Jeep Cherokee Problems — All Years, Common Issues & Reliability
Year-by-year breakdown of safety recalls, NHTSA owner complaints, reported deaths, injuries, crashes, and worst problem areas. Updated daily from federal databases.
Recent Safety Incidents — Last 5 Model Years
Own a Jeep Cherokee? Check your specific VIN for a full history report.
Jeep Cherokee — Year-by-Year Problem Comparison
| Year | Verdict | Recalls | Complaints | Crashes | Injuries | Deaths | Top Issue | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023Best | Excellent | — | 2 | 2 | 2 | — | Air Bags | Full report → |
| 2022 | Excellent | 1 | 27 | 2 | 3 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2021 | Excellent | 3 | 93 | 8 | 7 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2020 | Excellent | 2 | 173 | 4 | 5 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2019 | Caution | 8 | 1120 | 40 | 49 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2018 | Good | 7 | 418 | 12 | 5 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2017 | Caution | 5 | 892 | 27 | 18 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2016 | Caution | 5 | 989 | 25 | 21 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2015 | Avoid | 6 | 1320 | 36 | 24 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
| 2014Worst | Avoid | 7 | 1919 | 45 | 38 | — | Power Train | Full report → |
10 model years shown. Crashes, injuries, and deaths from NHTSA complaint filings. Click any year for full details.
Most Common Jeep Cherokee Problems
Based on 6,953 owner complaints filed with NHTSA across all model years.
Recent Safety Recalls — Jeep Cherokee (2022–2023)
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2022 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The turn signal self-canceling feature may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the steering column control module as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2024. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 24B.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. An improperly secured connector for the right-side curtain air bag may prevent the air bag from deploying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 214, "Side Impact Protection" and 226, "Ejection Mitigation."
Remedy: Dealers will secure the connector, free of charge. All vehicles have been remedied. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 71B.
Showing 2 recalls from 2022–2023 model years. See the full year-specific pages for older recalls.
Recent Owner Complaints
Direct reports filed with NHTSA by Jeep Cherokee owners — 2022–2023 model years.
PTU issues unknown
When activating the left turn signal both the left and right turn signal indicators began blinking. I had to cycle the turn signal switch both right and left and then to off to stop both indicators from blinking.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? PTU Failure How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? My partner and I were driving on [XXX] in the winter when the vehicle lost power and ability to drive. This put the safety of myself, my partner, and other drivers at risk. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? Yes, it has been confirmed and diagnosed by a certified Jeep dealer in Missoula MT Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? Unsure Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? No, no warning showed prior to the failure INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
4wd service light and code C14A7-97. Dealer states having to replace the vehicles PTU. The same issue caused a recall for the same vehicle models years 2016-2019. I am requesting immediate inclusion and repair under the recall provisions.
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, another vehicle failed to stop at a stop sign and merged into oncoming traffic; as a result, the contact crashed into the vehicle. The contact stated that the air bags did not deploy upon impact. A fellow motorist, who witnessed the accident, assisted the contact by helping her into the front passenger seat and driving her vehicle off to the shoulder of the highway. The contact called her parents to the scene of the accident, and she was taken to the hospital. The contact was given an X-ray and was treated for tissue swelling around her neck, collar bone, and chest; the contact also suffered light bruising around those same areas. The whereabouts of the other driver were unknown. A police report was filed. The vehicle was towed from the scene to an independent tow yard, where it remained in their possession. The dealer nor the manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle had yet to be repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 105,000.
Heated steering wheel suddenly became too hot with no adjustment option. Minor burning on hands. Turned off the function. Driver heated seat suddenly became too hot, turned down to low but still too hot, caused burns requiring medical attention.
