Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
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. …
Tl* the contact owned a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving 35 MPH, the brakes failed without warning and the vehicle crashed into an electrical pole. The air bags failed to deploy. The vehicle was destroyed. A police report was filed. The contact's daughter sustained a broken rib, broken pelvis, three fractures to the left hand, the back shoulder bone was sticking out, and her spleen was bleeding. Medical attention was required. The contact received a recall notification for NHTSA campaign number: 15V046000 (air bags). The contact had an appointment with the dealer to get the air bags replaced, but the crash occurred prior to arriving at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 134,000.
The engine stopped while driving took it to a mechanic and they said all fluids were filled it was just a "bad engine" I paid 2700 dollars to have engine replaced . The truck still wasn't running right it was having trouble starting took it to the mechanic and he changed the fuel pump 700 dollars . The truck still dose not run right ive had brake lines replaced that broke with no impact or accident ive been told the master cylinder needs replaced there is no brake pressure my wiring is messed up and now both my brake lights are out ive checked fuses and bulbs the truck takes several tries to start it its in the shop more than I drive it its dangerous and I never know if its going to stop in traffic or if people behind me know when im trying to stop I have 6 kids I drive to school every day and I worry about their lives every time we have to get in the Jeep I feel like buying this …
I first bought a 2000 Jeep gc. Excessive and violent vibration when braking almost caused an accident. Dealer replaced rotors at 5K miles at no charge and said it was a known defect in gc s. Later I bought a 2002 Jeep from same dealer. I asked if problem was corrected and dealer said yes. At 15K miles, same excessive vibration caused an accident. Dealer acknowledged it was the same defect and replaced rotors at no charge. Same problem occurred again at 38K miles. Dealer resurfaced rotors but charged full price. He asked me to complain to Chrysler directly. I sent a complaint to Chrysler in every instance but never heard back. Chrysler should correct this problem and make these repairs at no charge.
The engine cranks and runs fine but after you drive for a while the engine shuts off. It happens while you are driving or coming to a stop. It is random. It usually starts back up and runs fine until next time. When the engine dies, you do not have steering assist or brake assist. It is very hard to steer it off the road. A woman May have a hard time steering it or stopping it. I don't let my wife drive our Jeep much at all. It doesn't matter if you are driving in the city or on the freeway when it decides to shut off. Our Jeep is a 4wd with automatic transmission.
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.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving approximately 20 MPH, the ABS indicator suddenly illuminated and the braking system malfunctioned. When the brake pedal was depressed to stop the vehicle, the pedal traveled to the floor and the vehicle failed to immediately stop or slow down. The cause of the failure was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 115,000.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact depressed the brake pedal, but the vehicle failed to stop. The vehicle crashed into some benches. This failure has occurred twice. The dealer has not been notified. The vehicle is currently being repaired. The failure speed was unknown. The current mileage was 55,000 and failure mileage was 45,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee laredo. The contact was driving 30 MPH when the front brakes began smoking. The contact took the vehicle to the dealer and was told that the brake rotors, calibers and pads needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The failure mileage was 190,000.
When applying the brakes, the brake pedal would pumped up and down and the steering wheel would shimmy up and down and to the left and right. The higher the speed the worse the problem. When I brought it to the dealership I insisted that the service manager take a ride with me. He only had to drive it a short distance before he knew exactly what the problem was. He said the rotors were warped. I asked if that was normal, especially with such low mileage. He told me that it was an ongoing problem that Chrysler new about. When the rotors heated up they were not cooling down properly due to a defect which in turn causes the rotors to warp. He said they instructed to tell owners that the problem was due to wear and tear and that it was not covered by the warranty, therefore passing the expense on to the customer. …
Brake complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 179 complaints about the brakes of the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 12% of the model year's 1,476 complaints. The component named most often is foundation components › disc › rotor (95 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes 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 brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 20,000 miles, and 56% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 14 crashes, 1 fire and 16 injuries and 2 deaths to brakes 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.