(Rev. A) Malfunction Indicator Light (MIL) Illuminated. Service Diesel Exhaust Fluid (DEF) System ? See Dealer Soon Message on Electronic Vehicle Information Center (EVIC) Along With Possible Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P241D - SCR Inducement - Forced Engine Shutdown.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee airbags problems
severe Owners of the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee have filed 11 NHTSA complaints about the airbags at roughly $1,100 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See airbags across all vehicles →
Complaints
11
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$1,100
| Model year | airbags complaints |
|---|---|
| 2015 Grand Cherokee | 99 |
| 2016 Grand Cherokee | 10 |
| 2017 Grand Cherokee | 15 |
| 2018 Grand Cherokee | 23 |
| 2019 Grand Cherokee (this page) | 11 |
| 2020 Grand Cherokee | 10 |
| 2021 Grand Cherokee | 9 |
| 2022 Grand Cherokee | 9 |
| 2023 Grand Cherokee | 5 |
5crashes
6injuries
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering airbags on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Blind Spot LED Stays ON. DTC B285F-15 Blind Spot Warning Light Control-Circuit Short To Battery Or Open
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Transmission Oil Pan, Heater (TMU), Tube or O-ring Applies to vehicles equipped with 8 speed transmissions only; if you have a leak that appears to be at the pan the use of proper leak detection is recommended. The fluid in the 8 speeds can be detected with a black light and there are aftermarket spray on leak detection materials to help ensure that the leak is properly diagnosed and not from another location such as cooler lines, heater tubes, or case porosity. Please note that the transmission pan gasket is available for many of the 8 speed applications FCA offers. Please review the available quick connect and transfer tube parts, as replacement of the TMU may not be required. If a TOC lin
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
Owners report multiple categories of airbag failure. Most serious are non-deployment incidents: a head-on collision at 45 mph triggered zero airbags on the Jeep (truck's steering wheel bag deployed), leaving the driver with a forehead injury; a 40-mph pole strike on the passenger side did not activate side airbags despite door intrusion and shattered windows; a stop-sign collision resulted in no deployment, injuring both driver and passenger. One owner also reports a foot airbag that remained bulky after deploying, physically blocking the brake pedal and forcing shutdown via the power button to prevent continuing to push another vehicle.
On the warning-light side, owners describe service airbag lights coming on intermittently or staying lit for weeks at very low mileage (9k, 50k miles). A dealership identified wiring under the driver's seat as the culprit but refused warranty coverage, citing a $679 out-of-pocket repair. Passenger-side occupancy sensing failed at 350 miles—the dealer kept the Jeep a week, couldn't replicate it, and it recurred; manufacturer assigned a case manager but the vehicle went unrepaired. One owner also reports a driver-side headrest airbag deploying spontaneously while the car sat stationary, with no accident involved and no warranty offered.
Same Jeep Grand Cherokee airbags reports on nearby years: 2016 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Airbag deployment failures in accidents
In multiple collision scenarios, airbags failed to deploy despite significant impact. A head-on collision at 45 mph resulted in zero airbag deployment and driver injury. A side-pole strike at 40 mph did not trigger side airbags. A hit-twice scenario at a 4-way stop caused no airbag deployment, injuring both driver and passenger.
When: During collisions; vehicles reportedly new or low-mileage when failures occurred
Symptoms owners cite: No airbag deployment in head-on collision at 45 mph; No side airbag deployment in pole strike at 40 mph; No airbag deployment in multi-vehicle stop-sign collision; Driver head injury from steering wheel impact; Passenger injuries due to lack of airbag protection; Vehicle totaled with extensive front and side damage
Airbag does not fully retract after deployment
After a collision, driver-side foot airbag remained bulky and did not fully undeploy, blocking access to the brake pedal and preventing emergency braking. This caused the driver to be unable to apply brakes immediately after impact and required shutting off the vehicle via power button instead.
When: Immediately after collision on 1/22/20, vehicle still idling in drive
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag remained bulky after deployment; Brake pedal blocked by inflated airbag; Unable to apply brakes post-collision; Vehicle continued pushing other vehicles while idling
Service airbag system warning light malfunction
Service airbag warning light illuminated intermittently or persistently without indication of a safety-critical issue. In some cases, wiring under the driver's seat was identified as the cause. Dealers refused warranty coverage and charged out-of-pocket repair costs ($679 reported). Warnings occurred at low mileage and sometimes recurred after dealer diagnostics.
When: Low mileage (50k miles, 9k miles); one case at 1.5 years old
Symptoms owners cite: Service airbag system warning light comes on periodically or continuously; Warning light remains illuminated for extended periods (more than two weeks reported); Light turns on and off randomly; Warning message appears at startup
Repairs/costs cited: Wiring issue under driver's seat identified at dealership; repair cost $679; not covered under extended warranty; some dealers unable to duplicate failure
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer assigned case manager in one instance; referred contact back to dealer; dealer stated repair not covered under extended warranty
Passenger-side airbag occupancy sensor failure
Passenger-side airbag failed to recognize when the seat was occupied and did not provide warning. Vehicle was taken to dealership where technician was unable to duplicate the failure during initial visit; failure recurred afterward. Manufacturer was made aware and assigned a case manager but vehicle was not repaired.
When: Approximately 350 miles on vehicle
Symptoms owners cite: Passenger airbag does not recognize occupied seat; No warning indicator illuminated; Failure intermittent and difficult to reproduce
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership kept vehicle for one week; technician unable to duplicate failure
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer made aware and assigned case manager; referred contact to dealer; vehicle not repaired
Spontaneous side curtain airbag deployment
Driver-side headrest airbag deployed on its own while vehicle was stationary and unoccupied, without any collision or accident. Owner discovered deployment when hearing a loud bang while sitting in the rear hatch area.
When: No accident; vehicle stationary
Symptoms owners cite: Airbag deployed without collision; Loud bang heard from headrest area; Driver-side headrest airbag visibly deployed
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer informed owner it was not Jeep's responsibility and no warranty coverage applied
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Dealer claimed no manufacturer responsibility; no warranty coverage
Synthesized from 11 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 0 most recent
Had airbags trouble with your 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the airbags problem on the 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
It's a meaningful issue. 11 complaints have been filed and the failure mode causes operational problems for owners. Repairs average $1,100.
At what mileage does the airbags typically fail?
Based on the 11 complaints filed, airbags issues most often appear around 20,180 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $1,100 for airbags repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to airbags?
No active recalls currently cover airbags issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2019/Jeep/Grand Cherokee.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.