45 of the
547 complaints filed about the Jeep Grand Cherokee L
are about the engine —
8% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2026.
Vehicle is very jerky while transmission is downshifting. With no pressure applied to gas pedal vehicle lurches forward on own forcing me to step on brakes to correct lunging forward. At parking lot speeds and while in reverse vehicle is very sluggish and feels like stalling will occur if pressure is not applied to gas pedal. Vehicle is also sluggish and does not respond right away while entering highway , there is a delay with acceleration , this also could cause an accident as the vehicle is not speeding up correctly.
NHTSA complaint #11756647 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle: 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Location: [XXX] Safety Issue Description: When using the remote auto‑start with the key fob, the engine starts briefly and then shuts off. When the vehicle is manually started, the check‑engine light immediately illuminates and begins flashing, and the vehicle jerks violently even while in park. The flashing check‑engine light indicates an active engine misfire, which poses a significant safety risk due to potential engine stalling, sudden loss of power, and potential catalytic‑converter damage. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11756863 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The car started having engine issues. Car wouldn’t start. Had it towed to the dealership which replaced the engine after the dealership had it for a month. Then one week after the the engine was replaced the vehicle was having issues again. Replaced PCM
NHTSA complaint #11756029 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am reporting a serious safety concern with my 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. On multiple occasions, while driving and needing to slow down quickly behind another vehicle, the vehicle has emitted an audible warning, the engine has shut off while the vehicle was still moving, and the "D" drive indicator began flashing. When this occurs, the vehicle loses propulsion and I am only able to coast to a stop. I then have to place the vehicle in Park and restart the engine before the transmission will operate normally again. This has happened more than once and appears to occur during firm or rapid braking/deceleration. The braking was not an emergency stop or collision. The vehicle simply required quicker-than-normal deceleration due to traffic ahead. I am concerned that this could occur at highway speeds or in heavy traffic and create a serious risk of a rear-end collision or other crash because the vehicle unexpectedly loses engine power and propulsion while still in motion. The vehicle is very new. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this is a powertrain, transmission, engine-control, braking-system, or software-related safety defect affecting the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L.
NHTSA complaint #11755645 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Engine failure while driving on the highway. Jeep dealership confirmed failure due to a cylinder 4 misfire. Spark plug in cylinder 4 porcelain came out of the plug and resulted in damaging the pistons and valves. My family's safety was put at risk because we were driving on a highway and suddenly the engine stopped working. Could not accelerate or keep the engine running. Issue confirmed by the service team at local Jeep Dealership where car broke down. The team provided images of exploded spark plug and pieces of it in pistons and valves. Vehicle is in process of being transferred to dealership where car was purchased so that it can be inspected further by manufacturer. Police was not involved. A claim has been opened with insurance company, but they have not inspected it yet. There were no warnings prior to the engine failure. It just happened out of the blue.
NHTSA complaint #11754252 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
On 7/16/2026 exactly 1 week after i purchase the vehicle after fueling i drove about 1 mile when the car started to misfire, when attempting to accelerate. Check engine light flashes a few times and then went off. I then attempted to reverse into my driveway and when attempting to do so the vehicle shut off completely. But started right back up. I then called the dealership and was asked to bring it in. The dealership has the vehicle about 2 days and said it has been repaired it had bad spark plugs. When to get the car it drove fine with no issues until 7/28/2026 when i made an attempt to drive to work, i had driven about a mile from my home and car to a red light when the light turned green i attempted to accelerate and the vehicle was hesitate. Then a few warning lights came on that showed issues with electronic throttle control and electronic stability system service. The car would not accelerate over 20 mph and would shake when i attempted to press on the accelerator, the car was then towed to the dealership and much it has been at since 7/28. I received a online request for service approval from the tech on 7/29 in which they stated cylinders 1 &4 were showing misfired and they would look into replacing the spark plugs but that they would continue to work on the car. I then received a message from my service advisor on 7/31 that stated the spark plugs were replaced but the vehicle was still having issues, i should wait until 8/3 for an update. I have not even had the vehicle for 30 days and it’s been in the shop twice for the same issue with about 1,000 miles on it.
