I own a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited. The driver's-side Active Head Restraint (AHR) suddenly deployed/opened without the vehicle being involved in a collision or rear impact. The head restraint separated/opened with significant force and will not remain in its normal position. I am not aware of any warning lights, warning messages, or other symptoms before the head restraint deployed. This creates a serious safety concern because the Active Head Restraint is positioned directly behind the driver's head and neck. An unexpected deployment while the vehicle is occupied or being driven could cause injury to the driver's head or neck and could also startle or distract the driver. The vehicle has not been involved in an accident that would have caused the Active Head Restraint to deploy. The failed head restraint/component is available for inspection. After researching the failure, I discovered that FCA/Stellantis has previously issued technical service and warranty information concerning inadvertent Active Head Restraint deployment, including TSB 23-018-20 and related AHR warranty-extension programs. I also learned that the federal safety agency investigated inadvertent Active Head Restraint deployments involving Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles, including later model-year vehicles. I contacted FCA/Stellantis regarding the failure. I was initially referred to a Jeep dealership, and I am continuing to request that Stellantis review the failure and determine whether it falls under one of its Active Head Restraint warranty-extension programs.
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee airbags problems
24 complaints (3% of all complaints for this car). Typical mileage when it fails: 17,554. 10 crashes reported.
- owner complaints
- 24
- of this car's complaints
- 3%
- typical mileage
- 17,554
- crashes
- 10
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Jeep Grand Cherokee airbags problems in other years
Specific symptoms reported on the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee airbags
Phrases found in the owners' own descriptions, so one complaint can mention several symptoms.
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Related investigations
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004 for use as original equipment, however, have been recalled for a degradation concern. All Takata inflators produced with propellant 2004L contain desiccant, and none of these desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L are under recall for a degradation concern. There have been no reported field ruptures in any non-recalled desiccated PSAN inflators.It is understood that desiccants fully saturate at some threshold, at which point any additional moisture will not be captured. This means the degradation process observed in non-desiccated inflators using propellant 2004 may also occur in non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004, assuming additional moisture enters the inflator and high temperature cycling occurs. Based on available information, desiccant saturation can occur within the first five years in the worst environments, and the time required for full saturation is affected by multiple factors. While no present safety risk has been identified, further work is needed to evaluate the future risk of non-recalled desiccated inflators using propellant 2004.Three entities -- Takata (now known as TK Global), the Independent Testing Coalition, and Exponent -- have been studying the long-term behavior of Takata desiccated PSAN inflators using propellant 2004L (as well as 2004) in the presence of moisture and temperature cycling. The research efforts, which include development of predictive modeling techniques and field sample analysis, are ongoing. To date, none of the researchers have identified field evidence showing that propellant 2004L is undergoing a degradation process that leads to aggressive deployment and potential rupture. However, the time in service of such inflators remains short compared to that of the inflators using propellant 2004. Further study is needed to assess the long-term safety of desiccated inflators using propellant 2004L.The Office of Defects Investigation is opening this investigation to examine whether a safety defect related to propellant degradation exists in non-recalled desiccated PSAN frontal inflators manufactured by Takata. This investigation will require extensive information on Takata production processes and surveys of inflators in the field. Lists of recall actions that may have used desiccated PSAN inflators as remedy parts, as well as the makes and models originally manufactured with them, is available with the downloadable version of this document (see -- note this information is subject to change/revision as the investigation proceeds). This investigation does not supersede EA15-001, which remains open.
EA21002
What 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
I was traveling south on Lee Jackson hwy in Staunton Va at about 40 to 45 mph and was t-boned on the right passenger side with the impact just in front of the passenger door and front quarter panel. The damage ended up being all the way to the right rear passenger door. None of the air bags or side curtain airbags deployed.
