41 of the
581 complaints filed about the Jeep Grand Cherokee L
are about the transmission —
100% of everything owners reported.
The worst model year for it is 2021.
41
Complaints
100%
Share of all complaints
0
Crashes
0
Fires
Transmission & Drivetrain complaints by model year
Hard shifting occurred. Then service 4WD light came on dash. After an oil change, the light went away, but the hard shifting is still there. An independent dealer replaced my transfer case as well as completed an update to the transmission. The hard shifting came back even worse, with almost every gear. Took to a Dodge/Ram/Jeep dealership who completed a TSB 21-015-23. Their next recommendation is to replace the valve body and if that doesn’t fix it, then replace the transmission. They stated this recommendation came directly from Stillentis. Since this is a known issue from Stillantis, they should be issuing a recall immediately. Failure of the transmission can cause sudden power loss, unpredictable acceleration, stalling, and fire hazards. These things can in turn cause accidents and safety hazards.
NHTSA complaint #11763220 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
August 9, we were driving home when the vehicle jerked 2-3 times then the engine shut off (while in motion). This happened on a windy backroad with no way to pull over. We were able to restart the vehicle and make it home safely. Contacted Jeep on the 10, they said it was due to a spark plug recall. When driving to the dealership that morning service AWD light turned on, Jeep replaced the spark plugs and stared that fixed the problem. Driving home once picked up and service AWD light turned on again. Dealership is now stating it is the Drivetrain control module.
NHTSA complaint #11763014 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
The turbo lag in this vehicle creates an unsafe condition when trying to turn onto a busy road, street or highway. It’s inconsistent and in the heavy 3 row SUV completely unpredictable. Today my wife narrowly avoided an accident.
NHTSA complaint #11762500 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While driving 45mph along a straight, open highway my vehicle suddenly shifted itself to park and stopped itself abruptly. I was then unable to shift the car out of park or move the brake or gas pedal or turn off the vehicle. This lasted for approximately 15 minutes and the car would not let me open the doors. All the dashboard lights were illuminated and my driver display screen stated if I took my foot off the brake the car would reverse. Eventually after 15 minutes of trying to shift and turn off the car it did shut off.
NHTSA complaint #11759858 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
I am reporting recurring safety-related shifting and vehicle gear/park-state concerns involving my 2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit Reserve. On multiple occasions, the vehicle has failed to transition properly from Reverse into Drive. I reported this Reverse-to-Drive issue to the manufacturer before later becoming aware of diagnostic information that I believed could potentially relate to the behavior. I am not a mechanic and do not know the underlying cause. On July 5, 2026, while my infant was in the vehicle, I placed the vehicle in Park and it displayed a “Park Not Engaged” warning despite being in Park. Warning sounds occurred and the vehicle automatically engaged the parking brake. This caused me serious concern about whether the vehicle was reliably recognizing its selected gear/park state. I immediately reported the incident to the manufacturer and was instructed to bring the vehicle to an authorized dealership. I complied. The vehicle was at the dealership from July 8 through July 27, 2026. During that repair visit, the dealer documented that FCA/WiTECH diagnostic systems were unavailable and that the vehicle could not be properly scanned. The vehicle was ultimately returned to me without the reported concerns being resolved. The vehicle has accumulated approximately 22 days out of service during its repair history. The manufacturer and authorized dealership have been made aware of my concerns and the vehicle has been available for inspection and diagnosis. I remain concerned about the recurring Reverse-to-Drive behavior and the July 5 Park Not Engaged event because unexpected or unreliable gear/park-state behavior could create a risk of unintended vehicle movement or an inability to reliably control the vehicle as expected. The underlying failed component or cause is UNKNOWN. I am submitting this complaint so these incidents are documented and can be evaluated by NHTSA for a potential safety-related defect.
NHTSA complaint #11757919 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
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.
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.
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.
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.
While driving, the vehicle displayed a "Service Shifter" warning with no prior warning lamps or symptoms. The transmission then dropped out of Drive into Neutral on its own while the vehicle was moving, causing it to roll before the vehicle automatically shifted itself into Park and applied the parking brake. The vehicle could be shifted back into Drive but repeatedly slipped out of gear into Neutral again within about a minute each time. After parking, the gear indicator display (P/R/N/D) stopped illuminating entirely and has not returned. The vehicle is now unresponsive to the rotary shifter and is stuck in Park with no way to shift into any gear. This failure matches the description of open recall 30D (shifter module software defect causing loss of transmission gear position display), though my vehicle was not part of the currently identified population when checked against the VIN lookup. The vehicle is currently undriveable and has not yet been inspected by a dealer or independent shop.
NHTSA complaint #11750943 — 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.
