1996 Jeep Grand Cherokee Seats Problems

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, HE NOTICED THAT THE SEAT FAILED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER AND THE CONTACT WAS ADVISED THAT THE SEAT NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 151,000. ..UPDATED 07-05-13 *BF

THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF MY VEHICLE BROKE. THE SEAT IS UNABLE TO SIT FULLY UPRIGHT AS THE BRACKETS HOLDING IT IN PLACE (TO RAIL) ARE BROKEN. THE METAL APPEARS TO BE ACTUALLY TORN. 1996 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO (6 CYL). *TR

UNDERSIDE OF FRONT SEAT (METAL RAIL CONNECTING TO TRACKS) BROKE SUDDENLY NEAR RETAINING BOLTS ON BOTH FRONT CONNECTIONS. METAL WAS FLIMSY (1/8 IN OR SO) AND DID NOT APPEAR TO BE REINFORCED AGAINST SHEAR (UP/DOWN) STRESS AT CONNECTION POINT TO ACCOMMODATE SEAT MOTION WHEN DRIVERS GOT INTO/OUT OF VEHICLE. I WAS JUST GETTING IN TO GO TO WORK WHEN IT FAILED, BUT IT COULD JUST HAVE EASILY HAPPENED IN TRAFFIC OR AT A TRAFFIC STOP. *TR

WHILE ACCELERATING FROM A STOP ONE OF THE ATTACHMENT BOLTS HOLDING THE FRONT DRIVER SEAT TO THE SLIDE RAILS TORE THROUGH THE SHEET METAL ON THE LEFT FRONT ATTACHMENT POINT. UPON REMOVAL OF THE SEAT, BROKEN WELDS WERE FOUND ON THE RIGHT REAR OF THE FRAME AND PART OF THE FRAME WAS CRACKED. *AK

THE DRIVER'S SEAT FRAME BROKE AWAY FROM THE FLOOR, MAKING THE SEAT INOPERABLE. *AK

I OWN A 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE AND THE SHEET METAL THAT CONNECTS THE DRIVERS SEAT TO THE ADJUSTABLE TRACK UNDER THE SEAT IS TEARING AND COMING LOSE. I FEEL THAT THIS IS A EXTREME SAFETY HAZARD WHICH COULD LEAD TO AN ACCIDENT AND FURTHER INCREASED INJURY DURING THAT ACCIDENT WHEN THE SEAT BECOMES DISENGAGED FROM ITS ANCHORING POINTS. WHILE THE JEEP IS 7.5 YEARS OLD, I AM ONLY 5FT 10IN 195LBS AND DO NOT THINK THAT THE METAL SHOULD BE TEARING. THIS BEING A SAFETY ISSUE I FELT I SHOULD CONTACT JEEP BEFORE TAKING ACTION MYSELF SO IF NECESSARY JEEP COULD HAVE THE VEHICLE INSPECTED AND SEE IF THEY HAD ANY CONCERNS THAT NEEDED TO BE DEALT WITH. I HAVE CONTACTED JEEP STAFF FROM A LOCAL DEALERSHIP ALL THE WAY UP TO SUSAN AT CHRYSLER CORP CUSTOMER SERVICE (INCIDENT # 12175350) WITHOUT LUCK IN HAVING MY SAFETY RELATED ISSUE ADDRESSED. *AK

GETTING INTO MY 1996 JEEP CHEROKEE THE NUT WHICH SECURES THE DRIVERS LOWER SEAT CUSHION FRAME TO THE SEAT ADJUSTER PULLED THROUGH THE CUSHION FRAME. I AM THE ORIGINAL OWNER OF THIS VEHICLE AND IT HAS NEVER BEEN IN AN ACCIDENT AND HAS 88932 MILES ON IT.*AK I FEEL THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE. IF THIS VEHICLE IS IN AN ACCIDENT THE FORCES WHICH WOULD NEED TO BE RESISTED WOULD FAR EXCEED THOSE A PERSON COULD APPLY GETTING INTO THE VEHICLE. THEREFORE, I FEEL THIS IS OBVIOUSLY EITHER A DESIGN PROBLEM OR A MANUFACTURING PROBLEM. I CALLED 1-800-992-1997 AND TALKED TO THEIR REPRESENTATIVE WHO SAID THAT IF THIS WAS A MANUFACTURING DEFECT THE VEHICLE IS OUT OF WARRANTY, I.E. I HAVE TO PAY TO GET THIS FIXED. FOR SAFETY REASONS THIS MUST BE FIXED, DO I USE THEIR PRODUCTS WHICH MIGHT HAVE A PROBLEM? ARE THERE ANY OTHER REPORTS OF THIS PROBLEM? IF THERE ARE ANY OTHER REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING ADD ANOTHER ONE TO THE LIST.

