Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (air conditioning, heater, defroster, HVAC controls).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Tl contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle always swayed back and forth as if it were off balanced. While driving approximately 30 MPH, she noticed that the engine warning light was illuminated on the instrument control panel. Smoke appeared from the vehicle. She took the vehicle to the dealer and they stated that the radiator fan cracked and caused the failure. The belt, radiator fan, thermostat, and water pump were repaired at the cost of $1,000. The manufacturer informed her of NHTSA campaign id number 06V199000 (engine and engine cooling: cooling system: fan); however, the contact never received a recall notice. The manufacturer only covered the expense of the fan, which was $265. The engine warning light is still illuminated on the instrument control panel and the air conditioning system does not work. The failure mileage was 91,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While parked, the contact noticed the heating function was not working within the front driver's side seat. The contact disassembled the seat and noticed that the wires within the seat were melted. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostics or repairs. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign id number: 09V117000 (seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler) but was advised by the manufacturer that the VIN was not included in the recall. The approximate failure mileage was 48,000. Updated 01/24/12 the consumer was informed by a Chrysler investigator, hisvehicle was not included in the recall and there were defects with the seat. Updated 03/13/12
My Jeep 2000 Grand Cherokee suddenly will produce no heat, this is a safety concern since the windows will not defog and can create serious visibility problems. The heating system will only blow cold air, which can suddenly create condensation on the window and entirely obscure visibility. There were no events leading up to the failure, it just stopped working. Upon a short bit of research, it seems to be a very common problem with Jeep Grand Cherokee's from 2000-2004 and Jeep will not acknowledge it as a manufacturing defect even though thousands upon thousands are having this same safety problem happen to them.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the seat became burned because the heating element had a shortage and overheated. The contact sustained burns to the leg. The dealer did not offer any assistance, stating that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign id number: 09V117000 (seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler). The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. No repairs were performed. The current mileage was 74,000 and the approximate failure mileage was 73,800. Updated 11/18/11 updated 02/29/12
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, smoke was smelled inside the cabin. The vehicle was moved to the shoulder where it was noticed that smoke was coming from the front driver seat. The contact deactivated the seat warmer and drove the vehicle home. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign I.d. 09V117000 (seats). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 157,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the wiring for the air conditioning unit and the heater coil resistor overheated and burned. There was a constant smell of burning heat through the interior of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who advised that there were no recalls and the resistor and wiring harness needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified. The failure mileage was 184,893.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact was driving 40 MPH when the heater failed. The vehicle was inspected and it was discovered that the heater control modulator was melted. The vehicle was inspected and diagnosed as needing a replacement box. The vehicle was repaired but the failure was beginning to recur. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The approximate failure mileage was 127,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Grand Jeep Cherokee. The driver-side heated seats burnt his legs. He took his vehicle to the dealer and was advised that his vehicle was excluded from recall # 09V117000 (seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler). He then called the Jeep manufacturer, but was not provided with any assistance. The failure mileage was 60,000. Updated 01/12/10 updated 01/14/10.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited. The driver-side heated seat was inoperable. He then removed the driver seat and noticed that a hole was burned into the cushion. His model year was excluded from recall # 06V197000 (seats:front assembly:seat heater/cooler), so he was ineligible for a free remedy. The current and failure mileages were 76,000.
Heater blend door inoperable. My pregnant wife and I were driving in the mountains near big bear, california . It was about 30 degrees that morning and the heater didn't work. It actually blew cold air on the windshield, and it froze blocking our view when we ran off the road. We could have been killed.
Related recalls
Seats › Front assembly › Seat heater/cooler
Chrysler is recalling 103,409 my 2001-2004 Jeep grand cherokee vehicles with heated seats and with Chrysler recall no. 06v-197 completed (03-04 my) or seat heater elements service replacement (01-02 my). The front seat electric heater elements could overheat.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the front seat heater elements free of charge. The recall began on November 23, 2009. Owners May contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
AC & Heater complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are ac & heater problems on the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 246 complaints about the a/c & heater of the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 17% of the model year's 1,476 complaints. The component named most often is defroster/defogger/hvac system (95 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee ac & heater problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 09V-117 (seat heater/cooler, Apr 9, 2009). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee ac & heater problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 65,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 9 fires and 5 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.