2021 Jeep Cherokee problems

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH with cruise control engaged, the vehicle hesitated, and the transmission momentarily shifted into neutral(N) before returning to normal functionality. The message “Service All Wheel Drive” was displayed. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000.

NHTSA complaint #11756931 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Drive train control module & actuator replaced at less than 75,000 miles

NHTSA complaint #11756387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle suddenly lost automotive power. The 4WD warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and the failure was associated with the recall. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the failure reoccurred. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA complaint #11756410 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Drive train control module & actuator replaced at less than 75,000 miles

NHTSA complaint #11756387 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Twice in the past year, the vehicle stalled after coming to a stop at a red light. The morning after the most recent incident, the car would not start. I had it towed to the dealership. That was Luther Brookdale Dodge, Jeep and Ram in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Two weeks ago, I began to intermittently see the message '4WD Unavailable - Service Required'. I brought it yesterday, and was told that the Power Transfer Unit was in need of replacement. I travel as an special education case manager and teacher quite a distance every day to work. The roads in the wintertime can be quite challenging on which to travel. This vehicle should be included in the list of affected vehicle trims that are listed for the multitude of Jeep vehicles part of the PTU related recall. I need to know that the vehicle is being repaired with a part that is safe, not the same PTU used originally, in manufacture, which has been found to be unsafe.

NHTSA complaint #11756116 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Twice in the past year, the vehicle stalled after coming to a stop at a red light. The morning after the most recent incident, the car would not start. I had it towed to the dealership. That was Luther Brookdale Dodge, Jeep and Ram in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Two weeks ago, I began to intermittently see the message '4WD Unavailable - Service Required'. I brought it yesterday, and was told that the Power Transfer Unit was in need of replacement. I travel as an special education case manager and teacher quite a distance every day to work. The roads in the wintertime can be quite challenging on which to travel. This vehicle should be included in the list of affected vehicle trims that are listed for the multitude of Jeep vehicles part of the PTU related recall. I need to know that the vehicle is being repaired with a part that is safe, not the same PTU used originally, in manufacture, which has been found to be unsafe.

NHTSA complaint #11756116 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

Twice in the past year, the vehicle stalled after coming to a stop at a red light. The morning after the most recent incident, the car would not start. I had it towed to the dealership. That was Luther Brookdale Dodge, Jeep and Ram in Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Two weeks ago, I began to intermittently see the message '4WD Unavailable - Service Required'. I brought it yesterday, and was told that the Power Transfer Unit was in need of replacement. I travel as an special education case manager and teacher quite a distance every day to work. The roads in the wintertime can be quite challenging on which to travel. This vehicle should be included in the list of affected vehicle trims that are listed for the multitude of Jeep vehicles part of the PTU related recall. I need to know that the vehicle is being repaired with a part that is safe, not the same PTU used originally, in manufacture, which has been found to be unsafe.

NHTSA complaint #11756116 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the “4WD Service” warning light illuminated, and while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the power transfer unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was 161,000.

NHTSA complaint #11756056 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

On [XXX], I purchased a 2021 Jeep Cherokee Limited from Blaise Alexander Hyundai in State College, Pennsylvania as a first vehicle for my [XXX] son. No problems were apparent during the brief test drive or drive home. On [XXX], during my son’s first driving lesson, we discovered that the right turn signal would randomly and repeatedly fail to remain engaged. I later learned that similar “self-canceling” turn-signal problems have been reported in Jeep vehicles and resulted in safety recalls for certain models. I immediately contacted Tyler (salesman), as documented by my phone records. He initially instructed me to have the vehicle checked at a local Johnstown dealership for warranty coverage and stated that Blaise Alexander would repair it if the warranty did not apply. I then learned from Carfax that the basic warranty had expired around January 2025. When I contacted Tyler again, he reversed his position and said the dealership would not repair the vehicle, suggesting the problem occurred after purchase. After several calls, the sales manager agreed to inspect it. I brought the vehicle to Blaise Alexander on January 22, 2026. The next day, the manager identified the problem and estimated an $800 repair. Although he called it “a typical problem with this model Jeep,” he refused to cover the cost and offered to split it. I declined and retrieved the vehicle on January 24. It had only been driven approximately three times since purchase. I requested the repair quote but it was not provided. I believe the defect was pre-existing and that Blaise Alexander knew or should have known about it. The dealership’s statements, the timing, my research, and related recalls support this belief. The defective signal affects roadworthiness and may prevent the vehicle from passing Pennsylvania inspection. Had I known about the defect, I would not have purchased the vehicle. I am seeking repair at the dealer's cost, or in lieu of that a buyback of the car. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA

NHTSA complaint #11755771 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving on a ramp at 40-45 MPH, there was an abnormally loud grinding sound coming from underneath the vehicle, and the vehicle lost drive power. No warning light was illuminated. The electronic parking brake engaged automatically. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact restarted the vehicle, but the failure persisted, and the electronic parking brake engaged automatically. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the PTU had failed; however, parts were not available for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered to provide limited reimbursement for rental car expenses. The failure mileage was approximately 45,000.

