005	Engineering analysis	Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires	Fuel System, Gasoline / Delivery / Hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings	12 Jun 2012	14 Nov 2014	13V252000

Investigation: A study of a possible safety defect by the NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. An investigation with no closing date in the NHTSA file is open.

Other model years

The number under each year is the number of recall campaigns.

A year without a link has fewer than 2 campaigns and fewer than 25 complaints. It has no page.

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Official channels

NHTSA VIN lookupNHTSA shows the unrepaired recalls of one vehicle from its VIN or its license plate.
NHTSA: report a safety problemThe NHTSA form for a complaint about a vehicle, a tire, a child seat or equipment.
NHTSA page of the 1996 Jeep CherokeeThe recalls, the complaints and the investigations that NHTSA shows for this model year.

Cite this page

Recall Register. 1996 Jeep Cherokee: recalls and complaints. https://recallregister.com/vehicle/jeep/cherokee/1996/. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation, recall, complaint and investigation files. Data through 30 Sep 2026.

Sources

Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation
Licence: US government work, public domain
Recall file through: 30 Sep 2026
Complaint file through: 30 Sep 2026
First complaint in the file: 1 Jan 1995
Manufacturer in the recall file: U.S. DRIVE RIGHT

The NHTSA record is the authority. A complaint count is the number of different complaint numbers for the make, the model and the model year. How the register is made. Report an error.

Questions

How many units are in the recall campaigns for the 1996 Jeep Cherokee?: 701,733 units in 6 campaigns. A campaign can name other models and model years, and its units include them.
How many recall campaigns does the Jeep Cherokee have for all model years?: NHTSA lists 93 recall campaigns for the Jeep Cherokee, model years 1973 to 2026. 6 of them name the 1996 model year.
Which component do the complaints about the 1996 Jeep Cherokee name most often?: Service Brakes, Hydraulic: 104 of 584 component mentions, or 178.1 per 1,000. For all 1996 vehicles the figure is 120.9 per 1,000.
Is an NHTSA investigation of the 1996 Jeep Cherokee open?: No. The 1 investigation that names this model year has a closing date in the NHTSA file.