Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (air conditioning, heater, defroster, HVAC controls).
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Apparently some failure occured with the Jeep that caused smoke to enter through the ventilation system. The compartment filled with smoke. The smoke had an arroma of electricity. Everything that consumer had running such as the blower motor/ac were turned off. Mrconsumer feels the vehicle design allowed debris to enter the air conditioning air box and come into contact with the blower resistor. This caused the debris to ignite form the heat source, also the engine gasket was leaking oil.
This vehicle has cost us over $3,000 in the first 1 year and half we have owned it. I have never owned a vehicle with this little of mileage and had everything go up. We feel this auto is a total lemon and people should be made aware of the problems of this particular vehicle. We have never towed anything nor had it on anything other surface other than a paved road. I'm not sure what if anything you can do for us, but letting the NHTSA know about this vehicle is some reassurance. What really upsets me is that we bought this vehicle from a supposed reputable dealer. Thank you for your time. I'd appreciate any information you can provide me on this particular vehicle as far as any other owner complaints etc. Thank you for your time and attention to this matter. No safety defect listed within summary.
The air conditioning system has been leaking coolant into the car for the last several months. The problem is severe. We have returned the car to the dealer innumerable times since December, and each time have been advised that the problem has been fixed. The last time, they said Chrysler knew of the problem and had designed a definitive fix. We tried that -- yet again the air conditioning system is leaking. We have tried without success to contact Chrysler and have been directed all over the globe. Yet no one has responded to us. Please help. It is apparent that they cannot fix the problem and we are tired of the extreme inconvenience and potential danger of these leaks.
When pressing on accelerator to pass another car consumers vehicle will start jerking and slowing down. Once, another car was coming on the opposite side, and consumer came close to having a collision. Last year, whenever using cruise control, air conditioner would shut off. Took vehicle to dealer, and they replaced the sensor kit throttle position, but jerking still exists. Consumer feels this is very unsafe.
While driving around a curb, driver heard a noise that came from the engine compartment and lost steering control. When driver opened the hood he found the air conditioner bracket broke which caused the sepentine belt to be dislodged. The Jeep was towed to dealership, where the bracket was replaced at owner's expense.
Water pump replaced 2 times by dealer, air conditiong compressor continues to fail. Front end vibrates when braking from 35 m.p.h. + causing to back off on the brakes and reapply. Rear wiper motor failed. All 4 interior door panels peeled and replaced by the dealer.
Both front brake rotors warped. In addition, transmission failed 3 times; engine head cylinder had eight misfires; power seats fold down into back seat; defective transfer case and air conditioning switch failed.
Rotors replaced under recall July 2000. Currently, rotors need replacement again. Consumer states the condensor for the air conditioner failed.
Front sway bar bushing malfunctioned. In addition, rear u-joints/ air conditioner condensor/door panels/hood latch and right front speaker failed.
A/C drain clogged up, soaking carpet and all interior of vehicle.smell terrible. Dealer fixed 2 previous times but now says out of warranty.
AC & Heater complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are ac & heater problems on the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 21 complaints about the a/c & heater of the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2% of the model year's 893 complaints. The component named most often is appliance › air conditioner (20 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee ac & heater problems?
No. NHTSA lists no a/c & heater recall for the 1996 Jeep Grand 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.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to a/c & heater 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.