Jeep Grand Cherokee 2005–2010
3rd generation (WK)
NHTSA data through 12 August 20267,321 complaints, 5,191 with mileageMethod
On this generation, failures are spread across the mileage range, with the middle half between 46,838 and 110,000 miles.
- Rest of the range
- Median
- 200,000+ — 69 complaints (1.3%), plotted separately
- 10%
- 17,000
- 25%
- 46,838
- Median
- 77,382
- 75%
- 110,000
- 90%
- 140,495
Show the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| 0–5,000 | 249 | 4.8% |
| 5,000–10,000 | 101 | 1.9% |
| 10,000–15,000 | 110 | 2.1% |
| 15,000–20,000 | 103 | 2.0% |
| 20,000–25,000 | 107 | 2.1% |
| 25,000–30,000 | 125 | 2.4% |
| 30,000–35,000 | 126 | 2.4% |
| 35,000–40,000 | 139 | 2.7% |
| 40,000–45,000 | 162 | 3.1% |
| 45,000–50,000 | 166 | 3.2% |
| 50,000–55,000 | 217 | 4.2% |
| 55,000–60,000 | 182 | 3.5% |
| 60,000–65,000 | 252 | 4.9% |
| 65,000–70,000 | 207 | 4.0% |
| 70,000–75,000 | 220 | 4.2% |
| 75,000–80,000 | 229 | 4.4% |
| 80,000–85,000 | 265 | 5.1% |
| 85,000–90,000 | 184 | 3.5% |
| 90,000–95,000 | 194 | 3.7% |
| 95,000–100,000 | 189 | 3.6% |
| 100,000–105,000 | 223 | 4.3% |
| 105,000–110,000 | 129 | 2.5% |
| 110,000–115,000 | 149 | 2.9% |
| 115,000–120,000 | 102 | 2.0% |
| 120,000–125,000 | 143 | 2.8% |
| 125,000–130,000 | 129 | 2.5% |
| 130,000–135,000 | 135 | 2.6% |
| 135,000–140,000 | 78 | 1.5% |
| 140,000–145,000 | 105 | 2.0% |
| 145,000–150,000 | 48 | 0.9% |
| 150,000–155,000 | 85 | 1.6% |
| 155,000–160,000 | 40 | 0.8% |
| 160,000–165,000 | 56 | 1.1% |
| 165,000–170,000 | 23 | 0.4% |
| 170,000–175,000 | 35 | 0.7% |
| 175,000–180,000 | 34 | 0.7% |
| 180,000–185,000 | 24 | 0.5% |
| 185,000–190,000 | 22 | 0.4% |
| 190,000–195,000 | 16 | 0.3% |
| 195,000–200,000 | 19 | 0.4% |
| 200,000+ | 69 | 1.3% |
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 7,321 complaints with NHTSA about the 2005–2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 5,191 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 46,838 and 110,000 miles. The median is 77,382 miles.
The most-reported areas are the electrical system (39.9% of complaints, typically around 85,000 miles), the transmission and driveline (10.2% of complaints, typically around 71,000 miles), the engine (7.9% of complaints, typically around 86,000 miles).
6 recall campaigns cover this generation.
What fails, and when
- Electrical system85,000median 85,000 miles, middle half 55,000 to 116,000
- Transmission and driveline71,000median 71,000 miles, middle half 37,000 to 103,000
- Engine86,000median 86,354 miles, middle half 66,000 to 120,000
- Body structure72,000median 72,000 miles, middle half 52,000 to 99,000
- Problems owners could not categorise100,000median 100,000 miles, middle half 65,000 to 131,000
- Engine and its cooling system32,000median 32,263 miles, middle half 11,000 to 57,000
- Throttle and speed control72,000median 71,500 miles, middle half 38,000 to 106,000
| System | Complaints | Share | Median | 25–75% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical system | 2,924 | 39.9% | 85,000 | 55,000–116,000 |
| Transmission and driveline | 748 | 10.2% | 71,000 | 37,000–103,000 |
| Engine | 577 | 7.9% | 86,000 | 66,000–120,000 |
| Body structure | 574 | 7.8% | 72,000 | 52,000–99,000 |
| Problems owners could not categorise | 301 | 4.1% | 100,000 | 65,000–131,000 |
| Engine and its cooling system | 257 | 3.5% | 32,000 | 11,000–57,000 |
| Throttle and speed control | 248 | 3.4% | 72,000 | 38,000–106,000 |
| Airbag system | 247 | 3.4% | 90,000 | 54,000–130,000 |
| Latches and locks | 194 | 2.6% | 58,000 | 42,000–78,000 |
| Steering | 188 | 2.6% | 86,000 | 60,000–125,000 |
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 77,382 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.
