YearToAvoid

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Airbags Problems

NHTSA lists 19 airbag complaints for the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 5% of all complaints for the year, tied to 8 crashes and 6 injuries. A related recall (21V873000) covers a software issue in the Occupant Restraint Controller that can disable airbags and other safety systems.

Airbags complaints
19
5% of 403
Crashes reported
8
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
6
Median mileage
34,957 mi
Related recalls
1

Typical airbag symptoms owners report

  • Owners report airbags failing to deploy during front-end, rear-end, and pole-strike collisions, sometimes even after the recall repair was performed.
  • Several drivers describe hitting animals or fixed objects at moderate speed with no airbag deployment despite visible vehicle damage.
  • Multiple complaints describe a sudden multi-system electrical failure where power steering, airbags, lane management, and emergency braking all disable simultaneously while driving.
  • Some owners report an Airbag System Service Required warning light appearing intermittently along with a Power Steering Unavailable alert.
  • One complaint describes airbags failing to deploy during a crash that also involved an unintended acceleration event.

When 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee airbag complaints were filed

First complaint Nov 14, 2021, latest Sep 8, 2026.

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee airbags complaints: complaints filed per month2Nov 2021Jul 2022Dec 2022Feb 2023Aug 2023Apr 2024Jul 2025Sep 2026
19 complaints filed with NHTSA from Nov 2021 to Sep 2026; peak May 2022 (2).

Airbags recalls for the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee

  1. NHTSA 21V873000Nov 10, 2021Airbags99,255 vehicles

    Air bags: air bag/restraint control module:software

    Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, 2022 Jeep Wagoneer, and Grand Wagoneer vehicles. The Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) may have incorrect software which can disable the driver, passenger, and knee air bags without warning.

    Risk: Disabled air bags can increase the risk of injury to occupants in a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will reprogram the ORC, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 2, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y79.

Airbags complaints by Grand Cherokee model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201011 (9%)
  2. 201160 (4%)
  3. 201243 (3%)
  4. 201333 (4%)
  5. 2014209 (9%)
  6. 2015103 (8%)
  7. 201611 (4%)
  8. 201715 (4%)
  9. 201824 (3%)
  10. 201919 (5%)
  11. 202017 (7%)
  12. 202119 (5%)
  13. 20228 (3%)
  14. 202310 (3%)
  15. 20241 (0%)
  16. 20255 (7%)

Frequently asked questions

How many airbag complaints does NHTSA have for the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA lists 19 airbag complaints for the 2021 model year, which is 5% of the 403 total complaints filed for that year.
Is there a recall for airbags on the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Yes. Recall 21V873000 covers an Occupant Restraint Controller software issue that can disable the driver's airbag and other safety systems. Chrysler's remedy is a free ORC reprogramming at dealers.
Did the airbag recall fix reported deployment failures?
Not always. At least one owner complaint states airbags still failed to deploy in a crash after the recall repair was completed in May 2022.
How serious are the reported airbag problems?
NHTSA data tied to this complaint category shows 8 crashes and 6 injuries reported for the 2021 model year, with a median mileage at failure of 34,957 miles.
How does 2021 compare to other Grand Cherokee years for airbag complaints?
The 5% share for 2021 is similar to 2019 (5%) and 2020 (7%), and lower than 2014 (9%) and 2015 (8%), based on NHTSA complaint data by model year.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.