2017 Jeep Cherokee

Above average

Owners filed 1,333 complaints about this vehicle with federal regulators, most often about the power train. It has been recalled 6 times.

When it fails
020k40k60k90k120k200k
40,894 milesMedian miles at failure

832 complaints record an odometer reading. Failures cluster around 20,00030,000 miles.

What fails
ComponentReportsCrashesFiresInjuries
Power Train480
302
Electrical System281
130
Unknown or Other210
021
Engine168
111
Service Brakes48
401
Electronic Stability Control (esc)41
000
Air Bags24
14021
Vehicle Speed Control22
000
Steering9
000
Suspension8
100

6 safety recalls

Part 573 reports
Power Train25V011000
Filed Apr 29, 202563,130 vehiclesChrysler (fca Us, Llc)

Defect. Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power and/or loss of park function.

Risk. A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. A loss of park function can cause an unintended vehicle rollaway, which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy. Dealers will update the drivetrain control module and PTU software and replace the PTU, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning February 19, 2026. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 01C.

Power Train › Automatic Transmission23V302000
Filed Apr 27, 202325,980 vehiclesChrysler (fca Us, Llc)

Defect. Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power or loss of park function.

Risk. A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. A loss of park function can cause an unintended vehicle rollaway which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy. FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 11, 2023. Owners may contact FCA USA LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 45A. This recall expands previous recall number 20V-343.

Power Train › Driveline › Differential Unit20V343000
Filed Jun 11, 202067,248 vehiclesChrysler (fca Us Llc)

Defect. Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a two-speed Power Transfer Unit (PTU). Relative movement in the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) between the differential input splines and the transmission output shaft may cause some input spline teeth to wear off, which may eventually cause a loss of engagement between the transmission and the differential inside the PTU. If this occurs, power cannot be transferred between the front wheels and the transmission which results in a loss of drive while the vehicle is in motion and a loss of the Park function while stationary.

Risk. A loss of drive can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning. A loss of the Park function can cause unintended vehicle rollaway which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Remedy. FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update that will maintain vehicle propulsion by engaging rear wheel drive and prevent rolling in Park by activating the electronic parking brake if a failed input spline occurs. This recall began July 14, 2020. Owners may contact FCA USA LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is W47.

Electrical System › Software18V332000
Filed May 17, 20184,815,661 vehiclesChrysler (fca Us Llc)

Defect. Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.

Risk. If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

Remedy. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.

Equipment › Other › Labels17V543000
Filed Aug 31, 201722,242 vehiclesChrysler (fca Us Llc)

Defect. Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The tire and rim size information required to be on the Certification label was omitted during manufacturing, which may result in an incorrect tire and rim combination being installed on the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."

Risk. The missing tire and rim designation information may lead to an incorrect combination being installed on the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

Remedy. Chrysler will notify owners and will provide a corrected certification label, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T53.

Air Bags › Knee Bolster16V799000
Filed Nov 2, 201688 vehiclesChrysler (fca Us Llc)

Defect. Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 13, 2016, to October 17, 2016. Improper welds on the driver's knee air bag inflator may prevent the air bag from properly inflating.

Risk. If the driver's knee air bag does not properly inflate, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy. Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's knee air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S84.

What owners reported

Newest filings
Structure › Body
Filed Sep 4, 2026PA

CRITICAL VEHICLE SYSTEM SAFETY & TELEMATICS FAILURES: 1.ELECTRICAL & ELICTRICAL DEFECTS: The vehicle's primary infotainment and factory navigation display module suffers a total software and hardware failure. module suffers a total software and hardware failure. While operating on public roadway, including [XXX] entering [XXX], the tracking telemetry completely losses spatial orientation. mapping the vehicle floating deep in blue water (Shenango River Lake), dropping road names, and issuing false audible "entering restricted area" alarms furthermore, the screen suffers a total hardware lock that prevents it from engaging automatic night-dimming code, creating a blinding cabin glare that severely obscures forward visibility during night-driving hours ( I must shut screen off). Certified factory diagnostics at [XXX] confirmed the unit is frozen on an obsolete version (version 10) that cannot be updated per manufacturer parameters due to legacy 3G lines. 2. BODY & COSMETIC DEFECTS: Extensive, undisclosed road paint slurry/overspray is baked into the wheel wells and lower molding, masking structural trim deterioration. A certified inspection by Tri-City Collision verified that a full body restoration is required-including the total replacement of factory fender flares ,splash shields, and lower texture bumpers-totaling $2,742.75 3.BRAKES & SUSPENSION DEFECTS: Delivered from stagging hub ([XXX]) with pre-existing severe front-end mechanical and safety failures, independent certifi

