2016 Jeep Cherokee complaints

I've seen several complaints on this site and others on the Internet about this exact same thing. A "Service Shifter" warning has appeared 3-4 times. It lights up every light on the shift lever / gear control assembly and an alert permanently appears in the driver information display - making it impossible to see how fast I am driving (the mph display is usually there). Every single time, once the car was turned off and restarted - the warning disappeared and did not return for a long period of time. That said - anytime this happens - I have to pull over, turn the car off, then turn it on again. There are never any apparent symptoms before nor during the appearance of the warning. I took it to a mechanic, who was unable to determine what the problem could be. Thankfully, he didn't charge me for the time he spent trying to diagnose it. It's bad enough the car generates a frightening warning that takes over the speedometer display and severely distracts - but especially when it's apparently an undiagnosable problem. It's clear from the volume of complaints this is a major problem with 2016 Jeep Cherokees that the manufacturer should address.

When Driving car if you began to go down hill the car will race motor and run away by its self It is very dangerous in curvy and hilly areas. This cay be caused on a daily bases

2016 Jeep Latitude. 3.2 v6 service 4wd light comes on at 63,000 miles. 3,000 past power train warranty. Dealer said PTU is bad. $4,000. For repair. These are defective. A mechanic on you tube shows that the oil in the component leaks into the electronics in the actuator. Gears are fine. It seems that oil in the electronics could start a fire.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 68-70 MPH, the vehicle was shifting hard and the vehicle lost motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the power transfer unit (PTU) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.

My daughter had the 4 x 4 transmission would not engage warning light went on. We took the vehicle in for a check. The dealership said she needed a PTO unit/PTU assembly since it has failed. This repair was quoted just under $3,000. This is our first jeep. I had a hard time understanding why a transmission part like this would fail in a 2016 vehicle. I did my own research online and articles stated that this EXACT same part was recalled in jeeps from 2014 to 2017 which included over 68,000 jeeps. Also over 2,700 jeeps already had the part replaced and were being reimbursed for charges. This is a part that if fails could cause injury or death. When mentioning this recall to the dealership and jeep customer service they said that our jeep was not PART of the recall based on our vehicle number. I am so upset by this, as it is a 2016 Jeep and it is the exact same part. I also called the NHTSA and the request inquiry is 565252.

Shortly after I purchased my vehicle in 2020 I had a service shifter come on the dash with all the lights illuminated on bezel. I took it to the dealership and it was giving codes to suggest the the shifter bezel and wiring needed to be replaced this was done approximately 07/2021. Since then I have had no other issues with it until this morning it came back on. I have looked this up and a lot of Jeep owners experience this issue. It is apparent that there is a manufacture issues or issue that I feel Jeep is responsible for and needs to fix. With this involving the shifter/transmission there is an obvious safety concern. Thank you.

Since I purchased this vehicle it has had issues with the 9-speed transmission. The transmission at times, shifts so hard, it feels like you have been rear-ended. The transmission shifts very hard at times and feels as if it's confused. In addition, there is a dangerous delay from when you hit the gas pedal to when the transmission actually engages. There have been times when I hit the gas to get through an intersection and the car has lost power and the transmission was delayed at least 2-5 seconds engaging; almost resulting in multiple accidents.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that he noticed the ESC 4-WD warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic stated that the powertrain transfer unit (PTU) assembly had failed with code: (C14A7-97) and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 157,715.

Service shifter warning comes on and locks so you can't see your display possible transmission emergency if car shifts while at high speeds

Car would not start I bought a battery and 2 days later car was completely dead. No power would not charge. Took it to a shop it had no starter or alternator issues. The car will just turn off at anytime even will driving. There is no power and then just open hood and it will start back up sometimes.

Based on the findings of road side assistance, due to water intrusion from heavy rains my emergency parking brake is now malfunctioning. It will not turn off when it is pressed in conjunction with the brake pedal. The light simply blinks and stops the car from moving when in the drive position.

