Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (buckles, retractors, anchors and pretensioners).
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).
1st issue is the seat belt buckles are almost impossible to disengage. They hang up so bad our 10 yr old Grand daughter needs help to remove the belt. The belt for the driver has same issue to where it is even difficult for an adult to get it to unlatch. 2nd issue is the transmission slips when shifting from 2nd to 3rd when cold. When it has been driven for a few miles it shifts normal. This appears to be a problem a lot of Jeep owners have. It is a noted problem in other Chrysler vehicles with the 42re transmission. This issue should be addressed since it is so wide spread.
Our Jeep was hit from behind by a commercial van while we were sitting at a complete stop. The impact went mostly threw the trailer hitch on the back of the Jeep. My shoulder harness failed to catch at the point of impact. The lab belt did manage to hold me in place. I had mild back pains soon after the accident. The pain progressively got worse over time. I later found that I developed a herniated disc from the accident. This now is going to require surgery to correct. I'm 22 with no previous back problems. The collision didn't seem too sever. The other vehicals speed is unknown. There were 3 other passengers in the Jeep at the time. Their selt belts worked fine. They are all doing okay.
My complaint is regarding my 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee and the left rear seat belt. The seat belt has worked fine until the other day when it just up and quite working. Now the seat belt will not snap back into position. I thought I would check to see if there were any recalls on this and noticed there were recalls on 1999 models like mine, but they did not include my vehicle in this recall. The NHTSA recall # for the rear seat belts is 98V276000. I find this kind of strange that there would be a recall on (1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee) the same thing that I am now having the problem with. I have ordered the part and it is going to cost me $97.45 to get it fixed not including installation.
Many times it is almost impossible to unlatch either the passenger or driver seat belt without much tugging and pulling. In an emergency situation, this could be catastrophic. My dealer has no recommendation. When I turn my steering wheel, usually to the right, the air bag notification signal will come on, indicating the air bag is not inflated properly. This seems to me to be a safety issue, but the dealer says there is no recall and has quoted me about $1000 to repair this situation. I am the original owner, and the car has never been in an accident where the air bag was deployed. I have checked online and many others have this same problem with their 1999 Jeep Grand cherokees.
We have had many recalls on our Jeep,transmission twice rearend three times. The rearend was repaired in2001 and the bearings are going out again and Chrysler wants us to pay for the repairs. I was told that Chrysler was replacing the complete rearend because it was machind wrong.
My 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited w/42,000 miles. Yes . Not a typo . 42,000, orignal owner & "scared to death" to drive this SUV. I have alot of the already problems, that have been reported. Had to pay many, w/my own cash. This SUV schould have came in 1 color "lemon yellow". It is an accident watng to happen. The recent problem is now I have no A/C-heat or defroster. Ths is due, to failure of the automatic temp control to work. I t started 1st by intermittently working, till now not working at all, this is just 1 more, to the list , of many other problems. I don't think that it is an coincidence that all my issue have happenned, almost exactly, in the order, of all the other complaints. I can't undestand how a company can get away w/this. This new problem can cost up to $2000, if it is, like previous reported problems, happens to be the "blend doors". …
On 10/31/2001, I took my Jeep in to my local dealer in response to daimlerchrysler recall notice #978. The work was done satisfactorily; however, the replacement parts that were installed for this recall are not acceptable. The new seatbelt buckle that was installed is significantly inferior to the original equipment. The flap of the buckle is cheap and its poor design causes the fabric belt invariably to "roll" (I.e., to double-up on itself inside the opening in the metal flap) when the seatbelt is removed. This rolling interferes with the proper deployment and retraction of the belt. Worse yet, this rolling will inevitably lead to fraying and weakening of the belt's fabric. I have already noticed the beginnings of the deterioration of the fabric. A frayed seatbelt is a serious safety hazard -- "an accident waiting to happen".
Broken window motor, seat belt mounting bolts, leaking rear shock absorbers, etc... The consumer felt Jeep should fix the outstanding problems with the axles and the transmission and give a warranty for the power train. The vehicle experienced a noise while in motion. Also the broken window lift leaked, the rear absorbers failed, the rear passenger window leaked air, the seat belt mounting bolts failed,and a potential fire hazard on the manifold debris shield, the brake pedal pulsated wildly(front were rotors turned), the passenger window had stuck shut, the exterior mirror had broken off, and the transmission slammed into reverse. There was a buzz in the rear which had progressed to a howl. Refer to odi# 10027025
While driving at 40 MPH, and upon pressing down on brake, vehicle shaks very hard, rotors appear to be very worn, vehicle has been taken to dealer approximately 5 times already. Consumer also stated there is a ticking noise from engine when starting up,steering damper and drag link assembly were loose,transmission shifts hard into reverse, right rear turn signal bulb was replaced, vehicle began to overheat, right side mirror was cracked,speaker was inoperative, the trim on the door panel was loose, exhaust system was loud, parking brake needed to be adjusted, passenger side seat belt was inoperative, passenger wiper blade was not cleaning the window, keyless entry remote was inoperative
Problems with failing axles and transmission. The consumer felt the manufacturer should fix the outstanding problems with axles and transmission and give a warranty for the power train. The vehicle experienced a noise while the vehicle was in motion. Also the window lift leaked, the rear absorbers, the rear passenger window leaked air, the seat belt mounting bolts, fire hazard on the manifold debris shield, brake pedal pulsated wildly(front rotors turned), the passenger window had stuck shut, the exterior mirror had broken off, and the transmission slammed into reverse. There was a buzz in the rear which had progressed to a howl. Refer to odi# 10029353
Related recalls
Seat belts › Front › Retractor
Vehicle description: certain van, wagon, pickup trucks, passenger and sport utility vehicles, fail to comply with requirements of FMVSS no. 209, "seat belt assemblies." the front seat belt retractor May not comply with the requirements of the standard.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the seat belt retractor. Owner notification began August 20, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the free remedy within a…
Seat belts
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The seat belt shoulder height adjustable turning loop (atl) top mounting bolt was inadequately manufactured.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the shoulder belt height adjuster mounting bolts.
Seat belts › Rear/other
Vehicle description: passenger vehicles. The rear outboard seat belt retractor spring can disengage from the rewind mechanism, disabling the retractor function, and preventing the belt from fitting snugly around the occupant.
Remedy: Dealers will replace these retractors.
Seat Belt complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 25 complaints about the seat belts of the 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2% of the model year's 1,638 complaints. The component named most often is front › anchorage (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee seat belt problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 01V-119 (retractor, Apr 11, 2001); NHTSA recall 00V-034 (seat belts, Feb 4, 2000); NHTSA recall 98V-276 (rear/other, Nov 4, 1998). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 1999 Jeep Grand Cherokee seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 81,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to seat belts 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.