NHTSA complaint #11755511 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that while the vehicle was in park(P), the 4WD warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure but confirmed that parts were not yet available for the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

NHTSA complaint #11754723 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

PTU failure at 62000 miles. There is a recall for the exact issue on the exact part for 2019 to 2025 Jeep Cherokees but this one, as well as several thousand others, somehow do not fall under this recall. Why? From what the dealer told us this is a “critical safety issue that could result in serious injury or death” so why would this not be a recall along with the 60000+ other ones? Dealer told me this was sushi a critical safety issue they would not return the car to me until it was fixed, and part was 2 month back ordered which was last week but still hear nothing. What is the hold up with a recall on this?

NHTSA complaint #11754810 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while merging onto a two-lane highway, there was an abnormal banging sound coming from the vehicle. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle lost motive power but was driven in LIMP Mode to the nearest dealer. Prior to the failure, the contact was notified of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The dealer confirmed that the failure was associated with the recall; however, the dealer failed to provide the contact with any assistance. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle remained with the dealer unrepaired. The failure mileage was approximately 135,000.

NHTSA complaint #11754380 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I own a 2021 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk that is included in the PTU safety recall involving sudden loss of motive power and/or loss of the PARK function. My vehicle began exhibiting the exact symptoms of this recall in April 2026 and has been undrivable since that time. The recall was announced in May 2026, but Stellantis has still not provided a repair remedy. As of today, my vehicle has been out of service for approximately four months due to the recalled condition. I have received the recall notification letter, but it continues to state that no remedy is available. This has left me without the use of my vehicle for an extended period despite an acknowledged safety defect. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate Stellantis’ failure to provide a timely remedy for this safety recall. My vehicle has been undrivable since April 2026 because of the recall condition and remains unusable due to the lack of an available repair. This vehicle CANNOT be safely driven.

NHTSA complaint #11754404 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

I own a 2021 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk that is included in the PTU safety recall involving sudden loss of motive power and/or loss of the PARK function. My vehicle began exhibiting the exact symptoms of this recall in April 2026 and has been undrivable since that time. The recall was announced in May 2026, but Stellantis has still not provided a repair remedy. As of today, my vehicle has been out of service for approximately four months due to the recalled condition. I have received the recall notification letter, but it continues to state that no remedy is available. This has left me without the use of my vehicle for an extended period despite an acknowledged safety defect. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate Stellantis’ failure to provide a timely remedy for this safety recall. My vehicle has been undrivable since April 2026 because of the recall condition and remains unusable due to the lack of an available repair. This vehicle CANNOT be safely driven.

NHTSA complaint #11754404 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

Have a safety recall on my vehicle. Jeep has had this issue for the last couple of years (unbeknownst to me) and still don’t have a remedy for the issue. I’m concerned it’s going to continue to cause damage to my vehicle. Found out there was a recall from a carfax email. It took Jeep an extra month to notify me.

NHTSA complaint #11753076 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)

I am writing to express my serious concerns regarding a recent PTU failure associated with a recall on my Jeep vehicle. This issue nearly cost me my life when the vehicle abruptly stopped in the middle of a highway. Unfortunately, Jeep has refused to cover rental expenses related to this incident. Initially, the company did not acknowledge the problem, and now it appears they are purposefully delaying necessary diagnostics to evade responsibility. Given the circumstances, I feel it is imperative to seek legal counsel to protect my rights and ensure that my safety concerns are addressed appropriately. Thank you for your attention to this matter.

NHTSA complaint #11753132 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The PTU UNIT HAS FAILED TWICE ALREADY ON MY VEHICLE! THE FIRST TIME IT WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY AND COVERED; THIS LAST TIME IT IS OUT OF WARRANTY, AND I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET FOR IT, $3,186.02. Then a month or so later received a document in the mail stating that this is now a safety recall and if you have already had it fixed, once they find a remedy it will have to be fixed again, as it is still wrong and can fail AGAIN. ALSO states if you paid out of pocket for said repair to go to the website with documentation and a refund would be issued within 60 days of them receiving it.... but once you do that they automatically respond and deny it stating until a remedy is found they aren't giving me my money! which is against the law!!! And to top it off, my car is already acting up again, and pretty sure this will be going out again soon... so there will be a lot more for them to deal with if this does not get resolved and money returned to me. Which, in actuality, they should be giving me a refund on the vehicle as this first incident happened in 2022... so we should be well out of the "reasonable timeframe" to come up with a solution to fix said problem. The Manufacturer is withholding a resolution due to a lack of a recall remedy! Campaign 40D NHTSA 23V-404

