Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
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).
One Monday the 6th driving north. It was raining. So, I had full 4wheel drive engaged. A car cut me off. I was on the transition from the 5 n to the 55n. A car from the left lane cut into my lane to try and exit onto 4th street. To avoid an accident I slammed on the breaks and veered right. But the car would not stop. I pushing down on the breaks as hard as I could. The car was still accelerating and did not slow down. Trying to obtain control over the vehicle I "fishtailed" from going right back to left and hit the side of the car and then hit the center divider. The car kept accelerating and I hit the center divider and flipped around. I was then facing opposite traffic towards the divider. I threw the car into park and held the breaks strong. The back wheels were still spinning out. I look down and the keys were not in the ignition. …
Owner/driver turned into his driveway and pushed garage door opener to enter, but upon getting on driveway car accelerated. Driver took sharp left to miss structure, 4' from his house, and careened through the yard, between two trees, down back into the street while car continued to accelerate. Driver continued pressing brake and was burning rubber through the grass and street, jumped his curb across into neighbors mailbox on left side. Car continues to accelerate, not responding to brakes, so fast that driver couldn't turn right onto cross street, and instead car careened over a curb into a house directly across the intersection. The vehicle came to a stop upon hitting the garage doors, pinning driver into car, unable to unlock driver door to exit. Driver turned vehicle off - and witness pulled driver from car. Police arrived, along with ambulance. …
The vehicle was running and stationary in park. When the vehicle was taken out of park and into reverse it started accelerating backwards out of control. The driver pressed all the way down on the brake peddle which did not stop the vehicle. While in the midst of a collision he then put the vehicle in park and turned off the ignition. This took place in a parking lot and the vehicle went straight back into a fence.
I was coming upon a 4-way intersection with one car in front of me at the traffic light when my 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee accelerated at a great rate of speed as I touched the brake going about 5 miles per hour. I plowed into the 2008 Chevrolet pushing it into the intersection. To avoid hitting it again, I turned the wheel hard to the right as there were 2 lanes of traffic waiting for the traffic light to turn green. I was told I went around the corner on 2 wheels, again at a great rate of speed, just barely touching one car and tearing the front end off of a 2000 Honda van. There were a total of 4 cars in the accident, 3 of which were totaled, and a total of 10 people in these cars. I am so lucky that no one was killed at the rate of speed my vehicle was traveling, all because my Jeep was like it was shot out of a cannon by itself.
A few instances have occurred where I will be driving and the vehicle engine will immediately shut off as the vehicle is in motion. The electrical components (radio, headlights, dashboard, etc) still function but all gauges stop working. I then have to pull over, put the vehicle in park, and then restart the vehicle. It will then start up right away. On a couple of occasions, the vehicle engine has started back up on its own without me doing anything and drives fine after that. This seems to occur mostly when I release my foot from the accelerator but has happened when I am trying to accelerate. Has only happened when driving on city streets, never on a highway.
2002 Grand Jeep Cherokee -at 6:40 a.m. Backed into parking spot where I work; pulled forward and straightened up backed into spot; Jeep jumped curb hit building; put Jeep in drive; Jeep catapulted forward at high rate of speed. I went through an iron fence into a long term parking lot; stopped hitting another Jeep head on and a concrete base; iron fence damage to two additional cars parked. No one else was involved; only injuries were to myself when air bags deployed. Ems and police arrived and policeman turned off Jeep which was still accelerating after impact. Jeep was totaled and all damages are being covered by our state farm insurance.
While preparing to back out of a parking space, my 2002 Grand Cherokee overland suddenly accelerated forward at a full rate of acceleration. My right foot was pushing on the brake pedal, not the throttle pedal. The vehicle continued to accelerate for about 2-3 car lengths until it struck a building, causing both front air bags to deploy. I was pushing on the brake pedal so hard, that one of the bones in my foot broke when the vehicle struck the building. I previously owned a 2000 Grand Cherokee and two cherokees, so I am very familiar with the brake and throttle pedal locations on these vehicles.
Was stopped at a service station, when I placed the car into gear it lurched back as it passed through reverse ,and then went forward at full throttle. The Jeep cannot be put into gear without depressing the brakes. The brakes did not hold when the vehicle was a full throttle. If I had not driven it into a pole I would have hit numerous other cars. The Jeep dealer was unable to find any problem with the vehicle. I am very certain that I had my foot on the brake and not on the accelerator.
At two occasions the car suddenly accelerated as if the gas pedal was stuck. The accelerator was not obstructed by any carpet. The only way to slow the car down was by placing it into neutral and turn off the engine. After turning it back on it was still at high RPM ~5000. Some time later the problem resolved it self. After many days at the Jeep dealer the final diagnosis was that the issue cannot be duplicated and that the dealer refuses to do any work on this car.
Unintended acceleration of 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, resulting in minor accident. Upon putting vehicle in gear it revved and accelerated very rapidly and could not be slowed despite full brake pressure. Incident resulted in major damage to 3 cars (including Jeep) within a ~40 ft range.
Acceleration complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 38 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 3% of the model year's 1,476 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (4 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, though it has 10 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 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 105,000 miles, and 14% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 20 crashes, 0 fires and 25 injuries and 2 deaths to speed control & acceleration 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.