Airbag complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3 | 6% | 105,000 miles |
| 2021 | 9 | 5% | 40,000 miles |
| 2020 | 7 | 2% | 8,000 miles |
| 2019 | 42 | 3% | 15,000 miles |
| 2018 | 16 | 2% | 20,000 miles |
| 2017 | 26 | 2% | 43,000 miles |
| 2016 | 31 | 2% | 44,000 miles |
| 2015 | 41 | 2% | 35,000 miles |
| 2014 | 49 | 2% | 33,000 miles |
| 2001 | 21 | 9% | 75,000 miles |
| 2000 | 26 | 7% | 83,000 miles |
| 1999 | 38 | 10% | 75,000 miles |
| 1998 | 52 | 13% | 130,000 miles |
| 1997 | 28 | 7% | 155,000 miles |
| 1996 | 26 | 6% | 100,000 miles |
| 1995 | 41 | 7% | 241,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, another vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign and merged into oncoming traffic; as a result, the contact crashed into the vehicle. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy upon impact. A fellow motorist, who witnessed the accident, assisted the contact by helping her into the front passenger seat and driving her vehicle off to the shoulder of the highway. The contact called her parents to the scene of the accident, and she was taken to the hospital. The contact was given an X-ray and was treated for tissue swelling around her neck, collar bone, and chest; the contact also suffered light bruising around those same areas. The whereabouts of the other driver were unknown. A police report was filed. …
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while at a four-way intersection, another driver made a left turn at 30-40 MPH as a result the contact did not have ample time to stop and crashed into the front passenger side of the vehicle causing it to turn 180 degrees during the impact. The air bags did not deploy. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. A dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that he sustained injuries on the right leg, right shoulder, and a knot of his head on the upper left side and his wife sustained injuries on the right side of her chest and stomach that required medical attention via the hospital. A police report was filed. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 18,100.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph and crossing an intersection, he crashed into another vehicle head-on. The contact stated the air bags did not deploy and the driver-side seat belt did not retract. The contact sustained injuries on his chest due to hitting the steering wheel and had bruises/swelling on his right foot. The contact sought medical attention at a nearby hospital. The contact stated the other driver was taken by an ambulance but was unaware of their injuries. A police report was filed. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle and stated he saw smoke from the engine due to the antifreeze leaking. The vehicle was not drivable. The vehicle was towed to his residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. A dealer was not contacted. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. …
The contact rented a 2021 Jeep Cherokee Latitude. The contact stated while driving approximately 70mph when the contact lost control of the vehicle and experienced a head-on collision to the front end of the vehicle. While the contact was attempting to leave the vehicle post-accident, the driver-side interior door handle would not function and open the driver-side door. Which resulted in the contact having to open the door via the exterior door handle. All airbags deployed minus driver-side airbags. A police report was filed and the contact sought medical treatment and sustained a mild concussion, a hematoma on legs, and bruising on the chest abdomen, and face. The vehicle was towed to a tow lot where it was awaiting diagnosis. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact owned a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while his wife was driving at 35 MPH, when approaching an intersection a vehicle coming from the opposite lane came thru and caused the driver to hit that vehicle head-on. The air bags did not deploy. There front end of the vehicle was crashed in. The driver sustained a crack sternum, bruised lungs, and hurt their foot while depressing on the brake, the contact sustained an injured right shoulder due to the seat belt, internal bruises to their sternum, ribs, and stomach, as well fluids in their lungs. There was medical treatment at the scene and took both the contact and the driver to the hospital for treatment. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a tow yard where the vehicle was deemed a total loss by the contact insurance company. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. …
I was involved in a head-on accident with another car. The airbags did not deploy in my 2020 Jeep Cherokee. This resulted didn't some injuries to me in a driver of the other car. The other car driver airbags did deploy but my 2020 Jeep Cherokee airbags did not deploy vehicle damage was rated such that the car was totaled with heavy front damage on the driver side front.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 55 - 60 MPH, the vehicle crashed into a deer. The air bags did not deploy upon impact. The contact sustained chest and back pain, but her daughter did not sustain any injuries. No medical attention was received. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a body shop and was not yet deemed totaled by the insurance company. The dealer was made aware of the failure and informed the contact that there was no recall associated with the VIN. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 81,555.
Vehicle is a 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk with approx. 23k miles as of 4/28. A NH state inspection failed on 4/28/22 at 3 PM due to front rotors being "very delaminated and pitted" and front brake pads wearing unevenly as a result of the rotor delamination. In the months prior to inspection, stop time/distance was noticeably increased, and light pulsing could be felt when coming to a stop. An appointment to replace the rotors and brakes was made for 4/29/22 at 10 AM. Approximately 1 hour after the inspection, the vehicles in front of me came to an abrupt stop due to an intersection ahead. I was not able to stop in time and hit the vehicle in front of me, which was at a stop. That vehicle then lurched forward and hit the vehicle in front of it. After impact, the front upper and lower airbags deployed very slowly, but did not fully inflate. …
Related recalls (6)
Air bags › Side/window › Curtain
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. An improperly secured connector for the right-side curtain air bag may prevent the air bag from deploying as intended.
Remedy: Dealers will secure the connector, free of charge. All vehicles have been remedied. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 71B.
Air bags
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The impact and acceleration sensors may fail and reduce the air bag system's ability to properly detect certain crash events.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected sensors, free of charge. The recall began August 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Air bags › Knee bolster
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 13, 2016, to October 17, 2016. Improper welds on the driver's knee air bag inflator may prevent the air bag from properly inflating.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's knee air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Air bags › Side/window
Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured January 1, 2013, to November 19, 2014. The affected vehicles may experience unintended side curtain and seat air bag deployment during vehicle operation.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will re-flash the occupant restraint control module software, free of charge. The recall began on March 4, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Air bags › Frontal › Sensor/control module-inactive
Vehicle description: sport utility vehicles. Water and/or road salt in the proximity of the air bag control module could lead to corrosion.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the air bag control module and locate the new module on the top of the transmission tunnel.
Show 1 more recall
Air bags › Frontal
Certain of the driver's side air bag modules were assembled without an arming lever.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for the presence of the air bag module arming lever and will replace those air bag modules that are missing a lever.
NHTSA investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited.
Frequently asked questions
Which Jeep Cherokee years have airbag problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 1998 (52), 2014 (49), 2019 (42), 1995 (41) and 2015 (41) model years. Airbag complaints make up 13% of all complaints for the 1998.
Is there a recall for Jeep Cherokee airbag problems?
Yes — 6 recalls, including 24V-516 (curtain, Jul 8, 2024); 19V-449 (air bags, Jun 13, 2019); 16V-799 (knee bolster, Nov 2, 2016). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Jeep Cherokee airbag problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 58,000 miles; 51% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the frontal (115 mentions), followed by the frontal › sensor/control module (24).
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.