NHTSA complaint #11751666 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I bought my 2021 jeep in 2023 at Matthew's in Pa and from day 1 my antifreeze has been leaking, I Bought the extended Warranty and they told me I didnt buy it and wouldn't fix nothing, so I took it back down there and other guy told me yes I had a Warranty but it's outdated and nothing they can do, which isn't fair on me! Now my heater core is bad which from get go that was the problem but they couldn't figure it out! Now I have every light on seat belt, air bag, engine light, parking brake, lane assit, etc and I can't afford to fix it and the inspection is due but can't get it fix all because of them telling me I didn't have a Warranty!!! Please respond my name is [XXX] phone # [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11749175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

I bought my 2021 jeep in 2023 at Matthew's in Pa and from day 1 my antifreeze has been leaking, I Bought the extended Warranty and they told me I didnt buy it and wouldn't fix nothing, so I took it back down there and other guy told me yes I had a Warranty but it's outdated and nothing they can do, which isn't fair on me! Now my heater core is bad which from get go that was the problem but they couldn't figure it out! Now I have every light on seat belt, air bag, engine light, parking brake, lane assit, etc and I can't afford to fix it and the inspection is due but can't get it fix all because of them telling me I didn't have a Warranty!!! Please respond my name is [XXX] phone # [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11749175 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

The vehicle has developed a safety-related defect involving the rear differential. During low-speed turns from a stop, in both forward and reverse, the rear drivetrain exhibits grinding, binding, and wheel hop, causing the vehicle to jerk and resist normal movement. This condition affects the vehicle’s predictable handling while maneuvering in parking lots, intersections, and other confined areas. If the rear differential continues to deteriorate, it could result in catastrophic drivetrain failure and a sudden loss of vehicle propulsion, leaving the vehicle unable to move and potentially stranded in an active traffic lane or other hazardous location. This defect presents an unreasonable risk to the safety of the vehicle occupants and other road users and should be investigated as a potential safety-related defect.

NHTSA complaint #11748808 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

Jeep Cherokee 2021 with less than 44,000 miles. pTU accentuates went out. VIN not in recall despite the make, model, and problem being recalled on 60,000 other jeeps already. If not fixed the car can freeze and possibly roll over or roll away when in park. I feel jeep should pay for this as part of their recall.

NHTSA complaint #11748097 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

While getting an oil change, the mechanic below noticed a crack in my rear differential. He sent me a picture. I have looked online and there are thousands of complaints for the same issue. I immediately contacted the local certified Jeep mechanic and was told that the rea diff housing has a crack around snap ring and the the PTU has a leak and evidence of metal. I was quoted over $6,000 to repair the vehicle and was told I could drive it until I couldn't anymore. The "service 4wd" light has been coming on since I bought the car less than 2 years ago but nothing could be found wrong until last Friday. There is a recall for this issue on other makes and sub models for the Jeep Cherokee but for some reason mine is not included. Please investigate as soon as possible as it is not possible for me to afford the repairs.

NHTSA complaint #11747395 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN:TRANSFER CASE (4-WHEEL DRIVE)

I am the owner of a 2021 Jeep Cherokee that is subject to NHTSA Recall 26V-290 (FCA Recall 40D) for a defective Power Transfer Unit (PTU). The recall notice states that the PTU may fail internally, causing an unexpected and unrecoverable loss of drive power at any speed or allowing the vehicle to roll while in PARK without warning. The notice also states that these conditions can result in a vehicle crash or injury. While the manufacturer has acknowledged this as a safety defect, the recall notice also states that no remedy is currently available. I have been left with a vehicle that has a known safety defect but no means to have it repaired. I rely on this vehicle every day as my family’s only vehicle to transport my two young children to school, childcare, activities, medical appointments, and for my employment. Without a repair or transportation assistance, I must either continue driving a vehicle with a known safety defect or be left without reliable transportation. I am requesting that NHTSA document the hardship and ongoing safety concern created by this recall and the lack of an available remedy. I will also be contacting Jeep Customer Care to request a loaner or rental vehicle while a repair is unavailable. I believe owners should not be expected to continue driving a vehicle with a known safety defect or be left without reliable transportation while waiting for a remedy.

NHTSA complaint #11747371 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.