At highway speed, transmission disengaged and car was forced to be stopped on road with no shoulder in an attempt to restart and continue to nearest off-ramp. Had no warning lights prior to failure and suddenly said “transmission overheating” when unit failed. Has not been driveable since.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that upon entering her vehicle, there was an abnormal mildew odor inside the vehicle. The contact stated that while cleaning her vehicle she noticed mold on the front and rear passenger’s side carpet. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where they confirmed that mold had formed inside the vehicle. The contact was provided an estimate for the repair. Upon investigation, the contact discovered several articles online related to the issue. The information stated that the firewall was not completed during the manufacturing process; therefore, the vehicle was susceptible to mold forming inside the vehicle. The contact informed the dealer of her findings and was informed that they would look into her findings. The manufacturer was also notified of the failure and informed her that the warranty had expired. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated the vehicle would not start or drive while in the 4WD mode. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle in 2WD mode, the four-wheel drive message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic and local dealer who both confirmed that the transfer case was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 61,000.

My trailhawk service 4 wheel drive light is on and the dealership says that it is going to cost me $3500 dollars. I first took my truck to a transmission shop and they ran a diagnostic test and it came back that it was a recall for a PTU. Power transfer unit. Recall #W47 and 2ov343. But when I took it to the dealership they said I don't have any recalls on my truck. Please help me, I can't afford to pay for the work that needs to be done. And they are saying that they don't have loner cars anymore just rental cars for $40 a day. I don't have any way to get to work.

PTU replace with only 63,000 miles? Noticed lite on dash Service 4WD Recently had rear differential asy Drivers rear cv shaft Why all these issues Is my car on recall list if not it certainly should br

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 30 MPH, the message 4-WD Service Required was displayed. The contact diagnosed the vehicle and retrieved a trouble code regarding and obstructed power transfer unit (PTU). The contact associated the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The dealer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000. The consumer stated there is a drive train warranty and the vehicle will be repaired by Cowboy Dodge in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

The transmission failed at highway speed, there was no acceleration. when traffic slowed it did not down shift allowing acceleration. Safety is at risk for obvious reasons when you cannot get up to speed on a free way or when you get off the free way and cannot accelerate at a light. The problem has reoccurred again yesterday while on the freeway. The car has not been inspected yet. There was a yellow light that came on and a message that stated Transmission Needs Serviced.

Power transfer unit (PTU) failed on our 2016 Jeep Cherokee at 59,000 miles. Vehicle has never been off-roading or abused. NHTSA has previously issued recalls for Cherokee PTUs but they were VIN specific (recalls 20V343 and 20E037 or W47 and W48). NHTSA states that "The power transfer unit (PTU), an important element of the optional all-wheel-drive system in affected vehicles may not be able to maintain a connection between the transmission and the front wheels. If the PTU fails to engage with the transmission, the Cherokee could lose all power while being driven. Also, a failure to engage could keep the vehicle from being put into park when stationary, allowing it to roll away. Either situation could result in a crash or injuries." I argue that the PTU defect previously identified is much larger than the small number of VINs repaired, and probably extends to most of the Cherokee line. If you search the internet for the FCA failure diagnostic of "C14A7-97 PTU blocked or obstructed" you will find many, MANY, reports by Cherokee owners who do not have one of the handful of lucky VINs. This is clearly a larger issue than previously suspected and a $3500-$4000 repair for the owner. Driveline components should be expected to last longer than 60k miles without catastrophic failures.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the electronic parking brake engaged and the contact pulled over. The parking brake warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the tires had locked up and the electronic parking brake needed to be replaced. The parts were not available and the vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated the failure was related to NHTSA Action Number: PE22009 (Parking Brake). The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the parking brake warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the parking brake module had sustained water damage and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 110,400.

Car has been having issues shifting gears when going uphill/downhill for a few months, only 88k miles never wrecked, during drive a "Service shifter" alert came on and all drive/park/reverse lights lit up, screen could not be removed, car repeatedly had issues getting rpms while pressing gas. Took to a repair shop and they claimed it needed a transmission liquid flush or brake rotors but neither issues coorelate. This seems to be a frequent issue going on with other jeeps. Problem fixed itself after stopping and turning off car and turning back on but still has issues getting stuck in certain gears.

I have owned my 2016 Jeep Cherokee Limited for a little over two years. I have had it to a dealership twice now for the service shifter light coming on. The first time it was covered under warranty, the second time it was covered by the dealership because it was only a couple months later. It is now coming back on again and the dealership said that if it happened again I would have to pay for it the next time.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle was stopped however, the odometer remained operational providing incorrect vehicle information. The contact stated that while accelerating the speedometer kept running and would not stop. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the mechanic stated that vehicle was experiencing the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 75,000.