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 1, 2026MD

I’m trying to get my car fixed the diagnostic result was that I need a new transfer case as a right now the the waiting time for that part is 8 months and over 700 on backup orders the more I dig in to this part it seems that is an issue with this model, probably should have been a recall on this. Please help me out to see if jeep can help with this problem Thank you [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Unknown or Other
Filed Sep 1, 2026MN

I was stopped at a red light and once the light turned green my vehicle made a grinding noise and would not go faster than about 15 miles per hour. I pulled through the intersection and over to the side of the road and put my hazard lights on and put the vehicle in park but it wanted to roll while in park so i put the parking brake on. There was no warning lights or messages or other symptoms prior to this failure. I managed to get the vehicle checked at a corner shop and was told the PTU recall is the issue and that it failed and to tow it to the dealership. I towed it to Luther Brookdale Jeep and Dodge in Brooklyn Park, MN and they claim to not know how to fix or even diagnose the problem and are not being forthcoming with any information.

Power Train
Filed Aug 24, 202689,117 milesIL

The contact's mother owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. While the owner was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle vibrated, and the vehicle was shaking erratically. The “Service 4WD” message was displayed. The contact stated that the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to exceed 30 MPH. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with PTU failure. The contact was informed that the PTU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that parts were ordered for the repair. The contact was scheduled a new appointment; however, parts were still not available. The owner received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000 (Power Train); however, parts were unavailable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 89,117.

Power Train
Filed Aug 21, 2026204,000 milesNY

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. There was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle and the contact pulled over to the side of the road. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who discovered that the skid plate was cracked, and after further inspection, the contact was informed about the PTU recall and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000 (Power Train). The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and opened a case. The approximate failure mileage was 204,000.

Engine
Filed Aug 18, 202670,801 milesND

The contact owns 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 70 MPH the vehicle lost automotive power, and the transmission shifted into a lower gear. No warning lights were illuminated, however a message appeared on the instrument panel "Service Shifter". The contact veered off onto the side of the road in order to restart the vehicle. The contact continued to drive the vehicle when shortly after the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that no failure was found. The contact referenced NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000 (POWER TRAIN) as probable cause for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,801.

Power Train
Filed Aug 17, 2026CA

The vehicle unprompted shifted into 4wd and lost all propulsion. Revved high, but didn’t move. There is a recall that outlines the exact issues I experienced, but my VIN is not covered for a free fix. The recall is NHTSA Recall Campain 25V-011 (jeep campaing 01C) I have a child and the fact that my car broke down with her in it is terrifying. I purchased 4 new tires because I was told it was the tread on the tires was uneven. That wasn’t it. Took it to a transmission shop and they couldn’t find the issues please we really need help with this and it is not right that it isn’t covered. We purchase this vehicle only last year.

Power Train
Filed Aug 14, 2026107,952 milesID

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal whining sound coming from the vehicle. Additionally, the “Service 4-WD” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and it was determined that the PTU was failing. The contact was informed that the PTU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of an unknown recall with a similar description; however, the VIN was not associated with the recall. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while traveling out of state. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 107,952.