The electrical system accounts for 39.9% of complaints (2,924 reports, 1,587 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 85,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 55,000 and 115,678 miles.
A single system taking 39.9% 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 transmission and driveline accounts for 10.2% of complaints (748 reports, 653 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 71,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 37,359 and 102,850 miles.
The engine accounts for 7.9% of complaints (577 reports, 493 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 86,354 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 65,750 and 120,000 miles.
Body structure accounts for 7.8% of complaints (574 reports, 440 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 72,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 52,000 and 99,069 miles.
Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 4.1% of complaints (301 reports, 209 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 100,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 65,000 and 130,844 miles.
The engine and its cooling system accounts for 3.5% of complaints (257 reports, 236 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 32,263 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 11,000 and 56,825 miles.
Differences between model years
Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2005 model year drew the most — 2,733 complaints — while 2010 drew the fewest at 171. The median year sits at 1,234.
That makes 2005 an outlier: roughly 2.2 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 6 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 electrical system (4), equipment (1), the hydraulic brake circuit (1). 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 7,321 complaints filed against this generation, 325 reported a crash; 73 reported a fire; 235 reported an injury; 4 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 4.4% 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 46,838 and 110,000 miles, with a median of 77,382. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.
On inspection, the electrical system and the transmission and driveline are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The transmission and driveline in particular shows a median failure mileage of 71,000, 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
Engine (5.7l Hemi) 2005–2010
Broken exhaust manifold bolts producing a cold-start 'Hemi tick' and exhaust leak; MDS-related lifter and camshaft lobe wear on cylinder-deactivating cylinders.
Engine (4.7l V8) 2005–2007
Same head-gasket/overheating and sludging pattern carried over from the WJ.
By model year
| Year | Complaints | With mileage |
|---|---|---|
| 2005 | 2,733 | 1,911 |
| 2006 | 1,754 | 1,195 |
| 2007 | 1,478 | 1,056 |
| 2008 | 990 | 729 |
| 2009 | 195 | 156 |
| 2010 | 171 | 144 |
Recalls (6)
| Campaign | Date | Component |
|---|---|---|
| 14V438000 | 2015-10-09 | Electrical System:ignition:switch |
| 14V567000 | 2015-08-19 | Electrical System:ignition |
| 13V175000 | 2013-08-15 | Electrical System |
| 10V200000 | 2010-08-23 | Electrical System:ignition:module |
| 10V085000 | 2010-04-12 | Equipment |
| 10V009000 | 2010-02-01 | Service Brakes, Hydraulic |
What owners reported
I have owned my vehicle since 2008 at 32,000 miles, the sunroof worked great for a few years then i noticed that the sunroof would close passed the roof line of the Jeep. I did not think of it much because i assumed that the Jeep would have a secondary seal on the inside of the roof line, in between the headliner to…
2005 · Electrical system
Air bag light is constantly flashing and rendering cruise control useless. Everything work as necessary, then one day when attempting to get on highway, i pressed cruise control only for it to flash in the dash panel, then disappear. Once off the highway to my destination, i turned the Grand Cherokee off. When i…
2005 · 2 miles · Airbag system
From the first day took deliver of 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee ltd. 5.7 Lt hemi engine, first in when pressing accelerator in low RPM, then when reached 80 MPH. On flat freeway (with 400 miles on the odometer), ecessive groan and noise from the engine. Same noise was not present on identically equiped test-drive vehicle.…
2005 · 10 miles · Transmission and driveline
Interior door handles have broken. They have been this way for many many years.... This seems to be very common with this model Jeep. The plastic cup that houses the lever became very brittle and door handle basically broke apart in many pieces. 3 Out of the 4 are broken. The rear doors aren't used much, so…
2005 · 30 miles · Problems owners could not categorise
Built from 5,191 NHTSA complaints with mileage · snapshot 2026-08-12 · open data · reproduce this page