Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power windows, windshield, wipers, mirrors, sunroof).
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).
I don't understand how the NHTSA can ignore the problem with the HVAC blend door assembly unit on the wj jeeps. How can having no heat and no defroster not be a safety issue. I live in maine and can not afford the estimated $1200 repair to fix this widely known defect. Try driving in 15 degree whether with snow on the roads and no defroster. Guess what happens? Your breath causes the windows to fog hence to the point on no visibility. I slid off the road after hitting a snow bank on the side because I could not see and was trying to scrape the quarter inch on frost on my window off. This is ridiculous Chrysler needs to do something.
Blend doors broken causing no heat to driver side of the cabin. In winter driving, air is so cold it causes numbing of the drivers foot and leg which causes difficulty in moving from the accelerator to the brake. This condition occurs under all conditions, from start up to shut down. This affects the drivers ability to respond to necessary braking conditions, especially in emergency situations. Cost to repair condition is in excess of $1200.00. Research is that this condition occurs to the majority of vehicles with this make, model, and will reoccurs multiple times in the vehicles lifetime.
The HVAC system has many faulty issues which directly effects the ability of the defroster to operate properly if at all . The blend doors as well as the recirculating door are defective. The air ducts do not blow evenly. This causes the inability of the temperature control unit to effectively defrost the windshield while driving down the highway.
I see my first complaint about my 02 Jeep Grand Cherokee overland. My second complaint didn't make it on the list. Since then I've have 2 more window regulators go out. Wrote letters to Jeep and anyone I can think of. No responces!!! This is a very serious safety issue. We were out to dinner and the window right next to the infant car seat had fallen into the door and a very cold night it was. On our way home, the other window had fallen into the door. Now there is no way to protect the baby in the back in the baby seat strapped in with two open windows blowing cold air at him. What if his car seat would have been stolen when we were in the restaurant??? How would have we got him home safely. What if it had been raining or snowing on him all the way home?? What if I was riding alone and had been car jacked?? …
Prior to the problem the vehicle performed as designed and then suddenly a snap noise came from the dash area and then the windows fogged while I was driving. The failure was a plastic component of the climate control vent system and the consequences are no heating of the drivers compartment and compromised comfort & visibility while driving. The only solution that the Jeep dealer offers is to replace the badly designed expensive parts with equally inferior expensive OEM replacement parts which are inevitably going to break again. Diagnostic / repair quote $1600.00 I sought advice / info regarding my problem and discovered on my own a company in texas which makes a reliable / permanent solution for the Jeep Grand Cherokee poorly designed dual control vent & recirc systems. I bought an after mkt repair kit from a texas co. Heatertreater.com for $225. …
Three of four power window regulators have failed suddenly and without notice, all within a year of each other with the most recent being last week. Each time it occurs, there is a popping sound followed by the window dropping into the door. I have so far been fortunate to only have this happen when driving at speeds <30mph and without my child or dog being in the vehicle; however, there's still that 4th window with the same faulty plastic component that has been failing. I replaced the first window regulator at full cost at the dealership when it happened last year. When the second one went out, I didn't fix it because of the cost and the fact that it was a rear window. After the third one failed, I got suspicious. The service manager at the local dealership has stated that he has seen this issue on numerous occasions mostly with the liberty model, but on the Grand Cherokee as well. …
2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Steering wheel began making strange sounds. Steering gear and associated parts were replaced. Shortly after, strange sounds returned, the steering began to become completely unassisted at low speeds for a brief second. The problem causes quite a scare and causes temporary loss of control. This is associated with low speed idle. Damage is imminent without repair. This problem is well documented among Jeep chat rooms. Second well documented problem among Jeep owners. Faulty power window units that fail without warning and cause window to be stuck up or down. This causes driver to be forced to drive with open non responding windows in a variety of weather conditions, obvious safety and health hazard. Third chronic hazard well known to Jeep owners as well as Jeep. The blend doors on A/C consistently fail right after warranty period. …
I was driving on sr 70 when I felt my Jeep slugging then I looked at the gauge and noticed that it was all the way to the boiling point. Then I pulled over to the side of the road because I wasn't sure what had happened. Called my dad he came and looked at my Jeep and found that the fan had busted we had been able to put enough water in it to get it to wal-mart where we came to the conclusion that it had a hole in the radiator. There was pieces everywhere from the shroud. The next day had it towed to firkins in bradenton it was out of warranty so I ended up paying $1131.45 for this to be fixed. Now ever since this has been fixed my check engine light comes on for awhile then goes off. …
While driving home last year I rolled my driver side window up and heard a loud bang. I at first thought that someone had hit my vehicle with a large rock but then the window dropped down into the door. When I got home, I went online and found quite a few complaints about the window regulators failing in Chrysler Grand cherokees and the fact that Chrysler is aware of the issue but refuses to cover the repair. I also found that these problems could have been prevented if they'd just used a 25 cent piece of metal instead of the plastic piece they used. Because I could not afford the $400 + it would cost to have this repaired, I found the instructions online and bought the replacement regulator and replaced it myself. However, all the complaints I read about say that all the windows will fail at some point. I have neither the time or even the money to get them all replaced. …
2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Blower controller connector is overheating and melting connector and now not working. Replacement with new connector is possible from dealer with morpar repair kit #05102406aa . However... This does not fix the problem as it will happen again and again. This is due to strain on the blower motor drawing high amps because the common problem with this Jeep is with the ac "blend doors" which was the first problem for me....as with many Jeep Cherokee owners. It costs over $1000 to fix a simple problem with the blend door because the entire dash has to be removed! So, the blend doors are a common problem with an expensive fix, and if you don't fix it, the blower motor and controller will overheat, leaving you with no air control to remove moisture in damp weather. …
Window & Wiper complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are window & wiper problems on the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 120 complaints about the windows, wipers & sunroof of the 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 8% of the model year's 1,476 complaints. The component named most often is power window devices and controls (56 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2002 Jeep Grand Cherokee window & wiper problems?
No. NHTSA lists no windows, wipers & sunroof 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 window & wiper problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 70,000 miles, and 5% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 0 injuries to windows, wipers & sunroof 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.