MYRModel Year Report

2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee

● Typical for this model
2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee
BUILT 2026-10-10

This year's complaint volume is within 30% of this model's typical year.

This verdict reflects complaint volume compared to this model's typical year. Recalls and safety issues below apply regardless of the verdict — always check them.

How is this computed?

Complaints
762
Recalls
10

Campaigns on file for 2003

Investigations
4

Opened by NHTSA

Top problem
Air bags

34% of complaints

Complaints per year

1989: 5 complaints 1989 1990: 5 complaints 1991: 6 complaints 1992: 3 complaints 1993: 562 complaints 1994: 609 complaints 1994 1995: 723 complaints 1996: 893 complaints 1997: 991 complaints 1998: 1,028 complaints 1999: 1,638 complaints 2000: 1,447 complaints 2001: 883 complaints 2002: 1,476 complaints 2003: 762 complaints 2003 762 2004: 1,295 complaints 2005: 2,051 complaints 2006: 1,280 complaints 2007: 1,108 complaints 2008: 734 complaints 2009: 138 complaints 2009 2010: 118 complaints 2011: 1,639 complaints 2012: 1,644 complaints 2013: 804 complaints 2014: 2,378 complaints 2014 2015: 1,362 complaints 2016: 310 complaints 2017: 364 complaints 2018: 854 complaints 2019: 368 complaints 2019 2020: 240 complaints 2021: 403 complaints 2022: 261 complaints 2023: 389 complaints 2024: 243 complaints 2024 2025: 75 complaints 2026: 22 complaints
1989: 5 complaints 1989 1990: 5 complaints 1991: 6 complaints 1992: 3 complaints 1992 1993: 562 complaints 1994: 609 complaints 1995: 723 complaints 1995 1996: 893 complaints 1997: 991 complaints 1998: 1,028 complaints 1998 1999: 1,638 complaints 2000: 1,447 complaints 2001: 883 complaints 2002: 1,476 complaints 2003: 762 complaints 2003 762 2004: 1,295 complaints 2005: 2,051 complaints 2006: 1,280 complaints 2007: 1,108 complaints 2007 2008: 734 complaints 2009: 138 complaints 2010: 118 complaints 2010 2011: 1,639 complaints 2012: 1,644 complaints 2013: 804 complaints 2013 2014: 2,378 complaints 2015: 1,362 complaints 2016: 310 complaints 2016 2017: 364 complaints 2018: 854 complaints 2019: 368 complaints 2019 2020: 240 complaints 2021: 403 complaints 2022: 261 complaints 2022 2023: 389 complaints 2024: 243 complaints 2025: 75 complaints 2025 2026: 22 complaints
1989: 5 complaints 1989 1990: 5 complaints 1991: 6 complaints 1991 1992: 3 complaints 1993: 562 complaints 1993 1994: 609 complaints 1995: 723 complaints 1995 1996: 893 complaints 1997: 991 complaints 1997 1998: 1,028 complaints 1999: 1,638 complaints 1999 2000: 1,447 complaints 2001: 883 complaints 2001 2002: 1,476 complaints 2003: 762 complaints 2003 762 2004: 1,295 complaints 2005: 2,051 complaints 2005 2006: 1,280 complaints 2007: 1,108 complaints 2007 2008: 734 complaints 2009: 138 complaints 2009 2010: 118 complaints 2011: 1,639 complaints 2011 2012: 1,644 complaints 2013: 804 complaints 2013 2014: 2,378 complaints 2015: 1,362 complaints 2015 2016: 310 complaints 2017: 364 complaints 2017 2018: 854 complaints 2019: 368 complaints 2019 2020: 240 complaints 2021: 403 complaints 2021 2022: 261 complaints 2023: 389 complaints 2023 2024: 243 complaints 2025: 75 complaints 2025 2026: 22 complaints

2003: 762 complaints

View as data table
YearComplaints
19895
19905
19916
19923
1993562
1994609
1995723
1996893
1997991
19981,028
19991,638
20001,447
2001883
20021,476
2003762
20041,295
20052,051
20061,280
20071,108
2008734
2009138
2010118
20111,639
20121,644
2013804
20142,378
20151,362
2016310
2017364
2018854
2019368
2020240
2021403
2022261
2023389
2024243
202575
202622

Known problem areas

Percentages can add to more than 100% — a complaint can name more than one system.

Air bags

34% · 257 reports

Most commonly citing frontal.

CRASHFIREINJURYDEATH
Show complaint excerpts

Tl* the contact owned a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle drove into a ditch. The air bags failed to deploy. There were no warning indicators illuminated prior to the failure.

NHTSA ODI report, 2018-02-07

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the air bag deployed erroneously. The contact sustained minor injuries as a result of the deployment.

NHTSA ODI report, 2012-08-31

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Jeep cherokee. The contact stated that the front passenger air bag deployed while parking. The contact then attempted to exit the vehicle and the front driver's air bag deployed, cutting her arm.

NHTSA ODI report, 2012-05-17

Visibility

22% · 170 reports

Most commonly citing defroster/defogger/hvac system and fan/motor.

FIREINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the blower motor failed when he attempted to use the heat and smoke appeared underneath the glove compartment box.

NHTSA ODI report, 2018-01-31

Service brakes

10% · 74 reports

Most commonly citing hydraulic and air.

CRASHINJURY

Seats

9% · 67 reports

Most commonly citing seat heater/cooler and recliner.