2 separate incidents today. While driving down a two lane highway traffic came to a stop . I hit the gas to resume driving but the engine revved and the car didn’t move. I realized the emergency brake light was on showing the brake was engaged. After coasting downhill. I bet the gas to maintain speed but the car jerked and engine revved. I looked at the Peking brake and saw that the emergency brake light was on on the dash and the brake had self engaged again.

I brought in my vehicle for the power train update recall and it triggered my shifter light to come on which now they are saying is the shifter bezel and harness and I have to pay out of pocket for. It was not on prior to the recall software update for the power train

Drove car a few minutes and while accelerating the vehicle slowly stopped and all the electrical warning signals went off simultaneously. I was able to push down on the gas pedal, but my car would not accelerate, nor did it sound like engine was running. Car would not power off, but would not move in reverse or drive. Every possible vehicle warning light flashed on the dash, all 5 lights lit up on the gear shifter at the same time, and the windshield wipers turned on even though they were turned off. I have a video of this. Power locks would not lock or unlock car. Power windows would not roll up or down. My media screen flashed an error message. State patrol and our local police department had stop traffic to safely move my car off the roadway to a safe location. My car was towed and the battery had to be disconnected, so vehicle would power off.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while his daughter was starting the vehicle, the gear shifter was shifted to drive(D) however, the intended gear was not recognized and the vehicle was unable to drive forward. Additionally, the vehicle experienced an unintentional rollaway and the contact's daughter applied the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the power transfer unit (PTU) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the independent mechanic. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

The SVC 4WD (service 4WD drive ) light came on in my 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The Jeep dealership performed diagnosis and the drivetrain control module (DTCM) stored C14A7-97-PUT motor and the component or system operation is obstructed or blocked. They attempted to update the software of the DTCM and it is up to date. The condition persists and their further testing indicates that the internal power transfer unit (PTU) has failed and the vehicle is stuck in 4WD. The vehicle has not been inspected by anyone other than the local jeep dealership, which was on 8/12/2022. The warning message began the week of August 1st and I scheduled the first available service appointment. After some initial research, Jeep had a recall of the PTU for my model year back in 2020. For 2014-2017 Jeep Cherokees where the PTU has not been previously replaced, the auto maker’s recall number is W47 and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)’s recall campaign number is 20V343. However, when I checked my VIN number, it stated that I had 0 outstanding recalls against it. It is my understanding that if the power transfer unit (PTU) fails to engage with the transmission, the Cherokee could lose all power while being driven which could result in a crash or injuries.

While I was at a stand still at a railroad crossing, the rear windshield shattered independently without impact. I did not see any warning lights prior to the incident. I had called the police department and filed a police report as I did not know what happened at the time. No one was injured nor needed medical attention. I was able to drive the 2 minutes home. I had hired an independent mechanic, Safelite, to come to my house and fix the windshield. As he was fixing it he made me aware that my rear defroster on the windshield had overheated and burned the cables which had caused the failure. My grandfather contacted the local dealership and made them aware of the failure. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure.

January 4, 2022 I was in and accident. My vehicle was in the repair shop for 90 days. The car was repaired and was in good working order. The other person involved in this accident was a 17 year old female. She was not injured.’ On 4/12/22 I took a trip, stopped for gas, attempted to make a left turn in the station but the car malfunctioned ( like a standard transmission) and ran over the center divider. I filled the tank and no problems afterwards. May 31, 2022 as I approached A left turn the car malfunction, (bucked like a stick shift.) I was struck by another vehicle, my car was hit with such force it overturned, spun around the opposite direction and struck a pole. However, it was not a head on collision because my vehicle had no front damage. The airbags deplored and I had serious injuries and a concussion. According to bystanders, the other vehicle speed was approximately 50 miles per hour; the speed limit on this roadway is 35 MPH. It is a dangerous rode with many fatalities this year. The driver in this accident was an 18 year old male. He was not injured. There are no traffic signals for more than one mile. It is a heavily traveled rode and the on and off ramps to I95. I have complained many times to our 911 operator about people speeding, running the red light and stop signs.

