On August 17, 2026, while my wife was driving our 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 under normal conditions, the front passenger Active Head Restraint (AHR/headrest) suddenly and violently deployed without any collision, impact, or other apparent triggering event. I was seated in the front passenger seat and the spring-loaded head restraint struck me hard in the back of the head. Approximately 24 hours after the incident, I developed headache, pain around/behind my eyes, and nausea. The symptoms are intermittent, with periods of feeling normal followed by nausea and headache. Because of these symptoms following the head impact, and as advised by my GP, I went to the hospital for medical evaluation and treatment. The Jeep dealer has inspected the vehicle and advised that the passenger head restraint requires replacement. The repair could be handled under my Mopar Lifetime Maximum Care warranty. However, the dealer has also advised me that Jeep/FCA no longer has the replacement head restraint available, so the defective safety component currently cannot be replaced with the required new part. I am also concerned about the driver’s Active Head Restraint because it is the same age and design as the passenger-side unit that deployed unexpectedly. The dealer advised that the driver’s unit cannot be replaced under warranty unless it also fails. FCA/Jeep has been notified of the incident and my resulting injury and is reviewing the matter. I am filing this complaint because an occupant-restraint component deployed without a collision, caused a head injury requiring hospital evaluation, and a replacement for the failed safety component is reportedly no longer available from the manufacturer.
2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee seats problems
57 complaints (7% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 80,500. 1 crash reported.
- owner complaints
- 57
- of this car's complaints
- 7%
- typical mileage
- 80,500
- crashes
- 1
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
- Front assembly: head restraint2
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Jeep Grand Cherokee seats problems in other years
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries.A small number of Early Warning Reports identified driver and/or passenger front seat AHR inadvertent deployments without a rear impact event.Reported safety consequences resulting from the AHR deployments include concussions, headaches, soft tissue injuries, disorientation, nausea, vomiting and/or loss of vehicle control as a result of being surprised and distracted by being struck in the head by the inadvertent AHR deployment. On September 24, 2019, ODI sent an Information Request (IR) letter to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).ODI requested certain detailed information from FCA related to the following subject vehicles: MY 2010-2014 Dodge Avenger 200, MY 2010-2014 Dodge Calber, MY 2010-2014 Chrysler Sebring, MY 2013-2015 Ram Tradesman, MY 2012 Ram Van, MY 2010-2019 Dodge Grand Caravan, MY 2010-2016 Chrysler Town and Country, MY 2010-2017 Jeep Compass, MY 2011-2020 Dodge Durango, MY 2011-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, MY 2010-2019 Dodge Journey, MY 2010-2012 Jeep Liberty, MY 2010-2011 Jeep Nitro, and MY 2010-2011 Jeep Patriot vehicles.On December 2, 2019, ODI received a response from FCA that included vehicle production data, consumer complaints, field reports, warranty claims, manufacturer actions, production changes, and other data related to the alleged defect from the start of production (2010) through September 24, 2019.On January 27, 2020, ODI received an update to the December 2, 2019, IR response from FCA.On September 22, 2020, ODI requested additional subject vehicle AHR information from FCA.ODI received FCA's response on October 21, 2020.ODI subsequently received an update to FCA's October 21, 2020, response on February 16, 2021.During the investigation, ODI requested updates to certain IR questions on two occasions.FCA provided updates to question #2 on March 5, 2021, and questions #2 and #5 on May 26, 2023. FCA’s IR response data identified approximately 7.5 million subject vehicles (with approximately 15 million AHR assemblies).Due to the large number of vehicles and failure reports, ODI focused its analysis on the FCA vehicle model with the highest failure rate to represent the worst-case scenario.For this purpose, ODI focused on MY 2012-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles for its analysis.This population includes 710,890 vehicles that FCA manufactured between August 19, 2011, and August 8, 2015.ODI identified 2,839 alleged AHR failures within this limited population.ODI identified 263 alleged injuries that were caused by AHR failures in MY 2012-2015 Grand Cherokees vehicles.Of these alleged injuries, ODI categorized them as eighty-two (82) soft tissue (neck/whiplash, bruise) injuries, four (4) concussions, fifty-nine (59) headaches, and one hundred eighteen (118) without a specific injury description.Although complainants have alleged injuries, ODI has been unable to obtain evidence to substantiate or validate any injuries where medical treatment was required.Consumer outreach was conducted by ODI, where sixty-three (63) FCA complainants with alleged injuries were contacted.Twelve of the sixty-three FCA consumers responded and were interviewed by ODI.ODI requested medical records, however, only one response was provided. Attorneys representing the responding complainant provided a synopsis that indicated they had experienced prior neck-related injuries dating to the mid-1990s.ODI also contacted one hundred (100) consumers who submitted Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQ) in an attempt to validate alleged injuries. Despite the efforts of ODI, the office has been unsuccessful at obtaining substantive documentation/evidence supporting complaints that allege serious injuries (where pre-existing medical conditions did not already exist). In addition to the low severity of alleged injuries caused by AHR deployments, there have been eleven alleged crashes and two alleged lane departures within the entire subject vehicle population that has been in the field up to sixteen years (with over 8,500 AHR inadvertent deployments).ODI was not able to validate that the alleged crashes were the result of inadvertent head rest deployments, and the crashes were minor in nature. ODI has conducted a thorough investigation of the alleged safety defect and with up to sixteen years of exposure for some vehicles and over 8,500 inadvertent AHR deployments, no serious crashes or injuries could be validated in the sub-population of focus.The lack of serious injuries validated by ODI with such large period of field exposure is consistent with thework done by the federal safety agency’s Human Injury Research Division and the Biodynamic Research Corporation, which support that an inadvertent AHR deployment is not likely to cause serious injury.In addition to the low risk of injury, FCA released an extended warranty program that covers inadvertent AHR deployment for ten years / unlimited mileage from the vehicle's in-service date. PE19014 is closed with the FCA extended warranty program.The closing of this investigation does not constitute a finding by the federal safety agency that a safety-related defect does not exist, and the Agency reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by new circumstances. To review a complete closing summary, please the attached closing report. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to
PE19014
What 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
Active head restraint deployed on drivers side while auto was moving in parking lot. This unexpected event made the driver come to a sudden stop. There was no impacts of this vehicle into any object. No injury to the driver in the parking lot but is pssible injury to driver and other in the parking lot could have happened. After inspection it looks like a plastic bracket broke inside the active head rest.
