1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Power Train:automatic Transmission Problems
NHTSA component category: POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION · data through 07/12/2026
Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.
How power train:automatic transmission ranks on this vehicle
Share of the 893 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee overview page.
What owners report
“AUTOMOBILE WOULD NOT SHIFT(OR HAD TROUBLE SHIFTING) INTO 3RD GEAR WHEN OUTSIDE TEMPERATURE WAS BELOW 32 DEGREES.”NHTSA complaint 701989 — filed 01/07/1999
“COLD TRANSMISSION WILL NOT SHIFT FROM 2ND GEAR TO 3RD. TRANSMISSION SLIPS OUT OF GEAR, CAUSING LOSS OF POWER. DEALER RECOMMENDS NEW TRANSMISSION. NOT COVERED…”NHTSA complaint 701914 — filed 01/05/1999
“WHILE PARKED WITH KEYS OUT OF IGNITION, VEHICLE JUMPED OUT PARK INTO REVERSE, CAUSING VEHICLE TO HIT A PEDESTRIAN. PLEASE PROVIDE DETAILS.”NHTSA complaint 825287 — filed 07/13/1998
Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.
Power Train:automatic Transmission complaints by year filed
Frequently asked questions
Does the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee have power train:automatic transmission problems?
Power Train:automatic Transmission is the #3 most-reported problem area on the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee: 53 of 893 complaints on file (5.9%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.
How many complaints does the 1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee have in total?
893 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 135 involved a crash, 22 involved a fire, 101 reported injuries, and 6 reported deaths.
What does NHTSA's power train:automatic transmission category include?
NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.