1. UNKNOWN component/system failure. It is available for inspection on request. 2. My vehicle will randomly flash an error message while driving "Shift to park and then select desired gear." As this error message is displayed, the engine stops while driving. The car is seemingly forced into neutral. Sometimes it will start again immediately. Sometimes it takes several minutes. It happens completely randomly. It is incredibly dangerous, especially when driving on the highway. I have been lucky that no one has crashed into me yet. 3. I have not had my own vehicle checked for this issues as I am not confident that the solution will be found. I have found hundreds of other Jeep owners (various years/models) in online forums complaining about the same issue. The dealerships and service centers have not been able to find a fix, or even identify what the problem is. 4. No 5. Warning message reads something like: "Shift to park and then select desired gear." This has been appearing randomly while driving. This is an obvious issue with the Jeeps that I am certain Chrysler must be aware of. I have spent a lot of money on this car, and I am terrified to drive my young children to daycare. I am terrified to drive to work. I need this issue investigated, and I need a resolution. Hundreds, if not thousands, of Jeep owners need a resolution.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the Service 4-Wheel Drive message displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with powertrain transfer unit (PTU) actuator failure. The dealer informed the contact that the PTU actuator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 37,000.

Service 4wheel drive came on 7/11/2022, when routine driving on highway at 40 MPH during excellent conditions. Phoned dealer 7/15/2022 to schedule for recall U90 for the catalyst efficiency and to have the vehicle scanned for the service light. 7/26/22 dealer informed active code C14A7-97 PTU Motor component or system operation obstructed or blocked, they cleared the code, it came back on, they check fluid level in ptu, it was within specs, found star case S1721000016 referring to the splines on the ptu unit to fray and not function. Recommended to replace ptu unit before winter. Found recall #21-017-21 for PTU broken input spline. Recall states malfunction indicator light (our service 4wheel drive came on) grinding noise coming from under vehicle while driving (this is notated on the service invoice from dealer. ) Although, code is different from what is listed for #21-017-21, our vehicle was built during the time frame indicated on the recall (April 2016) and is a 75th anniversary edition Cherokee, also listed on the #21-017-21 recall. Vehicle only has 37,689 miles on it and has never been taken off road nor has any other mode, but Auto been used for driving. Cost of replacement out of our pocket was to be $3100.00, after speaking with dealer and indicating this was our 3rd new Chrysler vehicle bought from them, they assumed responsibility for half the cost, see attached receipt where out of pocket for us was $1500.00, plus the $120.00 cost to scan for the issue. We would l

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while her daughter was driving 70 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and decelerated to 40 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the B1S2 camshaft sensor was replaced however, the failure persisted. The contact stated the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 97,254.

Vehicle stalled out while driving

2016 Jeep Cherokee TrailHawk 80k miles PTO failed in 10/22 had extended Warranty but not through Jeep @ cost $4k. Now with 89k it’s going out again. What can I do

The Power Control Unit of the full time four drive unit is defective and has caused warning lights that made the car unsafe to drive. There is current safety recall by NHTSA 20V343 that applies to 2014-2017 jeep Cherokee that applies to my car but does not shows up on the Jeep data base. Please advise. Thank you

PTU Power transition unit, many jeeps have same issue over 2,600. Jeep won’t stay in park. Can roll down drive way. I lost power when turning into intersection almost got into accident with children.

Went out to the vehicle in the morning, inserted the key in the ignition, turned the key to start the vehicle and the battery exploded.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated upon starting the vehicle, the message Service Shifter was displayed. The contact stated that upon taking the vehicle to the dealer for a routine oil change, she notified the dealer of the warning message. The dealer informed the contact that it was a known failure; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.

At approx. 49,000 miles I brought my Jeep to an authorized dealership to inspect hard shifts/skips in the transmission shifting. Dealership was unable to reproduce issue. At approx. 59,000 my vehicle was fully repaired and guaranteed from an authorized collision center (passenger side impact) when the transmission light began to illuminate. The same dealership cleared these codes without diagnosis for the issue. At approx. 71,000 the 4WD light illuminated and the dealership replaced the PTU, indicating it was "unresponsive" yet not due to collision. Days after this repair the module that communicates connection between my vehicle and the starter/alternator has gone out "inexplicably" I believe my model has faulty electrical components similar to the recalled models and I would like to raise complaints everywhere and anywhere that my issue is relevant.