NHTSA complaint #11754118 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Two issues- 1. When pulling out into traffic the engine/gas did not catch and we slowly creeped out across lanes before the gas took. This almost caused us to become t-boned by a passing car. When the gas took the car lurched forward fast which could have been another accident. 2. When driving with adaptive cruise control the forward collision warning fault light and service adaptive cruise control light kept turning on and off with a service needed message on the heads up display. This flashed on and off repeatedly causing driver distraction and also limiting vehicle safety. This vehicle has been taken to the dealership multiple times since purchase with various resets done (Transmission control module, powertrain control module) and still numerous panel error lights turn on (engine malfunction light, traffic signal recognition fault light) and issues occur (ac stops blowing cold air, inside screens freeze) but can never be replicated or fault code founds. The biggest safety issue is the lagging engine/gas that randomly occurs from a stop as you can’t predict when it’s going to happen and it will cause an accident at some point.
NHTSA complaint #11754199 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am the owner of a 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L equipped with the 2.0L Hurricane 4 Turbo engine. At approximately 3,500 miles, the vehicle experienced a spark plug failure/breakage. The vehicle was taken to Nyle Maxwell dealership in Austin, Texas, where a spark plug was found broken and was replaced under warranty on 5/15/2026 after a lengthy wait for the parts of 11 days. This same failure occurred a second time at approximately 4,900 miles on 7/13/2026. The vehicle was again taken to the Nyle Maxwell dealership for repair. Both failures occurred while operating the vehicle on 87 octane regular unleaded fuel, which is the fuel grade stated as acceptable in the owner’s manual. I am concerned this is a widespread issue, as other owners of this same engine report similar spark plug failures using 87 octane fuel, per online owner forums. I am filing this complaint to document the pattern and request that NHTSA investigate.
NHTSA complaint #11753546 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
New 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee overheated at 1,900 miles; engine hit red zone, A/C shut off, coolant low\. Vehicle towed\. Request full warranty repair, diagnosis, and reimbursement for towing, rental, and hotel costs\.
NHTSA complaint #11752962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving my 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the check engine light began flashing (a flashing, rather than steady, check engine light typically indicates an active engine misfire). At or around the same time, the vehicle began shaking/vibrating noticeably, consistent with the misfire condition indicated by the flashing light. Separately, I experienced a failure of the vehicle’s push-button Start/Stop ignition system. When attempting to shut the engine off by pressing the Start/Stop button, the engine did not turn off as expected. The button had to be pressed several times before the engine finally powered off.
NHTSA complaint #11753146 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving from Tampa to Miramar Beach, Florida, the vehicle operated normally on the highway. However, shortly after exiting the highway and driving in slow traffic, the engine temperature gauge suddenly rose into the red zone, and the air conditioning automatically shut off. I immediately pulled over and allowed the vehicle to cool. The engine temperature returned to normal, and after the engine cooled completely, I found that the coolant reservoir level was only slightly below the MIN mark. There are no visible coolant leaks, no check engine light, and no warning messages currently displayed.
NHTSA complaint #11752766 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The contact stated that while driving 65 MPH, the engine surged and RPM revved above 7,000 RPM, and the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond, and the transmission failed to respond. The contact stated that there were several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway and turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle returned to normal operation. The failure was intermittent. The vehicle was taken to a dealer but was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 24,000.
