repaired · 2017 Q3
Air bags: side/window
Risk. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
2004 Jeep Grand CherokeeProblems, recalls & complaints
NHTSA has logged 1,295 owner complaints about the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee, most often about the air bags. It is covered by 8 safety recalls, and for recall 15V-046 the manufacturer reports only 17% of affected cars repaired.
Source: NHTSA complaints, recalls, investigations and manufacturer recall reports, through September 20, 2026. Updated daily. Photo: Bull-Doser, Public domain.
Complaints by system
Where the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee has problems
1,295 complaints grouped by the system owners reported.
326Air bags52 crash/fire/injury
202Visibility6 crash/fire/injury
149Seats22 crash/fire/injury
144Electrical system15 crash/fire/injury
142Service brakes, hydraulic8 crash/fire/injury
77Vehicle speed control
73Steering
55Engine and engine cooling
54Power train
27620 other systems36 crash/fire/injury
| System | Complaints | Crash, fire or injury |
|---|---|---|
| Air bags | 326 | 52 |
| Visibility | 202 | 6 |
| Seats | 149 | 22 |
| Electrical system | 144 | 15 |
| Service brakes, hydraulic | 142 | 8 |
| Vehicle speed control | 77 | 31 |
| Steering | 73 | 5 |
| Engine and engine cooling | 55 | 2 |
| Power train | 54 | 20 |
| 20 other systems | 276 | 36 |
Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. Complaints are submitted by the public and are not verified by NHTSA.
8 recalls
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee recalls and how many were fixed
Each ring shows the share of affected cars repaired, from the manufacturer’s latest quarterly report to NHTSA. Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
repaired · 2017 Q2
Air bags: frontal
Risk. Inadvertent deployment of the air bags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
repaired · 2015 Q2
Air bags
Risk. Inadvertent deployment of the airbags may increase the risk of injury and the possibility of a vehicle crash.
no report yet
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. OVERHEATING COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE OR INJURY.
Show 4 more recalls
no report yet
Front assembly: seat heater/cooler
Risk. OVERHEATING COULD POTENTIALLY CAUSE A FIRE.
no report yet
Electrical system: starter assembly
Risk. IN THE PRESENCE OF MOISTURE, THIS COULD RESULT IN SENSOR MALFUNCTION, WHICH COULD CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STALL, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
no report yet
Other: labels
Risk. THE VEHICLE OWNER WOULD NOT BE AWARE OF THE TIRE, WHEEL, AND INFLATION PRESSURE INFORMATION FOR THEIR VEHICLE.
no report yet
Steering: gear box (other than rack and pinion)
Risk. A DISLODGED CLIP MAY CAUSE INCREASED STEERING EFFORT, INCREASING THE RISK OF A CRASH.
Recalls apply to specific cars. To see whether a recall is still open on yours, enter the 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with Jeep.
Mileage at failure
When do air bags problems start?
116kmiles, median
Based on the odometer reading in 80 air bags complaints. 39% were reported before 100,000 miles.
9under 30k miles31under 100k miles49100k miles or more
Owner-reported costs
What owners say repairs cost
Dollar amounts owners wrote in their complaints when describing a repair or a quote. These are not price estimates; a system is shown only when at least 8 owners mentioned a cost.
Visibility
52 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $400 – $1,200
Service brakes, hydraulic
11 owners mentioned a cost$400median
Middle half: $115 – $738
Seats
9 owners mentioned a cost$1,000median
Middle half: $700 – $1,000
If a problem is covered by a recall, the dealer fixes it for free. Some manufacturers also reimburse owners who paid for a repair before a recall was announced.
Best & worst years
2004 vs. every other Grand Cherokee year
Bars show complaints per model year. Colors show the CarFlaw verdict: complaints weighted for crashes, fires and injuries, adjusted for years on the road and compared with the Grand Cherokee median. How we score
5555887198939911,0281,6381,4478831,4767621,2952,0521,2801,1097341381181,6411,6458052,3921,3723133648573712414142704102588137
'93'94'95'96'97'98'99'00'01'02'03'04'05'06'07'08'09'10'11'12'13'14'15'16'17'18'19'20'21'22'23'24'25'26
- Avoid
- Caution
- Solid
- Best
- Not rated
NHTSA crash tests
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee safety ratings
2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4-DR. in NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program. Photos are from NHTSA's crash tests.
Frontal crashNot rated
- Stability control: No
- Forward collision warning: No
- Lane departure warning: No
4 investigations
NHTSA defect investigations
Federal investigations that included the 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and the recalls they led to.
- Fuel Storage System Crash Related FiresNo recall
- Crash Related Fuel Tank FiresLed to recall 13V-252
- Crash Related Fuel Tank FiresNo recall
- Jeep inadvertent air bag deploymentLed to recall 15V-043
In owners' words
What Grand Cherokee owners report
Recent air bags complaints filed with NHTSA, shortened. Personal details are removed.
Driving normally on the highway came to an exit slowed down my passenger air bag went off and 10-15 seconds later the driver one. I was able to be aware the driver might go off so I pushed my seat back and immediately after it went off. White smoke from the airbags engulfed the cabin I stepped out…
I scheduled a recall appointment for my Jeep Grand Cherokee. The dealer confirmed that the appointment was scheduled and that the necessary recall part had been ordered. However, when I arrived, my vehicle was parked and no work was started. I was not given an estimated repair time, and after…
On 10/21/21 myself and my child (rear passenger in booster safety seat) were in a solo vehicle accident that resulted in our vehicle hitting an embankment before rolling 3x landing on the wheels again in the right position on the same side of vehicle we originally had impact. We were less than 1…
Own a 2004 Grand Cherokee?
Decode your VIN to see the recalls for your exact car, then confirm open recalls with NHTSA.