CRASHFIREINJURY
Show complaint excerpts

Tl* the contact owns a 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the front driver and passenger side seats over heated and burned a hole in the seats.

NHTSA ODI report, 2012-11-14

Electrical system

8% · 59 reports

Most commonly citing instrument cluster/panel and fuses and circuit breakers.

FIREINJURY

Safety timeline

10 recalls · 4 investigations · oldest first

To check one car, enter its VIN on the NHTSA recall page. Check a VIN →

  1. R
    2005-01-25Fuel system, gasoline06E011000 Certain aftermarket airtex electric fuel pumps installed for use as replacement equipment for certain 1997-2004 Jeep wrangler; 1997-2001 Jeep cherokee; 1997-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee; and 2000-2003…

    Remedy: Airtex will notify its customers and will replace the affected fuel pumps free of charge. The recall began on January 25, 2006. Owners may contact airtex customer service department at…

    Check if this car was fixed →

  2. R
    2006-03-20Service brakes, hydraulic06E022000 Certain aftermarket brake hydraulic master cylinders sold as replacement brake cylinders for certain Ford, daimlerchrysler, and Jeep passenger vehicles. These brake cylinders were sold under the…

    Remedy: Affinia (Brake parts, inc.) will replace the subject brake hydraulic master cylinders free of charge. The recall began on March 20, 2006. Owners can contact affina group customer service at…

    Check if this car was fixed →

  3. R
    2006-05-09Exterior lighting06E023000 Certain anzo combination headlamp assemblies sold as replacement lamps for use on certain passenger vehicles. Some combination lamps are not equipped with amber side reflectors which fail to…

    Remedy: Anzo will notify owners and replace the headlamps free of charge. The recall began May 9, 2006. Owners may contact anzo USA at 909-468-3688.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  4. R
    2006-07-24Seats06V197000 On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with heated seats, the front passenger seat electric heater element could overheat.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the heated seat elements. The recall began on July 24, 2006. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  5. R
    2009-05-11Exterior lighting09E012000 Sabersport is recalling 16,270 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to…

    Remedy: Sabersport will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on May 11, 2009. Owners may contact sabersport at 1-909-598-7589.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  6. R
    2009-07-28Exterior lighting09E025000 Dope, inc. Is recalling 42,540 combination corner and bumper lamp assemblies of various part numbers sold for use as aftermarket equipment for various passenger vehicles. These headlamps fail to…

    Remedy: Dope, inc. Will notify owners and offer a full refund for the noncompliant combination lamps. The safety recall began on July 28, 2009. Owners may contact dope, inc. At 1-626-272-1798.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  7. I
    2009-11-06Defect petitionClosed 2010-08-23 Fuel Storage System Crash Related Fires
  8. R
    2009-11-23Seats09V117000 Chrysler is recalling 103,409 my 2001-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles with heated seats and with Chrysler recall No. 06V-197 completed (03-04 my) or seat heater elements service replacement (01-02…

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the front seat heater elements free of charge. The recall began on November 23, 2009. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  9. I
    2010-08-23Preliminary evaluationClosed 2012-06-14 Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires
  10. I
    2012-06-12Engineering analysisClosed 2014-11-14 Crash Related Fuel Tank Fires
  11. R
    2013-09-13Air bags12V527000 Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2002 and 2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured January 9, 2001, through March 28, 2003, and 2002 through 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured…

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a supplemental jumper harness to the airbag control module, free of charge. Owners were notified of the recall by interim letter in January 2013.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  12. I
    2014-05-29Recall queryClosed 2015-11-13 Jeep inadvertent air bag deployment
  13. R
    2015-12-29Air bags15V046000 Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2002-2003 Jeep Liberty vehicles manufactured January 9, 2001, to March 28, 2003, 2002-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 13, 2001, to May 23 2003, and 2003-2004 Dodge Viper...

    Remedy: Chrysler dealers will replace the air bag control module and side impact sensors as required, free of charge. This recall remedy was applied during earlier recall campaigns of these vehicles under safety recalls 12V527 and 13V040.

    Check if this car was fixed →

  14. R
    Date not on fileExterior lighting06E064000 Certain tradesonic combination lamps sold as replacement lamps for use on the above listed passenger vehicles.

    Remedy: Tradesonic will notify owners and replace the lamps free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during July 2006. Owners may contact tradesonic at 626-934-8884.

    Check if this car was fixed →

Buy-smart checklist

2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee — pre-purchase inspection

Inspect

  • Air bags: 257 reports on file for this year.
  • Visibility: 170 reports on file for this year.
  • Service brakes: 74 reports on file for this year.

Verify these recalls were completed

  • Recall 06E064000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 06E011000 · Fuel system, gasoline
  • Recall 06E022000 · Service brakes, hydraulic
  • Recall 06E023000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 06V197000 · Seats
  • Recall 09E012000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 09E025000 · Exterior lighting
  • Recall 09V117000 · Seats
  • Recall 12V527000 · Air bags
  • Recall 15V046000 · Air bags
Inspected by ______________ Date ______________

Other years of this model

See all years ranked →

Best years3 years

Worst years3 years

FAQ

Is the 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee reliable?
Based on NHTSA complaint volume compared to this model's typical year, the 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee is rated "typical".
What are the most common problems with the 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The most-reported component is air bags, accounting for 34% of complaints on file.
How many recalls does the 2003 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?
10 recalls on file for this model year.

Data updated 2026-10-09 · Complaints are unverified owner reports filed with NHTSA, not independently verified defects. Methodology.