NHTSA complaint #11752396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I was stuck on the Hot way for 45 minutes cause my car was heating up. It’s been in shop four times for heating up on the fourth time I took it in. I was stocked because my electrical started going out. The speedometer started just going around my electrical on my dash started going from heat to cold my seat controls then it started of the dash panel are going to ABS and going to different things showing the speedometer showing the mileage on the car it just started doing its own controls so and then my speedometer just called going fast and went back to deal so and didn’t blacked out so I videotaped everything
NHTSA complaint #11752160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The starter/starter solenoid and related engine oil sealing have failed three times. Most recently on 6/18/2026, and previously in 2024 and 2025, the vehicle would not start: the dashboard illuminated but the engine would not crank. The engine then began smoking and a burning electrical smell entered the cabin. My wife and young child were in the vehicle. The vehicle was rendered completely inoperable and had to be towed each time. Safety risk: an engine that smokes and emits a burning electrical odor upon attempted starting presents a fire hazard to occupants. On the most recent occurrence the failure happened at a fuel station with my family present, over 1,000 miles from home, stranding us for seven days. Dealer confirmation: yes. On the two prior occasions a franchise dealer diagnosed a defective starter solenoid and replaced the starter. Both repairs failed and the identical failure recurred. On the most recent occurrence, a different franchise dealer found that a plug sealing an unused opening on the engine block was missing, allowing engine oil to spray onto and saturate the starter, destroying it. The starter and the plug were replaced. All failures were documented on dealer repair orders, which are available on request. Inspection: the vehicle has been inspected and repaired by franchise dealers on all three occasions. No police or insurance inspection. The manufacturer has been notified through its customer care department, which has open case records on this vehicle. Warning indicators: none. There were no warning lamps, messages, or symptoms prior to any of the three failures. The vehicle simply would not crank, followed by smoke and a burning electrical smell. This vehicle has spent approximately 60 days out of service since purchase and has had persistent electrical problems documented since 2023. Despite repeated dealer repairs the same failure mode continues to recur. I am reporting this as an unaddressed safety defect.
NHTSA complaint #11751966 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
There was a previous recall for camera system that was fixed using a OTA over the air update per JEEP. This update introduced new problems It disabled the forward collision detection and disabled paddle shifting and other safety features which should also be issued as a RECALL because the dealer is not reputable to this on their own. The fix that they did requires customer to come in and have more work done at their expense and they pretend they didn't cause it but clearly this is a major problem across their whole line of Cars.
NHTSA complaint #11741257 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My vehicle wasn’t reading my key fob when I was pressing the lock and unlock button, so I took out the hard key and unlock the doors. Then the alarm set off and I was using the key fob again trying to shut the alarm off no response so I took the key fob and press the start stop button and the engine turn over and the key was working again then I went to shut off the engine same way. The engine would not shut off my driver seat wouldn’t move so I couldn’t get to the battery and I paid a lock smith to come out and he couldn’t even help me with my key fob not syncing with the vehicle..my ebreak would not release or the emergency override break wasn’t working. On the digital dash it’s kept saying shift to park to release parking break but the vehicle was in park all while doing so. This all happened around 7pm. So I could not get help until the morning cs the vehicle would not move
NHTSA complaint #11739705 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
My AC compressor and condenser have stopped working without any reason. The air conditioner does not work at all, it does not make the air cold and the heat in [XXX] is lethal. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11737943 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I purchased a brand new 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit in April 2026. At approximately 1,205 miles, while traveling with my wife and [XXX] child in [XXX] , the vehicle suddenly developed a flashing check engine light and severe engine misfire condition. The engine began shaking violently, idling rough, and lost smooth drivability during operation. I scanned the vehicle using an OBD-II scanner and the PCM stored diagnostic trouble code P0302, indicating a cylinder #2 misfire. Due to concern for vehicle safety and possible engine damage, the vehicle was towed to Vaden Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM for diagnosis. The dealership later advised me that the spark plug in cylinder #2 had cracked porcelain and that the vehicle requires spark plug replacement. The dealership also stated they were awaiting authorization/approval from Stellantis before proceeding with repairs. This failure occurred extremely early in the vehicle’s life and caused my family to become stranded during travel. A flashing check engine light indicates an active misfire severe enough to potentially damage emissions components and raises concerns about engine reliability and safety. I am concerned there may be a manufacturing defect, ignition system defect, spark plug defect, improper assembly issue, or another underlying engine-related problem. I am submitting this complaint so the issue is documented in case other owners experience similar early engine failures or ignition-related problems on this vehicle platform. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11737567 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the air bag, ABS, parking brake, check engine, seat belt, and collision warning lights illuminated. Additionally, the messages "START/STOP not ready," "ACC Disabled", "Cruise Control”, “Service Air Bags System", "Blind Spot Alert Off", and "Service ESC" were displayed. The vehicle was taken to an auto parts store, where a handheld diagnostic machine retrieved DTC: U0140. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 73,945.
NHTSA complaint #11731213 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.