Jeep’s Hot-Seller is Facing a Not-So-Serious Issue
The Grand Cherokee is currently Jeep’s most important vehicle in America. In 2024 alone, it accounted for over 216,000 units sold – the US brand’s top-performing nameplate by a significant margin, beating the Wrangler by over 60,000 units. The strong momentum has continued into 2025, with nearly 100,000 Grand Cherokee units delivered in the first half of the year.
With that kind of footprint, even a small defect can affect a large number of owners – and that’s exactly what’s happening now, as more than 121,000 units have been included in a new voluntary safety recall.
Jeep
Jeep
Headrests That Can’t Stay Up
The issue affects both the 2023–2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee and its longer Grand Cherokee L counterpart. According to documents submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a defect in the second-row head restraints may prevent them from locking into their upright position.
The failure stems from an internal locking mechanism that can get stuck when the backrests are folded down, leaving the headrest folded forward. If the headrest does not lock upright, it falls short of the minimum 29.5 inches height required under federal safety regulations.
The voluntary safety recall affects 78,157 units of the two-row Grand Cherokee, manufactured between May 16, 2023, and May 2, 2024. Meanwhile, 43,241 units of the Grand Cherokee L, built from May 16, 2023, through January 30, 2024, complete the list of affected units.
Obviously, those manufactured outside this period are unaffected. The automaker traced the issue to specific production batches and identified the defective parts as sourced from Grammer Industries Inc.
Jeep
Jeep
A Straightforward Remedy
Stellantis, through FCA US, its North American arm, will address the problem by inspecting the second-row headrests on all affected vehicles and replacing them if necessary. The replacement parts are not subject to the same defective conditions and meet all regulatory requirements.
The automaker should have already contacted dealers as of this writing, and is scheduled to notify owners in a phased rollout beginning September 5, 2025. No warnings or alerts are present in affected vehicles, so owners will need to rely on the recall notifications or VIN search tools to determine if their SUV is included. FCA US will also reimburse owners under its standard reimbursement plan where applicable.
Jeep
Jeep
About the author
Jacob Oliva
Senior Editor, Autoblog