Jeep Cherokee 2014–2023
5th generation (KL)
NHTSA data through 12 August 202614,644 complaints, 8,837 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 11,300 and 60,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 37 complaints (0.4%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 1,647
- 25%
- 11,300
- Median
- 34,300
- 75%
- 60,000
- 90%
- 90,000
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 1,497 | 16.9% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 527 | 6.0% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 517 | 5.9% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 448 | 5.1% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 519 | 5.9% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 449 | 5.1% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 477 | 5.4% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 451 | 5.1% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 517 | 5.9% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 397 | 4.5% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 433 | 4.9% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 345 | 3.9% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 294 | 3.3% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 256 | 2.9% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 220 | 2.5% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 167 | 1.9% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 213 | 2.4% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 180 | 2.0% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 140 | 1.6% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 110 | 1.2% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 114 | 1.3% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 88 | 1.0% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 67 | 0.8% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 52 | 0.6% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 75 | 0.8% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 42 | 0.5% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 37 | 0.4% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 25 | 0.3% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 24 | 0.3% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 26 | 0.3% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 25 | 0.3% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 15 | 0.2% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 16 | 0.2% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 6 | 0.1% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 12 | 0.1% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 4 | 0.0% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 7 | 0.1% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 1 | 0.0% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 5 | 0.1% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 2 | 0.0% |
| 200,000+ | 37 | 0.4% |
What this can and cannot tell you: these are complaints owners chose to file, not a failure rate. Popular models accumulate more of them simply by being common. How this is built.
Owners filed 14,644 complaints with NHTSA about the 2014–2023 Jeep Cherokee, and 8,837 of them record the mileage at which the failure happened. That is enough to show not just what fails, but when.
Failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 11,300 and 60,000 miles. The median is 34,300 miles.
The most-reported areas are the transmission and driveline (34.6% of complaints, typically around 37,000 miles), the engine (14.5% of complaints, typically around 32,000 miles), the electrical system (13.7% of complaints, typically around 36,000 miles).
39 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Transmission and driveline37,000median 37,290 miles, middle half 12,000 to 68,000
- Engine32,000median 32,000 miles, middle half 11,000 to 56,000
- Electrical system36,000median 36,000 miles, middle half 14,000 to 57,000
- Problems owners could not categorise37,000median 36,600 miles, middle half 16,000 to 55,000
- Brakes25,000median 25,000 miles, middle half 5,000 to 55,000
- Throttle and speed control25,000median 24,900 miles, middle half 5,000 to 50,000
- Steering24,000median 24,200 miles, middle half 7,500 to 52,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and driveline | 5,064 | 34.6% | 37,000 | 12,000–68,000 |
| Engine | 2,119 | 14.5% | 32,000 | 11,000–56,000 |
| Electrical system | 2,003 | 13.7% | 36,000 | 14,000–57,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 1,677 | 11.5% | 37,000 | 16,000–55,000 |
| Brakes | 627 | 4.3% | 25,000 | 5,000–55,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 553 | 3.8% | 25,000 | 5,000–50,000 |
| Steering | 459 | 3.1% | 24,000 | 7,500–52,000 |
| Fuel and propulsion system | 364 | 2.5% | 40,000 | 15,000–61,000 |
| Body structure | 265 | 1.8% | 33,000 | 9,500–65,000 |
| Electronic stability control (esc) | 254 | 1.7% | 34,000 | 16,000–53,000 |
Which systems, and when
Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 34,300 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The transmission and driveline accounts for 34.6% of complaints (5,064 reports, 3,131 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 37,290 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 12,342 and 68,000 miles.
A single system taking 34.6% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.
The engine accounts for 14.5% of complaints (2,119 reports, 1,420 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 32,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,946 and 55,600 miles.
The electrical system accounts for 13.7% of complaints (2,003 reports, 1,129 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 36,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 14,250 and 57,000 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 11.5% of complaints (1,677 reports, 909 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 36,600 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 16,000 and 55,230 miles.
The brakes account for 4.3% of complaints (627 reports, 263 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 25,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,000 and 54,656 miles.
Throttle and speed control accounts for 3.8% of complaints (553 reports, 385 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 24,900 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,000 and 50,000 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2014 model year drew the most — 3,961 complaints — while 2022 drew the fewest at 73. The median year sits at 1,923.
That makes 2014 an outlier: roughly 2.1 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.
Recalls and what they cover
NHTSA records 39 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.
The campaigns cluster around the transmission and driveline (12), the airbag system (4), body structure (3). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.
Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.
