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 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My son was killed while he had his girlfriend drove my Jeep. They ran into tree going appox.35 MPH.the airbag did not go off on the passenger side and the seatbelt unlatched. He was the only one injured and died later that day.
Re NHTSA case [redacted]: NHTSA referred me to FCA today about recall notice r06. FCA had mailed a important safety recall notice (r06) in feb indicating they would write later regarding when parts are available. FCA's amanda aq070 indicated today the remedy still is being researched. This May now. The feb notice indicated the parts are not available and "every effort would be made to obtain these parts as quickly as possible" and I would be notified when the parts are available". It appears then that FCA has completely misled me by indicating in the February letter that a permanent remedy requires parts and they would notify me when they are available. How could they make efforts to obtain parts if the remedy is still being researched? I have received no communication whatsoever from FCA about any parts to remedy the r06 recall. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that NHTSA campaign number: 15V046000 (air bags) had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for repair. The dealer was not made aware of the delay. The contact's VIN was associated to the recall as of February 16, 2015. The contact stated that both the air bag and the seat belt warning lights illuminated. The manufacturer was contacted and informed that the part was not available until 2016. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 113,000. .....updated 02/10/16
Occupant restraint control recall - I just had this part replaced at a Jeep dealership. When I turned my vehicle on, I noticed that both the airbag and seatbelt lights are still on. I immediately went back into the dealership and spoke with the service employee and they stated that they were only authorized to replace the module and refused to tell me whether the problem was resolved or if my airbags are properly functioning. How can I know for sure if the problem has been resolved if the lights which indicated the problem are still on?
September 12, 2005 my husband was involved in a motor vehicle accident in our 2002 Jeep liberty when a car made a left hand turn in front of him. When the cars impacted the seat belt failed to restrain him resulting in his face hitting the steering wheel. My husband suffered facial trauma and whiplash as a result. Chrysler was contacted on 9/19/05, and they did indicate that someone would contact us with in 48 hours so that they can come take a look at the vehicle. Other than that nothing has been done to correct the problem.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving at unknown speeds, the seat belt locked without warning and failed to retract. The contact had been awaiting repairs under NHTSA campaign number: 15V046000 (air bags). The vehicle was taken to the dealer. The technician verified that the parts needed for repairs were not available. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 130,000. Parts distribution disconnect.
Tl* the contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the driver seat belt became inoperable. The contact stated that the seat belt buckle was sticky, which made it difficult to latch and disengage the seat belt. The failure recurred every time the seat belt was used. The vehicle was not taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 90,000.
Tl contact owns a 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving 45 MPH, the contact struck an embankment and caused the vehicle to flip. The seat belt detached and none of the air bags deployed. The contact landed in the passenger seat and her head went through the moon roof. A police report was filed. The powertrain was unknown. The current mileage was 104,000 and failure mileage was 98,000.
Airbag recall (m35 / NHTSA 12v-527). After repairs were completed on 03/26/2014 the airbag and seatbelt warning lights still on. Dealer was not able to repair the defect. On 06/16/2014 dealer still not able to identify the cause and asked for $250 to further inspect the car to determine the cause. Dealer wrote on paperwork "no communication from orc need more time (and money) to diagnose. Customer declined at this time". I received the first notice in jan 2013 and the official recall months later. No parts were available for months. As soon as I received the recall notice I took the vehicle to the dealer. How can it take almost two years (from fall 2012) and still no solution to the problem? It is obvious that the manufacturer is delaying the repair as much as possible to reduce overtime the number of repairs.
Safety recall m35/NHTSA 12v-527 orc module airbag light is "on" and "seat belt" lights. Warning lights are on and do not go off. I took the car to the dealership in roswell, n.m. And they informed me the parts were unavailable and that Chrysler would contact me. To date this has not happened. The danger is a inadvertent deployment of the front airbags.. Damage to the computer chip. The problem has now involved the seat belt warning lights to stay "on".
Seat Belt complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are seat belt problems on the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 24 complaints about the seat belts of the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2% of the model year's 1,476 complaints. The component named most often is rear/other (3 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee seat belt problems?
No. NHTSA lists no seat belts 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 seat belt problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 113,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 3 crashes, 0 fires and 2 injuries and 1 death 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.