While driving my 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x2, the driver side Active Head Restraint deployed without any collision, rear impact, crash, or other triggering event. There was a sudden loud bang directly behind my head, which startled me and created an immediate safety distraction while the vehicle was in motion. I did not know what had happened at the time. The head restraint remains deployed/open and cannot be reset. The vehicle was not involved in a crash, there was no rear impact, and there was no airbag deployment. FCA/Stellantis has issued an X88 Active Head Restraint warranty extension for certain Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles involving inadvertent deployment of the front Active Head Restraint where it cannot be reset due to internal damage. My vehicle appears to have experienced the same failure mode, but Jeep/Stellantis has advised that my VIN does not qualify for X88 coverage, apparently because the vehicle was built after the selected warranty extension population. My vehicle build date is January 2018, with MDH 011623. I am filing this complaint because this was a safety related head restraint failure that occurred while driving without a collision. The sudden deployment caused a loud impact immediately behind my head and created a dangerous distraction. I am concerned that vehicles outside the current X88 warranty population may still be experiencing the same inadvertent Active Head Restraint failure. The vehicle was factory ordered and delivered in February 2018, which may explain the later January 2018 build date, but it is still a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee and appears to have experienced the same inadvertent Active Head Restraint failure mode described in FCA’s X88 warranty extension.
While driving my Jeep Grand Cherokee, the front passenger headrest suddenly deployed forward with a loud popping/exploding sound. There was no collision, no impact, and no warning before it happened. Fortunately, no one was sitting in the passenger seat at the time. If a passenger had been seated there, the headrest could have struck them in the back of the head or neck and potentially caused serious injury. This appears to be a dangerous safety defect involving the Active Head Restraint system. Based on information I found from other Jeep Grand Cherokee owners reporting similar failures, the issue may involve a faulty plastic bracket or internal component in the Active Head Restraint that can fail under pressure and cause the headrest to deploy unexpectedly. Other owners have reported injuries such as head, neck, and concussion-type injuries from similar incidents. I am concerned that this failure happened during normal driving conditions and without any crash or trigger event. This creates a serious risk to vehicle occupants and could also startle the driver, potentially causing a crash. I am requesting that the federal safety agency review this issue and determine whether my vehicle is affected by an existing recall or whether additional investigation or recall action is needed.
The active head restraint on my driver seat deployed and pushed my head forward suddenly. I could not push my head back into position. This happened while driving on the evening of May 3. I have a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. I was not able to reset the head rest position. I took the vehicle to the dealership. They said that the whole headrest needed to be replaced. It could not be reset because the molded plastic piece was degraded. From a search online this appears to be common in the 2014-2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee with active head restraints. Even though this is a failure of the equipment, and other Jeep Grand Cherokees from 2014 -2018 received a 10-year extension on their head restraints, the dealership and Jeep Customer Care said that my vehicle is not covered. Nor will they let me buy a seat from them that does not use the active head restraint. They said that because My vehicle's VIN specifies a vehicle with active head restraints, they cannot sell me otherwise. I will not be comfortable driving this vehicle again with an active head restraint that could randomly fail and punch my head forward while I am in rush hour traffic. I believe this is a safety risk as it is disorienting to not know why your head is suddenly pushed down and forward while you are driving at 45 mph. Distracting the driver in such a way endangers the driver, passengers, and other vehicles' occupants on the same roadway. It throws off your view of the roadway and your mirrors. There were no warnings ahead of time.
Air bag light light is on does not show up on diagnostic
My passenger headrest is coming apart spontaneously. It has an active airbag system. Apparently my vin is just outside a known recall range. I have called Jeep and the dealership, both stated i needed to report to the federal safety agency. The Jeep will be serviced tomorrow at the dealership for diagnosis and repairs.
My acc/fcw light is on, I have not been in a crash. And while driving after this light came on my passenger headrest airbag broke apart. And my cruise control is out, along with traction control. My car just went haywire.
Active head restraint went off while parked in a parking lot with individual sitting in affected seat. No accident/collision happened, no warning lights or other symptoms prior.
There is a faulty connection so the airbags may not deploy
Questions about the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee airbags
Does the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee have airbags problems?
Owners have filed 24 complaints about the airbags of the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 3% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee airbags problems start?
The typical (median) mileage in owner complaints is 17,554 miles.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee airbags?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
What year does the Jeep Grand Cherokee have bad airbags?
The Jeep Grand Cherokee model years with the most airbags complaints are 2002 (486 complaints), 2004 (326 complaints) and 2003 (256 complaints).
Other 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems
Electrical 339Engine 141Transmission 75Brakes 63Fuel system 63Seats 43Driver assistance 41Acceleration 38Lights 23Body 16Suspension 16Visibility 16Steering 14Seat belts 9Wheels 9Tires 1
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