Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (front, side and curtain air bags, sensors and inflators).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving at 55 MPH, the contact lost consciousness and lost control of the vehicle. The contact consequently crashed into a tree. The contact stated that the air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The contact sustained injuries to the head that required medical attention. The vehicle was towed to the contacts residence. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving 30 MPH, there was a deer in the middle of the road that caused the contact to swerve to the left and crash into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 110,000.
Dt: consumer's vehicle was at a stop sign when it was rear ended. Consumer's vehicle hit the vehicle in front. Upon impact, bags did not deploy. According to his physician, if the air bags did not deploy, the consumer would have gotten a fractured spine. There was police report. Consumer has soft tissue injuries and his son was going to be taken for x-rays today.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the air bag warning light would flash while driving at various speeds. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the air bag sensor was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 130,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While the vehicle was parked, the air bag warning light illuminated and started blinking. After a few days, the warning light remained illuminated all the time. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 227,499.
I was driven off the highway by a snow plow. I was driving more than 40 miles per hour and I struck a tree head on. The complaint results from the fact the driver's side air bag on my 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee did not deploy. Although Jeep conducted an inspection of the vehicle, they refused to acknowledge there was a failure.
Driving 60 MPH on highway 242 (posted speed limit) a car pulled out from a stop sign into my path. I applied brakes and impacted him on his passenger door area (speed approximately 50mph). My airbags did not deploy and I received back and knee injuries that are still a problem today.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the air bag warning light illuminated. The failure occurred once. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 126,214.
Driving home early morning during a snowstorm, a snowplow went through a stop sign and my vehicle hit him dead center totaling my vehicle. Even though this was a frontal collision neither the driver's or passenger's air bags deployed resulting in injury to the driver.
Takata recall....my dash board "air bag" warning red light has been on for over a year and noone knows why! Is it because my air bags are Takata? I have not been in an accident and they have never popped out! How does one know their status on this 1999 Jeep?
Airbag complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 83 complaints about the air bags of the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 5% of the model year's 1,638 complaints. The component named most often is frontal (21 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee, though it has 4 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 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 120,000 miles, and 2% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 21 crashes, 1 fire and 22 injuries to air bags 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.