Hello, I am reporting failure on the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee in which the drivers side headrest activated while the vehicle was not in operation and not involved in any accident. The active head restraint had activated while the vehicle was parked and in a non-running condition. No accident occurred during this time frame. The passenger side active headrest is still in the factory location and has not been activated. The drivers side head restraint has activated and can not be returned to original position. My current safety is at risk as the active head restraint is not functioning per original safety design intent. My head and neck are currently constrained in a position that causes discomfort while driving due to the location of the active head restraint. The manufacturer (Authorized dealer) has been contacted and they responded with a response including that a recall was not issued for this failure type. A warranty period was extended to 10 years from manufacture date which my 2013 has eclipsed. No inspections have been completed to date. The parts have been untouched since the date of discovery. There were no signs of this issues prior to discovery. There are no service or warning lights currently illuminated on the dash or driver information screen. This is a safety related failure and needs to be repaired by the OEM with no cost to the customer. A well documented and known issue exists and puts the owner/operator of the vehicle at a increased level of risk of injury by continuing to operate this vehicle in its current condition.
Passenger headrest popped out while driving downs the road. No accident bump or anything visible set it off. It punched out like an air bag.
Front passenger side headrest clips faulted causing the headrest to eject. Took it to the dealership and was quoted over $1,000 parts and labor for replacement.
Passenger seat headrest exploded and hit my wife in the head/ear/neck and now she is in a lot of pain. This is the most random thing I have ever seen. My wife and daughter were driving through a parking lot going 4mph and the headrest just exploded. The plastic pieces holding the springs back broke and let the headrest fly forward into my wife’s head/ear/neck
Active Headrest Restraint ( AHR) Drivers Side deployed overnight. This safety feature on many Jeeps is intended to protect motorists including passengers, in the event of rear end collisions by deploying. However a cursory review online reveals many many complaints, recalls, & TSBs . But my entire family now is exposed because Jeep wont extend recalls any longer. My recall expired 11 months ago. I was never notified by mail or by dealership that this recall would expire April 2023. I bought this SUV with understanding of its many safety features like AHD among others. Only makes sense that Stellantis /Jeep extend this recall beyong April 2023 as a result of substandard plastic parts used in headrest. If I had been notified by dealership when Jeep was serviced in 2023 it could have been fixed. All my recalls have previously been fixed. Trying to reach Customer Care at Jeep 877‑426‑5337 only to get complete jibberish and run-a-around. Certainly affect my next buying decision. Here-to -fore pleased with vehicle but this changes everything . I take safety VERY seriously. Inspection clearly indicates plastic parts ( sled bracket) failed.
Heated Seat element on passenger side burned through the upholstery and pant leg of passenger. Visible smoke in cabin and burn hole on seat and pant through to underpants.
Was driving down the road with my young son in the back seat and all of a sudden the head rest came flying forward and smacked the back of my head hard enough for me to swerve and almost get into an accident. After further inspection looking at the headrest once I got home I noticed that a pin is mounted onto some obviously brittle plastic that’s secured to a latch. Well i wasn’t in an accident and just out of nowhere this headrest flipped forward enough to rattle my head a bit.
The contact owns a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the driver's side front headrest deployed, pushed forward, and struck the contact on the head. There were no reported injuries. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 123,500.
Questions about the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee seats
Does the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee have seats problems?
Owners have filed 57 complaints about the seats of the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 7% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee seats problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 80,500 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee seats?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Jeep Grand Cherokee have bad seats?
The Jeep Grand Cherokee model years with the most seats complaints are 2014 (341 complaints), 2015 (317 complaints) and 2000 (180 complaints).
Other 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems
Electrical 376Brakes 146Fuel system 113Engine 110Transmission 55Airbags 33Lights 27Steering 26Acceleration 22Driver assistance 21Visibility 15Body 12Tires 11Suspension 8Wheels 8Seat belts 4Locks 1
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