Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (door latches, locks, hood and tailgate latches).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The plastic trim panels on the two passenger doors began to crack mainly around the door handle but in other places also. They cracked so badly that the door handle had nothing to hold on to and just fell off. The passengers can not get out of the car from the inside. This is a major safety concern. I did contact Jeep several times but they are claiming this is not a defect. Perhaps one handle falling off is not a defect but when it happens on multiple handles in the same car ant to multiple owners, it sure seems like a defect to me. Based on information on the internet, this problem is far reaching with the door trim panels on jeeps. Updated 04/12/2017
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the interior rear and driver side door handles fractured and separated from the door panels. The rear doors had to be opened with the exterior door handles. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 78,000. Updated 8/10/15
I bought my 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee in April 2010 so I have had it for 5 months. In that 5 months the driver side rear door handle has completely broken and fallen into the door, the passenger side rear door has cracked and will be completely broken soon, the passenger front door handle is just beginning to crack so the only one that really works 100% is the driver door handle. I have an extended bumper to bumper warranty that we purchased and were told the only thing it didn't cover was the dvd player...well they lied! About a month after we bought the Jeep while driving the ac would shut off and everything on the dash would start to blink on and off and then suddenly stop, I took it in and all they said was we could not get it to do it again. We recently had the rear differentials repaired due to them going out, they actually covered that under the warranty. …
Bad plastic resin compound was used to manufacture 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee in several batches of door panels, used to hold door handles. The plastic cracks, crumbles, and disintegrates around the door handle after only a few (3-5) years of use. Many door handles are no longer usable. This creates a fire safety issue and a crash safety issue, because vehicle occupants cannot use the door handle to escape from the vehicle. The door handle May have been intact before a crash, but due to the weak plastic be inoperable after a crash by further cracking and crumbling. Numerous video's and pictures have surfaced in the public showing this problem, and Chrysler/Jeep is not owning up to their problem, and their supplier's problem. Consumers are faced with a $2,400.00 repair bill or designing their own solutions (at the peril of the public)!!! …
I own a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. I have read over 500 complaints about the obvious manufacturer's defect associated with the interior door release systems contained in this vehicle. I must assume that "we" are waiting for a number of deaths before this evident flaw will be recalled. I am now down to one working door on my Grand Cherokee. Other than that, my Jeep is in great condition, for I am very particular about maintaining my vehicle properly. After hundreds of Jeep Grand Cherokee owners have submitted official complaints, wouldn't it be safe to say that these complaint represent thousands, if not tens of thousands of incidents? Let's face it... Most vehicle owners will live with this, or pay to have it repaired, but few actually submit a written complaint. I have been quoted a price of $700 per door to have these door release systems replaced. …
One of the door handles on my 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee has broken off and is unusable. The other three are cracking and I am fearful that they will be breaking off soon. The handles and the supporting door frames are all cracking in the same location and the handles then fall off. The manufacturer has been unwilling to even discuss the issue. The original dealer is out of business and the local dealer states it is $680 per door to fix. Parts to fix the door handles are unavailable for sale outside the dealerships. Due to the safety issue of being unable to exit the back seat area from the inside, I am fearful to allow anyone to ride in the back seat at this time. If an accident were to occur, they could be unable to exit the car from the inside. I see there are numerous complaints posted as well as a website where hundreds of people are stating the same exact issue with their 2005 Jeep. …
One of the door handles on my 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited has broken off and is unusable. The other three are cracking and I am fearful that they will be breaking off soon. The handles and the supporting door frames are all cracking in the same location and the handles then fall off. The manufacturer has been unwilling to even discuss the issue. The dealer states it is $680 per door to fix. Parts to fix the door handles are unavailable for sale outside the dealerships. Due to the safety issue of being unable to exit the back seat area from the inside, I am fearfull to allow anyone to ride in the back seat at this time. If an accident were to occur, they could be unable to exit the car from the inside. There are numerous complaints posted as well as a website where hundreds of people are stating the same exact issue with their 2005 Jeep. …
There is a potentially serious safety issue concerning the interior door handles of the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Apparently the plastic holding these door handles has a tendency to crack and break, causing the door handles to be inoperable from the inside of the vehicle. The door handle is only supported by the molded plastic of the entire plastic door panel, and not the metal frame of the door itself. There has been no blow or abnormal use to cause this problem, just the normal opening of the doors with the inside door handle. This condition has affected all 4 of our doors, with the handle itself completely missing (falling down inside the door) on the left rear passenger door. …
Two of the door handles on my 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee have broken off and are unusable. The other two are cracking and I am fearful they will be breaking off soon. The handles and the supporting door frames are all cracking in the same location and the handles then fall off. The manufacture has been unwilling to even discuss the issue. The dealer states it is $700 per door to fix. Parts to fix the door handles are unavailable for sale outside the dealerships. Due to the safety issue of being unable to exit the back seat area from the inside, I am unable to allow anyone to ride in the back seats at this time. If an accident were to occur, they would be unable to exit the car from the inside. There are numerous complaints posted as well as a website where hundreds of people are stating the same exact issue with their 2005 Jeep. …
All interior door panels are cracked around the door handles. Three out of four door handles have snapped off and the very last one is hanging on by a thread. The handles seem to be attached to the actual door panel which is comprised of hard plastic. The design of the door panel and the handle being attached is bad and a safety issue if you can't exit the vehicle if your car dies and you have no power to open the windows. Additionally, if you need to force the doors open from the inside due to a wreck, car on fire, panicking etc., 9x's out of ten you don't have handles and any weight or pressure to remaining handles if any while cause them to just snap off. My car smells of gas constantly and the light comes on to tell me to check the gas cap. …
Door Lock & Latch complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are door lock & latch problems on the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 163 complaints about the locks & latches of the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 8% of the model year's 2,051 complaints. The component named most often is doors › latch (28 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee door lock & latch problems?
No. NHTSA lists no locks & latches recall for the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, though it has 3 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 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee door lock & latch problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 59,000 miles, and 3% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 0 fires and 6 injuries to locks & latches 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.