1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee: common problems

Owners of the 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee filed 555 complaints with NHTSA, most often about service brakes and powertrain. Details by component below, with sources.

Key figures

Owner complaints: 555
involving a crash: 59

Jeep Grand Cherokee 1993: 3D model with the “Service brakes” area highlighted — the most complained-about component — Yellow marks the “Service brakes” area, the component owners complain about most for this year. Illustrative only. 3D model: David_Holiday, CC Attribution.

What fails most often

1 Service brakes 27% of all complaints
2 Powertrain 18% of all complaints
3 Electrical system 10% of all complaints
4 Structure 9% of all complaints
5 Engine and cooling 8% of all complaints
6 Steering 7% of all complaints
7 Suspension 7% of all complaints
8 Fuel system 7% of all complaints

Circle size and colour show each component’s share of NHTSA complaints. Schematic only, not a drawing of the exact model.

Service brakes: 152 complaints (27% of all), 6 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Powertrain: 99 complaints (18% of all), 13 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Electrical system: 54 complaints (10% of all).
Structure: 48 complaints (9% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.
Engine and cooling: 46 complaints (8% of all), 2 of them with a crash reported by the owner.

Engines and transmissions

US-market versions per EPA. On the right: how many NHTSA complaints name this engine or transmission type.

4 L · petrol · 6 cyl
5.2 L · petrol · 8 cyl
automatic, 4-speed
manual, 5-speed

Drive: AWD, RWD

Symptoms owners describe

How many of the 555 NHTSA complaints mention each symptom (automatic count from complaint text; one complaint can mention several).

smoke, burning smell, fire42 · 8%
vibration31 · 6%
brake failure15 · 3%
A/C or heater15 · 3%
rust, corrosion15 · 3%
stalls while driving15 · 3%
unintended acceleration13 · 2%
door locks, latches, handles11 · 2%
fuel system, fuel smell11 · 2%
knocking, grinding or other noise11 · 2%

Components owners complain about

Component	Owner complaints	involving a crash
Service brakes	152	6
Powertrain	99	13
Electrical system	54	0
Structure	48	2
Engine and cooling	46	2
Steering	38	0
Suspension	38	1
Fuel system	37	2
Vehicle speed control	37	19
Latches, locks, linkages	26	0
Equipment	25	0
Air bags	24	15
Visibility	17	0
Tires	13	1

What owners report

Short excerpts of NHTSA complaints in the original wording. These are owner statements not verified by NHTSA; personal data removed.

As a result, the vehicle caught on fire. A police and a fire report were filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The contact received a notice for nhtsa campaign number: 13v252000 (fuel system, gasoline, structure) after the failure occurred. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Fuel/propulsion system · crash · 2015-05-13 · NHTSA complaint #10716268
Vehicle spun out of control in the rain and struck a wall head on. Upon impact, air bags did not deploy. Vehicle wa stotaled.
Air bags · crash · 2004-08-11 · NHTSA complaint #10087705
Vehicle was parked, engine off, emergency brake was on, and vehicle rolled backwards, colliding with a tree.
Parking brake · crash · 2003-10-31 · NHTSA complaint #10046118
After avoiding a vehicle which crossed the center lane, the driver's vehicle experienced sudden acceleration. The vehicle ran into a fence then crashed into a tree. The driver sustained internal injuries.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2003-02-03 · NHTSA complaint #10004434
And rolled down the mountain and hit several trees. Dealership was aware of problem.
Powertrain · crash · 2002-08-29 · NHTSA complaint #8017531
Very loud thumping from front differntial, and steering wheel binding when turning any direction, forward or reverse. Dealership has replaced both cv axles and spider gear in differential, but problem persists. [ref] opened with chrysler on 26jun2002.
Powertrain · crash · 2002-07-01 · NHTSA complaint #763536
Upon impact, driver's airbag did not deploy. Consumer suffered a blood clot in chest. Vehicle was totalled.
Air bags · crash · 2002-01-28 · NHTSA complaint #8002989
On october 6, 2001 I experienced the sudden acceleration. I got in to the vehicle to back it up. I put my foot on the brake and started the engine. The engine seemed to be revving. All of a sudden the back tires began to spin and smoke, I somewhat turned around in my seat to see what was happening.
Vehicle speed control · crash · 2001-10-12 · NHTSA complaint #752994

When owners complained

NHTSA complaints by filing year. The peak shows at what age the problems show up most.

199555
199662
1997107
199868
199947
200041
200149
200246
200322
200414
20054
20062
20074
20081
20092
20101
20111
20131
201414
201511
20162
20171
20201

Comparison

By complaint count this model year ranks 647 of 36,656 model years in the NHTSA data (top 2% most complained about).

On average one model year of the Grand Cherokee has 730 complaints (40 years in the data). This year has 555, below average.

What to check before buying

Service brakes. Pedal feel, ABS operation, leaks, discs and hoses.
Powertrain. Shift quality under load, harsh shifts, transmission codes, CV joints.
Electrical system. Scan all modules, test the battery and alternator, inspect connectors near the impact zone.
Structure. Rails, pillars, panel gaps, signs of pulling or welding.

Other years of this model

Questions and answers

What are the most common problems with the 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Owner complaints to NHTSA most often mention: service brakes, powertrain, electrical system. Total complaints: 555. The most frequent symptoms in complaint texts: smoke, burning smell, fire (8%), vibration (6%), brake failure (3%).

How many service bulletins (TSB) were issued for the 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

NHTSA lists 0 manufacturer service bulletins for this year. A bulletin tells dealers how to diagnose or fix a known issue; it is not a recall.

Should I buy a 1993 Jeep Grand Cherokee from a US auction?

Owner complaints describe defects, not crash damage. Before bidding, check the components listed above and review the lot photos: VinWind builds a report of visible and hidden damage by VIN.

Other 1993 models

Read also

Sources: public NHTSA data (USA): service bulletins and owner complaints; YouTube: links to videos credited to their authors. Complaints are owner statements not verified by NHTSA, and describe defects rather than crash damage. Data updated 2026-11-05.