Reported severity
Of the 14,644 complaints filed against this generation, 388 reported a crash; 162 reported a fire; 288 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 2.6% of the total.
These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.
What this means if you are buying one
For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 11,300 and 60,000 miles, with a median of 34,300. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine in particular shows a median failure mileage of 32,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.
None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.
Documented problems
Transmission (zf 948te 9-Speed) 2014–2017
Harsh and erratic shifting, hard downshifts and unexpected drops into neutral. FCA maintained the root cause was control software and issued multiple recalls and software patches; a 2016 recall (NHTSA 16V-529) covered 2014 models with the 3.2L V6 where a sticking valve could prevent a clutch from disengaging and force a shift to neutral. 2014-2015 models alone generated over 7,000 transmission complaints, ~4,000 of them on MY2014.
Engine (2.4l Tigershark) 2014–2020
Excessive oil consumption from piston-ring sealing loss, in some cases progressing to low-oil engine damage.
Driveline (4x4) 2014–2018
Power transfer unit (PTU) and rear drive module failures on 4x4 models producing whine, vibration and loss of drive.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 3,961 | 2,797 |
| 2015 | 2,656 | 1,844 |
| 2016 | 2,045 | 1,256 |
| 2017 | 1,923 | 1,166 |
| 2018 | 991 | 520 |
| 2019 | 2,407 | 1,099 |
| 2020 | 378 | 104 |
| 2021 | 206 | 36 |
| 2022 | 73 | 12 |
| 2023 | 4 | 3 |
Recalls (39)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 25V011000 | 2026-02-19 | Power Train |
| 24V239000 | 2024-08-08 | Exterior Lighting:turn Signal |
| 23V338000 | 2024-03-01 | Structure:body:hatchback/Liftgate |
| 23V302000 | 2023-05-11 | Power Train:automatic Transmission |
| 21V310000 | 2021-05-18 | Power Train:automatic Transmission:cooler/Radiator:hoses and Fittings |
| 24V516000 | 2020-10-30 | Air Bags:side/Window:curtain |
| 20V657000 | 2020-10-30 | Suspension:front:control Arm:lower Arm |
| 20V343000 | 2020-07-14 | Power Train:driveline:differential Unit |
| 20V191000 | 2020-04-27 | Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera |
| 19V637000 | 2019-10-24 | Steering:rack and Pinion:rack |
| 19V447000 | 2019-08-08 | Power Train:automatic Transmission |
| 19V449000 | 2019-08-07 | Air Bags |
| 19V248000 | 2019-04-11 | Seats |
| 18V917000 | 2019-02-07 | Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel |
| 18V739000 | 2018-11-02 | Power Train:automatic Transmission |
| 18V524000 | 2018-10-02 | Electrical System:wiring:front Underhood |
| 18V494000 | 2018-09-20 | Power Train:axle Assembly:axle Shaft |
| 18V523000 | 2018-08-29 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic:foundation Components:disc:caliper |
| 18V344000 | 2018-08-09 | Engine and Engine Cooling:engine |
| 18V492000 | 2018-08-07 | Power Train:automatic Transmission |
| 18V332000 | 2018-06-04 | Electrical System:software |
| 18V282000 | 2018-05-24 | Fuel System, Gasoline:delivery:hoses, Lines/Piping, and Fittings |
| 17V824000 | 2018-02-14 | Equipment |
| 17V670000 | 2017-12-05 | Engine and Engine Cooling:engine |
| 17V543000 | 2017-10-13 | Equipment:other:labels |
What owners reported
Noticed smearing on windshield on test drive, was told it was fog on inside an sure is not, car in service after rain storm an i was blinded by on car because hard to see. After several times to get this solved it seems that all jeeps do this according to the service manager, wow that's one big safety problem, i…
2014 · Visibility/wiper
Car will slip into neutral with no warning and the engine goes into idle. This has happened six times including while exiting the freeway almost causing me to be rear ended. Jeep is aware of the issue and has issued recall s55. They have no fix and they don't know when one will be available. The mopar support reps…
2014 · Electrical system
Vehicle does not accelerate properly. If you slow down for a light which then turns green, when you go to accelerate the vehicle hesitates for several seconds. Also does it when pulling out from a complete stop. We have had several near rear end collisions because of this. Vehicle was purchased in missouri and…
2014 · Transmission and driveline
I purchased this vehicle used in the summer of 2018. At the time i noticed that it seemed to shift rather hard but didn't think much of it. Over the last year the shifting has gotten worse. It either shifts late while the engine is winding up causing a rather large jump depending on the speed. Or it doesn't shift out…
2014 · Transmission and driveline
Built from 8,837 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page