I've been told I have a PTU failure. (Code: C14A7-9T) My "SVC 4WD" light comes on, Apparently this is an extremely common issue... I'm out of warranty (approximately 97,000 miles) but it is potentially a very dangerous condition, requiring replacement of the entire PTU. (+$3800) I've had this confirmed by an independent shop and confirmed the code with a dealer.

4WD service light on. Diagnostic and servicing reveals blocked PTU. There is a recall for it, but it’s VIN specific and my Jeep is not covered.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while accelerating from 0 to 35 MPH, there was a humming and clicking sound coming from the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic determined a failure with the front power transfer unit that caused damages to the rear drive shaft. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 52,100.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving various speed, the parking brake engaged independently. The contact stated that the service parking brake warning light was illuminated. The contact stated she was able to release the parking brake and continued driving to her destination. The contact called the local dealer and made them aware of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer had not been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

2016 cherokee Limited 4WD - large warning flashing on and off “4WD unavailable service required” on the screen followed by small warning light “SVC 4W Drive “ that stays consistent while driving. Car started to have less pull when accelerating and tires were not gripping nor had same traction as normal. At first it didn’t seem anything was wrong, but at higher speeds, especially on turn or going ip hill more noticeable on dirt or rain, the tires are heard spinning as the car made an effort to accelerate at its normal power. Within a few days, i got a an appointment for a diagnostic with a certified jeep dealer and they confirm a problem with a faulty power transfer unit. They said it would cost $3600 to fix. Tne diagnostic was $190 The warning light turns on within 3 to 5 minutes of driving and at first it would go off but now stays on. I am not able to accelerate without slowing down significantly when i need to during highway speeds and can’t make turns without worrying it will skid or going a different direction, so I have to keep a strong grip on the steering wheel to have control. I have not repaired it due to the excessive cost. This jeep has been very well taken care of. I am the second owner and It only has a little over 60k miles in 6 yrs. A jeep Cherokee limited 4W Drive is built for rigor and better for this to happen on 60k miles. Currently my vehicle had no recalls and find no records of the PTU - or any part of the powertrain being replaced as of today. I love m

On 9/14/21 was driving on highway and car started having a loud noise and brought car to Five Star Jeep in Macon GA. The PTO Unit was broken and I had to have it repaired there - that took 1 month. A second time on 5/5/22, when driving the car on a main road it started making a loud noise again and I was unable to steer or drive the car. Pulled off onto the shoulder and waited for AAA to come and tow vehicle to Jeep dealership. Luckily I was at a light when this happened or I could have hit a person or other car or they could have hot me. Car was towed to Paulding County GA Jeep dealership who confirmed it was the PTU failure and rear diff feels like its binding up from PTU failure while driving. I am dealing with Joseph Drupiewski at Paulding Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram, 1245 Old Griffin Rd, Dallas, GA 30157, (770) 406-6926. His cell is 770-599-7541. This is the 2nd time this has happened. I have read online that there is a recall for this on Jeeps. NHTSA campaign numbers: The recall for the 2014-2017 Jeep Cherokee is 20V343. FCA’s own number for this recall is W47. The recall for the PTUs sold for use in Jeep Cherokees is 20E037, and FCA’s own number for this is W48. There were sporadic warning messages on the car which would say "4 Wheel drive overheated, temporarily unavailable". I never used 4 wheel drive. It was popping on and off over a few days,

No messages were displayed when any issues occured. The back hatch stops working randomly. Whether your trying to open or close the back hatch, it will not operate by any of the interior push buttons or by using the key fob. I have to manually pull the hatch open &/or closed. I had a technician see this happen as well. I've had numerous times where my Jeep will be shifting & it lags a little bit and then causes a loud bang & jolt when it shifts to the next gear. I only drive approximately 6,000 miles/year. Any resolution to these issues would be greatly appreciated, Amy

Our jeep started displaying and error stating "vehicle needs to be stopped to shift" and after this error would display the engine would cut off. We took it to the dealership and we were told that the shifter bezel needed to be replaced. It was replaced in March. We we driving our car again on 5/8/22 and error code said "service shifter now" so we went back to the dealership and they are saying the shifter needs replaced a second time.