Unknown or Other
Filed Jul 23, 2026AR

I dropped off my Jeep at Chris Crain Jeep Hot Springs AR on 7/15/26 due to a recall. At the time I dropped the vehicle off, the 4 wheel drive system was working properly and I had no warning lights on the dash. I always kept the 4 wheel drive in AUTO mode. They called on 7/16/2026 and said they completed the PTU update. I took possession of the Jeep but before I left Cris Crain parking lot I started getting a SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE and noticed the 4WD selector was in SNOW mode. I immediately returned the Jeep to service. They cleared the error and I left again. Within 2 miles the SERVICE 4 WHEEL DRIVE light came on and the selector shifted back to SNOW mode. The selector will no longer work and it is stuck in Snow mode. I immediately returned to their service and left the Jeep. They refuse to fix the problem and the Jeep is undrivable

Power Train
Filed Jul 17, 2026144,131 milesMA

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 30 MPH and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed, and the vehicle shut off unexpectedly. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road, turned off, restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as intended. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the power transfer unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 144,131.

Power Train
Filed Jul 8, 2026MI

An authorized dealership performed the federal safety (Safety Recall 01C) software update on my 2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. Two days and 160 miles later, the vehicle suffered a dangerous highway loss of propulsion. This software update failed to protect the physical drivetrain components from catastrophic failure.

Power Train
Filed Jul 3, 2026IL

The 4WD warning light illuminated on the dashboard of this 2017 Jeep Cherokee (only 67,000 miles). The vehicle was taken to an authorized Jeep dealership, where a technician officially diagnosed a complete mechanical failure of the Power Transfer Unit (PTU). The estimated cost to replace the failed component is approximately $4,000 out of pocket. This vehicle is experiencing the exact same mechanical PTU failure, dashboard warnings, and safety hazards outlined in the manufacturer's existing widespread PTU recalls and warranty extensions (such as campaigns 25V-011, 20V-343 and the XJ1 warranty extension). However, the manufacturer has excluded this specific VIN from coverage. Stellantis was contacted many times directly regarding this issue and stated they could do nothing to assist because the VIN is not currently tied to an active recall campaign. A sudden internal failure of the PTU presents a severe safety risk, as it can cause an unexpected loss of drive power while the vehicle is in motion or create a rollaway hazard when the vehicle is parked. Because this vehicle has the identical manufacturing defect at low mileage, the manufacturer needs to expand the recall parameters to include excluded VINs facing the exact same safety failure. A deposit of $2,700 has already been paid to order the replacement component, and the vehicle has now been waiting for the necessary part for approximately two months with no resolution.

Power Train
Filed Jun 30, 2026IL

I am having a issue with my ptu on my vehicle unfortunately it’s not under the recall but I reach out to jeep customer service they were no help to get this issue and concern resolved I paid for a diagnostic from a jeep dealership and have it stating the ptu is malfunctioning and called back jeep and they said their nothing they can do I will have to pay for it to get repaired since it not under the recall which is not fair due to they knowing their this issue with these vehicles my truck only have about 57,000 miles on it

Power Train
Filed Jun 18, 2026150,000 milesAZ

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed uphill with a grandchild in the vehicle, the vehicle lost drive power and rolled backwards. It was unknown whether a warning light was illuminated. The driver panicked, depressed the brake pedal and shifted into park(P), but the vehicle failed to stop. The driver engaged the parking brake, and the vehicle came to a stop crossway on two opposite lanes. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with PTU failure related to an extended warranty coverage. The vehicle was later towed to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the PTU had mechanically failed. However, the contact was informed that the warranty could not be honored because no diagnostic trouble code was retrieved. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was filed. The failure mileage was 150,000.

Power Train1 injured
Filed Jun 8, 2026WA

2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk suffered a Power Transfer Unit failure leading to sudden motive power. Vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road with a narrow shoulder. Exiting the vehicle put driver at risk of being struck by traffic. Driver had to exit the vehicle via the passenger side leading to neck injury. Note Failure of have could have resulted in crash if it had happened earlier. PTU failure confirmed by dealership. Vehicle was under FCA recall O1C NHTSA 25V-011. It should be noted that even though this is a safety issue owners were not told not to drive vehicle, plus the remedy doesn't prevent PTU failure, which can happen without warning in certain conditions.

Power Train
Filed Jun 2, 202665,000 milesAZ

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, a service 4x4 warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed the the PTU was bad and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was associated with a common unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage as approximately 65,000.