While driving, I heard a loud clunk and was not able to go forward when stepping on the gas. It then kicked in and could move on for a minute and it happened again. Then it happened again and this time we pulled over and had to call a tow truck. While we were waiting the car rolled even with it being in park, it wasn't until the emergency brake was engaged that the vehicle stopped ng. Luckily we were going to fast and we were on side roads or we could have been in a terrible accident. I did have my grandchild in the vehicle as to care for them quite often. The vehicle was towed to the dealership and the issue was identified. We were told they could not tell us when the part would be available, they had no ETA on it. We checked with Mopar to see if we could get our hands on a rebuilt part (power transfer unit) and they said they didn't have it available. It has now been two weeks and no idea when this vehicle can be repaired. I am also skeptical on if this could happen again. There was no warning and we have been maintaining the vehicle and it's only 3 years old. A very scary situation. I have contacted Jeep directly with no assistance
The vehicle stalled at a busy intersection during heavy traffic hours. No watnings or signs that could've prevented the incident were indicated by the vehicle. 911 was called in to aid in the traffic incident. Call [XXX] from Laredo Police department. Vehicle was pushed by the Police Officer and myself to a near by parking lot where the vehicle was towed to the dealership. Dealership experts noted leaks on some parts of the engine due to britle gaskets and the major mechanical failure was due to a faulty fuel pump. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Smell antifreeze occasionally and have had to add occasionally. Car only has 18,085 miles. 2022. Spoke to my mechanic and he said it could potentially be a bad oil cooler gasket or a cracked manifold. Have smelled this for at least a year or longer
Service 4WD light came on. Took to Jeep dealership. They stated the PTU needs to be replaced. My car has been in the shop for over 4 months and no ETA on part arrival. This is a common issue in Jeep Cherokee’s but my VIN is not included in a recall. I was told by dealership it is safe to drive but I drive on the highway over and hour everyday to and from work. I have read it can result in loss of driving ability and the ability to put in park.
The car has over 18000 miles, in March 2025 we noticed a rattle at the right front area while going over rough roads. we took the car to the (Dealer Cerritos Jeep) and were told that the right front strut was (Broken ?) and it was under warrantee. Then was told the strut was out of production and it would be May 30 before they could get the replacement, May 30 was told that the all the parts did not arrive, we left the car there June 23, June 24 they said the design had changed and needed to get more mounting parts to install it. today we pick the car up QUESTION: I was taught that when replacing an suspension you don't replace just one, you replace two! my research says that it is still a practice today. The dealer is replacing only the right Strut, we are concerned the we have one questionable strut with 18000+ miles on and is in some way mechanically different then the new strut. The dealer stands on just replacing the one strut
PTO p/n 68333354A1 Internal Failure of PTU needs to be Replaced. No 4 wheel drive could roll away in Park. Dealer reports back ordered part will be months before available. I was told to just keep driving car! Mileage on car 21,371 This problem has been reported on this model since 2019.
39 total complaints retrieved from NHTSA for 2022–2023. For older model years, see individual year pages.
Cherokee Years to Avoid
Best Cherokee Years to Buy
Years with fewest complaints and recalls.
Jeep Cherokee Problems by Year
Frequently Asked Questions — Jeep Cherokee Reliability
What year Cherokee has the most problems?
Based on NHTSA data, the 2014 Jeep Cherokee had the highest combined complaint and recall count — 1919 complaints and 7 safety recalls. See the full 2014 report for specific defects.
Is the Jeep Cherokee reliable?
The Jeep Cherokee has accumulated 6,953 owner-filed complaints and 44 safety recalls across all model years in NHTSA's database. The 2023 model year shows the fewest reported issues. Always run a VIN check before purchasing any used Cherokee.
What are the most common Cherokee problems?
The most frequently cited problem areas are: Power Train (2410 reports), Engine (1009 reports), Electrical System (939 reports), Unknown Or Other (800 reports). Based on NHTSA complaints across all model years.
How do I check if my Cherokee has an open recall?
Use the vehicle's 17-character VIN at VinCheckEngine.com. Our free VIN report pulls the latest NHTSA recall data along with auction history, odometer records, and 30+ intelligence signals.
Check a Specific Jeep Cherokee VIN
Model-level data shows what can go wrong. A VIN-specific report shows what has gone wrong with a particular vehicle — including auction history, odometer discrepancies, open recalls, accident records, and 30+ intelligence signals.
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