Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (battery, alternator, wiring, ignition, instrument cluster, infotainment).
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 various speeds, the contact noticed a burning odor in the vehicle without warning. In addition, the interior lighting, hazard lights, and turn signals would turn on and off independently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made of the failures. The failure mileage was approximately 180,000.
I would have put igniotion/key as the affected parts, but that's not an option. So I'm driving down the road, and all of sudden it just stops running. Literally on southfield road. Think it was just a fluke I continued to try and drive it. Because the first time it started right back up. But now, it turns off at a light, during a turn, going 25mph, 45mph... Basically whenever it feels like. I have a son that is a permit only driver, and can't allow him for safety reasons to be driving this vehicle. I went to the mechanic and this is what I was told, there is a part in the ignition system that sends a signal to the chip in the key. When that stops sending the signal the vehicle turns off. Great anti-theft idea! It's so dangerous. Mechanic says the part is $100+ and then the original keys 'May not' reprogram, which means an extra $60 per key, plus programming. …
"Takata recall" to be truthfully honest nothing about this Jeep is safe I didn't know that I could put in a recall for this Jeep because I thought it was too old and too late anyway sensors are horrible no turning signals , my belt assembly breaks a part while driving radiator gets really hot to the point of smoking even when my coolant is full I have sun roof problems because water leaks through it and floods the driver and passenger side trunk will not open my suspension is in great need of help it doesn't even bounce , alot of safety problems but like I said didn't know I could for file for a recall so I'm hoping that this can get recalled.
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving, the headlight was turned on the light was diffused by the headlight lens. The contact stated that the lighting visibility was decreased. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the headlight globe needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 09e025000 (exterior lighting:headlights). The approximate failure mileage was 150,000. Updated 11/19/15
Tl* the contact owns a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee. When the contact started the vehicle, the lighting on the instrument panel failed to illuminate intermittently. The contact stated that the key failed to release once in the ignition. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 200,000.
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.
1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited. Only 45,000 miles. Vehicle stalled when making turns and now stalls when operating at high speeds. Last time vehicle was traveling approximately 65 miles an hour and stalled. Usually the vehicle will start back up as soon as it is put in neutral and you turn the key. But on some occasions vehicle has had to sit for approximately 15 minutes before starting again. Vehicle has been towed to a dealership on 2 occasions and each time when it arrives and is checked by mechanics it starts up. Mechanics and computer checks revealed no problem at the dealership. People have said that is possibly a computer problem in the vehicle and the reason the dealers found nothing wrong is the computer resets itself each time the Jeep is restarted. Not sure but the dealerships cannot give me any advice on what to do to fix the problem. …
I have a 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited. I have had the vehicle since it had 29,000 miles and it now has approx. 81,000. I have replaced three of the five locking mechanisms on the vehicle and now have two more that need replacing. This is not acceptable. The door locks allow for me to open the corresponding door or rear hatch sometimes but most of the time do not allow me to open the door or rear tailgate at all. When the rear tailgate lock is allowing for me to open the rear tailgate it will not lock at all. My vehicle has sat in my driveway every night without anyway for me to lock it. When it is stuck in the locked position it will not open because there is no way for me to manually open the rear tailgate. …
Auto had 40000+ miles when I bought it from my brother. I had it only a few months when it stalled on the interstate. It would not start until I sat for a little while. I am capable of overcoming auto trouble so I didn't think much about this incident due to the fact that I have been a mechanic for many years now. Then it began to stall in heavy traffic and sometimes would start again and other times after waiting several minutes. I replaced the crank sensor, in-tank fuel pump and filter. It ran okay for a while but began to hard start and stall again about 2 mos. Ago. Then 2 days ago it stalled something like 25 times coming home from the hospital. Since then I have been on the internet reading the blogs about this problem and if everyone that has this issue would email you, your computers would shut down. …
One day I was on my way to work and the heater on the passenger side was blowing cold air. The drivers side was warm air blowing. I took it to the shop to be fixed and it cost me $796.00. Once I started telling people what had happened it seemed like any one that had a Jeep had been through this expensive problem just to have heat in your vehicle in the middle of winter and no extra money to fix it right away. I think this should be a recall on jeeps for the actuator and blend doors. I think I should be refunded for the cost of this bad/poor design on Jeep's. Also the electric door locks. I was leaving work one day and went to unlock my door and it would not unlock. I had to call a lock smith to get it unlocked, only to find out the electric door switch went bad in it. That cost another$185.00. I also hear this problem happens to alot of Jeep's. …
Electrical complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 84 complaints about the electrical system of the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 5% of the model year's 1,638 complaints. The component named most often is ignition (14 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee electrical problems?
No. NHTSA lists no electrical system 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 electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 122,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 7 fires and 3 injuries to electrical system 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.