Service Brakes
Filed May 26, 2026ME

The component that failed/malfunctioned was the module that activates the EPB. It is available for inspection if requested. My safety was put at risk because the parking brake would engage every time the vehicle shut off leaving me stranded and could put other drivers at risk if my vehicle was stranded on the roadway. It would sometimes reset if the battery was disconnected and then reconnected, but eventually trying to reset it did not work. Within a week, the actuators completely seized and the vehicle was inoperable, requiring to be towed. The problem was confirmed by a Jeep dealership service center. They noted that water was leaking into the vehicle from the outside and pooling. The inside rear cargo carpets are moldy and need to be replaced and the module is completely water damaged along with other electrical components being rusted and corroded. The issue has been identified by a certified mechanic at the service center. I had planned to reach out to my auto insurance provider to file a claim, but was informed of an active recall on 2014-2020 Jeep Cherokees with similar symptoms to what I am experiencing. No warning lamps or messages were active prior to the failure. Both "Service Parking Brake" along with the red "brake" light were active to let me know my EPB was engaged. I was able to reset the message briefly to unlock the brakes by disconnecting the battery, but was only successful once. Then it needed to be towed to the dealership for further inspection.

Air BagsCrash
Filed May 20, 202690,000 milesNC

The contact owned a Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 mph , while raining, when coming down a decline on the roadway, a truck with a trailer was stopped and turning into a driveway, the corner of front driver side near the headlights collided with the pickup truck and the trailer. There was no additional property damage. The contact's vehicle came to a stop in the driveway while the vehicle spun around and became perpendicular to the road which caused additional damage to the rear passenger door. The driver side air bags did not deploy. The passenger side, side air bag did deploy. No airbag warning lights illuminated The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The insurance company deemed the vehicle as a total loss. Medical treatment was received. No injuries were sustained. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 90,000.

Unknown or Other
Filed May 8, 2026CA

I had my Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk fixed by Jeep per the recall notice. The PTU was replaced although no issues were apparent. The Car was fine before the work was done, but a month later started having driving issues and felt like it was skipping when turning left and wandering on the freeway. So I took it back to Jeep. They have had the car two weeks (14 days), and do not know what is wrong with it, will not give an ETA for the fix, and will not supply a rental car. So I have no idea if my car can be fixed and when. The PTU obviously failed but they will not replace it. This has caused extreme stress and cost on my end having to rent a car to commute to work. Also they are really bad at communicating. I called back to speak with the service manager and they had blocked my number.

Power Train
Filed May 4, 2026200,000 milesPA

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, an abnormal grinding sound was coming from under the vehicle. The 4-Wheel warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with a PTU failure. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the VIN not being included in any recalls. In addition, the contact related the failure to an unknown NHTSA Campaign; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 200,000.

20 of 1,333 complaints, reproduced as filed.

Across model years

Worst on record: 2014
YearComplaintsRecallsFiresDeathsAssessment
20265400Routine
20233100Routine
202250300Routine
2021162440Routine
2020296350Above average
20191,63911190Above average
2018683750Above average
2017 — this page1,333660Above average
20161,4069140Above average
20151,78611280High concern
20142,64513160High concern
200617000Routine
20012298130Above average
20003697400High concern
19993668183Fatalities reported
19983991151Fatalities reported
19973901071Fatalities reported
199644710271Fatalities reported
19956081192Fatalities reported
19945199125Fatalities reported
19934187113Fatalities reported
1992113562Fatalities reported
1991233990Above average
19902709115Fatalities reported

Compare every Cherokee year →

Reading this record

Complaint volume is well above typical for a single model year.

Complaint counts track how many cars were sold and how long they have been on the road as much as they track quality. A common model from 2013 has had a decade to accumulate reports; a rare one from last year has not. The signal worth weighing is in the severity columns, in whether the same component keeps appearing, and in whether the manufacturer eventually opened a recall for it.

Recall repairs are free for as long as the recall stands. Check whether a specific car still has open work at NHTSA's VIN lookup.

Most recent recall on file: Apr 29, 2025. Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation.