Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Jeep Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 1996 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle was running rough and then stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence. The contact had a mobile mechanic diagnose the vehicle, and it was determined that there was a failure of the manifold. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the vehicle was not running properly and called another mobile mechanic. The second mechanic diagnosed the vehicle and determined that an aftermarket distributor and aftermarket computer had both failed. The contact stated that the distributor and computer were installed previously by another independent mechanic. …
I was driving down the highway,and all of a sudden I heard a loud noise. So I pulled over to the nearest gas station and realized I was leaking oil profusely. Then I realized the driver side motor mount had broken off of the engine causing a large hole in the engine block. I have taken great care of my vehicle, changed the oil every 3,000 miles, and then this happens at random. I didn't hit anything to cause the motor mount to break, so why would it break for no reason? Anyways, the leaking oil caused a fire beneath my vehicle, and inside the engine compartment. But I quickly put out the fire by a container of water I had in my vehicle. I had my 13 year old brother with me and thank god he or myself was not injured. But it caused us great fear and stress.
Vehicle began stalling when coming to an abrupt stop or being jarred by a bump or pot hole. Gradually progressed to randomly stalling when applying any pressure to brakes or any slight jarring. All power is lost at this time along with any control of steering and accelerating until vehicle is turned on again. Recently vehicle repeatedly and intermittently stalls without any pattern during acceleration or deceleration at any speed without any braking or jarring. It then catches on its own and regains power.
1996 Jeep Cherokee, exhaust manifold failed at weld point, not able to repair due to poor metal used by manufacturer. The exhaust must be replaced, Jeep manufacturer is aware of problem, refuses to admit it is a manufactures defect. Mechanics will tell you it is a common problem with jeeps. Exhaust manifold failure is expensive to fix and can lead to multiple problems within in the engine it's self and the converters.
I one day was on my way home from work one day and the check engine light came on and my car suddenly lost all back pressure I could not climb hills and started to smoke but before I could make it home my car began to smoke and eventually caught on fire leaving stranded with no vehicle in site I then called the police dept they had to put out. They said I was lucky to get out.
One day my Jeep was getting no back pressure, turned around my check in engine light came on on my way home from work it started to smoke and then eventually caught on fire luckily I got out. Fire dept had to put fire out.
While driving at aprox. 40-45 MPH, the Jeep would start to shudder. Eventually it would shut off. The Jeep would then crank but not start. I had this problem happen for about four times. Three of the times the Jeep was towed to a repair shop. Twice the PCM unit was replaced and twice the crank position sensor was also replaced. The last repair was 1 month and a half ago. Two days ago, the Jeep stalled again down the road. I was traveling with my wife and children. We almost lost our lives. A 16 wheeler almost collided with us due that I could barely manipulate the Jeep because it turned off on me. I tried to do some visual inspections under the hood. I had one of my sons to wiggle the PCM (computer) while I cranked the starting switch. At one point the Jeep managed to start again. Then it stalled the moment my son stopped wiggling the PCM. …
Car stalls while driving with no warning. Stalls on freeway or in city driving. This is an infamous manufacturing defect on 96 jeeps. Very hazardous because engine cuts out completely while in motion. Requires pulling over with engine not running to restart engine. Jeep then will repeatedly die after re-starting. Since engine dies while in motion, cars behind are in real danger of colliding with my vehicle. This issue is almost impossible to fix with normal mechanical problem-solving. Engine light does not come on. This issue is well documented in online blogs for jeeps with this problem. This problem with stalling while in motion poses a great threat to public safety. Jeep/Chrysler is aware and does not acknowledge the problem.
Dt*: the contact stated the vehicle was taken to a private repair shop for repair of the catalytic converter due to back pressure and rattling in the engine. On August 25, 2006 the contact received a recall notice for a catalytic converter problem. The recall was not in the NHTSA database. The contact sent the billing information to the manufacturer, who denied reimbursement because the work was done after the recall. On May 4, 2006 the work was completed before the recall notice was received. Updated 01/10/07.
At a slow roll while the vehicle is in gear the engine will idle down then die. It restarts immediately but will stall again unless more throttle is given. The problem is intermittent making it hard to pinpoint the exact cause.
Engine complaints in other Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 1996 Jeep Cherokee?
NHTSA has 58 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 1996 Jeep Cherokee, 13% of the model year's 447 complaints. The component named most often is engine (20 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Jeep Cherokee engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 1996 Jeep Cherokee, though it has 6 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 1996 Jeep Cherokee engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 171,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 7 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.