Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving down the interstate at approximately 75mph to 80 mph, the driver side air bag curtain deployed with no warning or indication. There was no impact or bump in the road to cause vibration or a false signal to trigger the activation of the air curtain. I was simply driving the vehicle as normal when it deployed. When the airbags deployed, it caused me to swerve due to fear of the load noise, physical impact of air curtain, and visual interference. Fortunately, there was no traffic in the adjacent lanes, and I was able to get to the shoulder of the interstate. After I assessed the situation and calmed my nerves I navigated to my destination under the risk of visual impedance on the driver side. Emergency services was not contacted. The vehicle was not inspected by a professional however it was discussed with certified mechanics. …
Driver's steering wheel airbag malfunctioned and deployed unexpectedly while backing into a parking space. Safety of passengers through potential of bodily injury and car crash due to lack of sight and sudden explosion/deployment of airbag while car is actively being driven could have been causedby this malfunction. Various incidents of this safety issue have been reported, but no recalls have been officiated yet for this specific year and model. Vehicle has not inspected yet, it just occurred this morning. Insurance was notified, but said it needed to be inspected by a mechanic or dealership. Airbag light came on today for the first time while driving home and then airbag malfunctioned/deployed while parking.
The air bag deployed without the vehicle being in an accident. I was traveling on I80 heading East at 70mph when the airbag deployed. I have not taken it to a dealer, I can't afford the repair bill at this time. No one other than family has inspected the vehicle. It is not an insurance issue. There was no warning that the airbag was going to go off. However there is now a light on in my dash. I do not know what caused the malfunction. I was in the vehicle alone thankfully. It was the passenger side airbag. I have contacted Jeep and they are not accepting any responsibility. They declined the claim as they put it in like 2 hours via e-mail.
The airbag sensor is on. I had it checked at a independent mechanic shop the name of the shop is Magic AutoCenter, also my esp and abs sensor is on to. A lot of times I have to manually touch the esp button to turn off the traction.
At approximately 12:05 pm on Monday, 6/12/23, I was making a right turn into a parking spot in front of Golden1 Credit Union, at 1040 E. Cypress Avenue. I was halfway into the turn when my driver's airbag deployed, striking me in the stomach and right hand and forearm. Despite being startled by the loud explosion, I managed to finish parking without hitting either the vehicle next to me or the curb. Approximately 1-2 minutes later, there was a second explosion from the airbag that sprayed small particles at me, again striking my right forearm. The incident left three superficial burn marks on my hand and arm. (I did not photograph them until this moment; only one mark is still visible.) My first thought when the airbag deployed was that I had been shot, as I heard a loud bang, smelled what I thought was gunpowder, and felt pain in my arm and stomach. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving at 20 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently, went into a ditch, and crashed into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained an injury to the left shoulder, but did not require medical attention. A police report was not filed. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 14V567000 (electrical system) and the part needed to remedy the vehicle was unavailable. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
Our 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee struck an older model car in the side as the other vehicle rolled through a red light. We were traveling between 40-45 MPH. The damage to the front of the vehicle was enough to suffer a total loss, but the front airbags did not deploy. Both vehicles were in motion on a city street.
Tboned in an intersection, jeep rolled over multiple times, no airbags deployed. checked online, no recalls in effect so they should have gone off.
We contacted west brothers Chrysler dealership in sullivan, mo in feb. 2015 due to multiple recalls on the Jeep. They were aware the Jeep was not running, we were told to tow it to dealership on feb 26, 2015 and that all parts would be there in 2 to 3 weeks, I agreed to pay for a diagnostic test if the Jeep still would not start after recall was complete. I was told diagnostic test could not be done until after the p57 recall was complete. After several months of being told parts would be in I received a phone call from joe boulware on July 23, 2015 stating we had one day to move the Jeep or it would be towed. He said he had spoke with my son (the previous owner) on several occasions telling him to move Jeep. This was false as my son was incarcerated all the dates he gave. …
Vehicle had issue resolved by recall p57 where key fob would stick in ignition between off and on. The key first got stuck in the ignition on 8/14/14, a memorable day, because it happened on the day we were going to the title company to close on our first home. At the same time the ignition switch issue started the airbag light came on and all the steering wheel functions are disabled. The horn no longer works. It is unknown if the airbags work. This is clearly a safety issue but the dealership wants to charge $90 just to hook the vehicle up to their machines to diagnose what is going on and will not consider this as related to the recall p57. Not being able to honk in the interest of safety is a problem. It is unknown if the airbags are functional so I guess it will take getting in an accident to find out (an accident which cannot be prevented by honking my horn to warn another driver).
Airbag complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are airbag problems on the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 40 complaints about the air bags of the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 5% of the model year's 734 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee airbag problems?
No. NHTSA lists no air bags recall for the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, though it has 4 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 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee airbag problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 110,000 miles, and 7% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 0 fires and 3 injuries to air bags 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.