VehicleVerdict

1996 Jeep Cherokee engine problems

The 1996 Jeep Cherokee has 64 engine complaints filed with NHTSA — 11% of the year's total, and down from the prior model year.

64

Engine complaints

11%

Share of year

1

Crash-involved

0

Related recalls

Engine complaints by year

Cherokee engine complaints by model year522 complaints1984: 2 complaints1985: 2 complaints1986: 1 complaints1987: 9 complaints1988: 9 complaints1989: 21 complaints1990: 35 complaints1991: 23 complaints1992: 11 complaints1993: 40 complaints1994: 87 complaints1995: 151 complaints1996: 64 complaints1997: 54 complaints1998: 35 complaints1999: 44 complaints2000: 82 complaints2001: 51 complaints2006: 2 complaints2014: 522 complaints2015: 373 complaints2016: 319 complaints2017: 262 complaints2018: 159 complaints2019: 461 complaints2020: 39 complaints2021: 22 complaints2022: 7 complaints2026: 1 complaints
Cherokee engine complaints by model year. Red bars are years to avoid.

What owners report

“I ONE DAY WAS ON MY WAY HOME FROM WORK ONE DAY AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AND MY CAR SUDDENLY LOST ALL BACK PRESSURE I COULD NOT CLIMB HILLS AND STARTED TO SMOKE BUT BEFORE I COULD MAKE IT HOME MY CAR BEGAN TO SMOKE AND EVENTUALLY CAUGHT ON FIRE LEAVING STRANDED WITH NO VEHICLE IN SITE I…”

Complaint filed with NHTSA · Engine · July 7, 2006 · fire

Common questions

How many engine complaints does the 1996 Jeep Cherokee have?

NHTSA has 64 complaints about the 1996 Jeep Cherokee engine — 11% of all complaints filed for that model year.

Related

Based on NHTSA ODI data through June 2026. Complaints are consumer-reported and unverified. Updated July 5, 2026.

Compiled by Sharon Ben-Moshe, Founder.