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 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while the vehicle was turned off, there was an abnormal sound coming from the dashboard. Additionally, while driving at various speeds, the speedometer failed to display the correct speed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic to be diagnosed. The contact was informed of a leak in the EVAP system. The contact was also informed that the vehicle control sensor needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer nor the manufacturer had been notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 205,000.
I currently own 3 of the same vehicles myself, my husband and my son. Each of the vehicles have been experiencing electrical issues. I have taken all of the vehicles at some point back to the mechanic for repairs for this issue. It was only a temporary fix. Here are examples of some of the electrical issues. The blinkers and break lights may go out and not work while we are driving and some days they work just fine. But it has now become a safety hazard because we never know when they will work and are afraid to be hit by another car from the rear. Another example is when I am driving down the street all of the sudden the windows will automatically roll down by themselves. These issues have put all of our safety at risk, especially while we are driving in high traffic areas such as Atlanta, Georgia. The problem was acessed by our auto mechanic on all three (3) vehicles. …
Taillight on back passenger side won't work, steering has been bad since I had, steering linkage and suspension failing, emergency brake doesn't work, cruise control won't work, oil pressure always reads high, airbag light stays on n seatbelt light stays on if I don't turn key on n let sit for an few seconds before starting jeep, gas pedal sticks , power steering fluid is leaking bad, steering linkage close to breaking heard noise so I pulled over. Also shocks bad, when hit an small bump it sounds like whole front end breaks
I reported this problem a month or so ago about the front driver's seat breaking and breaking off the vehicle frame. Plus the A/C issue under the glove compartment overheats and melts the mechanism and continues to burn. When I reported the issue, no wreck was involved. Since reporting the problem, the vehicle was involved in an accident and totaled. My fix apparently allowed the seat to stay on the frame but the seat still broke. Fortunately, no serious injury, only sore neck and bump to the hand.
The vehicle caught fire while it was being driven down the road, it was pulled over to side of the road in a driveway. Fire came from under the dash on the passengers side, and the vehicle was completely consumed by fire in approximately 10 minutes. I reported it to Chrysler and they stated because of the amount miles on it they weren't responsible! Updated 09/25/15 updated 12/08/2017
Air conditioner fan stopped, thought I had it set wrong, changed the setting, started working again. Couple of weeks later it stopped again. Then it would work intermittantly. Called dealer and they said check fuses and relays, checked OK. Called them back, they said check wiring harness for meltdown. Connector and wires going to the blower were melted. They said I needed to schedule an appt. They did not tell me to disconnect wires or that I needed to worry about possible fire. A couple of days later on my way home, smoke stated coming out of dash on passenger side, I shut the engine off. Jumped out and ran around to other side, opened front door to see what was smoking and flames were coming from under the dash. Ran to back door and opened to get fire extinguisher and the smoked knocked me down. Crawled away from vehicle and stumbled to house and called 911. …
Driver's seat detaches from car frame. Electrical blower module resistor overheats, melts, and burns. Both issues are known by consumers and dealerships, so there is no way Jeep/Chrysler doesn't know about the design flaws and the danger. Driver's seat: there is a great deal of chatter on the internet regarding the driver's seat detachment from the car frame and the reason for it. People have created various fixes that May or May not work well. As added proof, it is impossible to find a Jeep Grand Cherokee driver's seat in any junk yard. Please go look for yourself. Mine totally broke while on the highway, nearly causing a wreck. It's terrible and I do not understand why there hasn't been a recall and someone held criminally liable for this. Blower motor module: lots of chatter on the internet as well as to the problem and the cause. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start and the check engine indicator illuminated. The contact also stated that the horn did not work. The vehicle was towed to a used car lot for the first failure. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic, but the contact was unsure if the vehicle had been diagnosed. The contact did not speak to a Chrysler dealer regarding either failure. The contact was unsure if the used car lot from where the vehicle was purchased had contacted a dealer on her behalf. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of either failure. The approximate failure mileage was 198,000.
Wires get hot that lead to the heater/ac fan. The insulation of wire and connector melts. This causes the heater to go off and back on intermittently and frequently unless you wiggle the wires. Wiggling the connector will help for short periods of time. This occurs when the car is running(does not have to be moving) and the blower is on. I have tried to press in the connector or wiggle the connector while driving and this is a distraction. This has happened consistently beginning about a month after I bought the car. The location of the connector is under the glove box area. There are many instances on the internet that discuss this issue.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled several times without warning. The contact constantly had to coast the vehicle over to the side of the road. After several attempts, the vehicle restarted. The condition was progressing randomly without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and they were not able to replicate and diagnose the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 01V288000 (electrical system). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and provided no remedy. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
Related recalls
Electrical system › Wiring › Interior/under dash
Vehicle description: certain sport utility vehicles are being recalled for a software error in the instrument cluster microprocessor. Under certain conditions, the cluster, with the majority of its gauges, illumination, and warning lamps, could become inoperative.
Remedy: Dealers will re-flash the cluster software to correct the condition. Owner notification began October 8, 2001. Owners who take their vehicles to an authorized dealer on an agreed upon service date and do not receive the…
Electrical complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are electrical problems on the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 85 complaints about the electrical system of the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 6% of the model year's 1,476 complaints. The component named most often is wiring › interior/under dash (6 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee electrical problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 01V-288 (interior/under dash, Sep 10, 2001). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee electrical problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 103,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 2 crashes, 5 fires and 1 injury 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.