THE FRONT SEAT FRAMES ARE NOT MADE STRONG ENOUGH, FRAME WELDS BROKEN, BOLT PULLED THROUGH, OTHER FRAME CRACKS. I HAVE HEARD OF OTHER SEAT FAILURES,IN JEEP XJS, TALKED ABOUT ON INTERNET JEEP LIST-SERVES. SEAT WAS HELD ON BY ONLY 2 POINTS. IF ONE MORE MOUNTING HAD BROKEN, THE SEAT WOULD HAVE FALLEN INTO THE BACK SEAT AREA.*AK

WHEN DRIVING VEHICLE AND PARKING IT A STRON GODOR WAS COMING FROM VEHICLE.FUSE SHORTED OUT. WHEN FUSE WAS TAKEN OUT OF VEHICLE ODOR WENT AWAY. CONTACTED DEALER, AND DEALER STATED IT WAS POWER ADJUSTING SEAT MODULE THAT BLEWOUT. *AK

THE DRIVER'S SEAT CUSHION FRAME BROKE AT THE WELDS. THIS CAUSED THE FRONT MOUNT OF THE CUSHION FRAME TO FRACTURE. THERE WAS NO WAY OF KNOWING THE WELDS HAD FRACTURED UNTIL THE LOWER MOUNT FINNALLY GAVE OUT. I WAS LUCKY THAT THIS HAPPENED WHEN I JUST GOT INTO THE JEEP. IF I HAD BEEN DRIVING DOWN THE FREEWAY, AND THE SEAT BROKE, I WOULD HAVE LOST CONTROL. I WENT THE MY LOCAL JEEP DEALERSHIP, SHOWED THEM THE BROKEN SEAT. THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD, BUT WERE WILLING TO ORDER THE PART. OF WHICH THERE WERE ONLY THREE AVAILABLE IN THE NATION. I TRIED TO LOCATE THE PART USED ON THE NATIONAL WEB OF SALVAGE YARDS. ON EVERY JEEP OF THIS YEAR AT THE SALVAGE YARD, THE FRONT DRIVER'S SEAT WAS ALREADY MISSING. I BELIEVE THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE AND SHOULD BE LOOKED INTO. I STILL HAVE THE BROKEN SEAT CUSHION FRAME FOR FURTHER ANALYSIS. I JUST WONDER HOW MANY ACCIDENTS THIS PROBLEM HAS CAUSED, AND WERE BLAMED ONTO SOMETHING OR SOMEONE ELSE? THANK YOU FOR READING AND CONSIDERING THIS NOTE.

WELD BUSTED ON SEAT ON THE BACK PART AS WELL AS THE PIECE THAT CONNECTS TO FRONT LEFT SECTION OF THE SEAT. *AK

CONSUMER'S POWER SEAT TOTATLLY DISCONNECTED FROM THE FLOOR. DEALER HAS REPLACED 47 PARTS IN THE ELECTRICAL PART OF THE JEEP. CONSUMER HAS ALSO BEEN INJURED BECAUSE OF THIS. *AK

I PURCHASED THIS USED VEHICLE IN MARCH 1999 . I HAVE BEEN BACK TO THE DEALER ABOUT THIS PROBLEM 3-5 TIMES . I'VE EVEN COME OUT OF MY POCKET FOR THE EXPENSIVE OF A NEW SEAT BECAUSE THE DEALER TOLD ME THE SEAT WAS CONSIDERED COSMETIC AND NOT WARRANTY COVERED. AS IT STANDS RIGHT NOW ,THE DEALERSHIP IS SUPPOSEDLY WAITING ON INSTRUCTIONS FROM CHRYSLER ABOUT THE SPECS FOR MY SEAT. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR OVER 5 MONTHS .THE SEAT IS LEANING DANGEROUSLY TO THE RIGHT AND IT FEELS AS IF IT IS CRACKED

FRONT DRIVER SEAT FRAME REPLACED.

JEEP IS THE ONLY 4 WHEEL DRIVE VEHICLE DESIGNED WITHOUT REAR HEADRESTS.