On April 24,2026 , as pull out my driveway heading to work only to get a 1/4 mile from home car stopped in highway. As I power and restarted tried to select a different gear never went in gear. Towed by to dealership as confirmed transmission was stuck with inly 67000. They replaced with new transmission & drive shaft, costing over $7,000. Warranty company paid part of rent car but still out of $300
NHTSA complaint #11737978 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Issue regarding Service 4wd light coming on. This is a known issue and is there is a Technical Service Bulletin but no recall. This is a safety hazard and needs to be addressed as a recall. This is a manufacturer issue. It causes the 4wd system to not work properly and driving in rain snow is a safety hazard.
NHTSA complaint #11737593 — 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.
I brought my 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L to the dealership for its scheduled ~40,000 mile service. During that visit, I specifically reported that something felt off with the transmission/drivetrain. The dealership inspected the vehicle and stated that no issues were found. Approximately one week later, the vehicle experienced a sudden and severe drivetrain failure. While driving approximately 45 mph on a surface street and accelerating to cruising speed, the vehicle began shaking violently. There were loud mechanical noises from underneath the vehicle consistent with components coming apart. At the same time, the vehicle lost all ability to accelerate. Pressing the accelerator produced no forward movement. Due to the loss of power, I was forced to coast out of active traffic and onto a side street where I was able to safely stop. The condition was sustained and the vehicle was not drivable after the incident. When attempting to assist the tow truck driver, I shifted the vehicle to drive and pressed the accelerator. The engine revved but the vehicle did not move. When shifting back to park, the vehicle displayed an error message: “Cannot shift to Park, vehicle moving too quickly,” despite being stationary. This failure created a safety hazard due to loss of acceleration and unpredictable vehicle behavior. This is particularly concerning because a drivetrain issue was reported during a service visit shortly before the failure and was not identified. There were no warning lights or messages prior to the failure. The issue occurred suddenly and without advance indication. The vehicle had recently been serviced and cleared by the dealership despite a reported drivetrain concern. A failure of this nature at speed could significantly increase the risk of a crash, depending on traffic conditions.
NHTSA complaint #11735755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? -Forward collision system light on dash is illuminated, automatic locks do not engage after vehicle is in motion, paddle shifters do not work. All displays switched to Italian & from standard measurements to metric How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? -Forward collision sensors appear to not work as well as doors do not automatically lock as they should. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? -Yes, my dealership is aware of this issue and referenced service bulletin S2108000249, this did "fix" these issues temporarily, however a week later this issues happened again. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? - No Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? -No
NHTSA complaint #11734348 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
While stopped at a red light, the auto start/stop feature of the vehicle failed to re-start the car causing complete failure. My wife was the first vehicle at a the light in a busy intersection with a [XXX] old in the vehicle. The electronics of the vehicle completely failed causing complete shutdown and unable to restart. Vehicle was towed after blocking intersection for 30 minutes. This has happened before but not for total and complete failure. This failure caused a complete battery drain leading to the need for two new batteries. The vehicle has a history of electronics/software issues and failures and associated start/stop system issues. This failure was diagnosed to be caused by a faulty relay and costed me $2000 in repairs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
NHTSA complaint #11732439 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle: 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Issue Type: Electrical System / Loss of Power / Braking System While operating my 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L on Interstate 40 at approximately 70 miles per hour, with two minor children in the vehicle, the vehicle suddenly and without any prior warning began to rapidly decelerate, despite continued pressure on the accelerator pedal. At the time the deceleration began, there were no warning lights, alerts, or indications of any malfunction. The vehicle exhibited a significant loss of power, and it felt as though it was being mechanically restricted or “dragging,” severely limiting its ability to maintain highway speed. Only after the vehicle had already begun to decelerate did a brake system warning indicator appear on the dashboard. This sequence of events indicates that the warning system did not provide advance notice of the failure. This sudden and uncommanded deceleration created an immediate and serious safety hazard, particularly given the vehicle’s speed and surrounding interstate traffic. The inability of the vehicle to respond appropriately to acceleration input placed occupants at risk of a rear-end collision or other serious traffic incident. Although the warning indicator later turned off, the vehicle continued to operate abnormally, with ongoing reduced acceleration and diminished responsiveness. This incident occurred without prior warning, and the delayed activation of the brake warning indicator raises serious concerns regarding a potential defect involving the vehicle’s electrical, braking, and/or powertrain control systems, including possible failure of system monitoring or alert mechanisms. Given the circumstances including highway speed, sudden loss of propulsion, delayed warning notification, and the presence of child passengers. I respectfully request that this issue be formally investigated as a safety-related defect.
NHTSA complaint #11728679 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.
Vehicle has experienced repeated electrical system failures affecting engine operation, safety systems, and interior electronics from April 2025 through April 2026. Details: April 2025 (under warranty): Vehicle lost power and died. Dealership replaced batteries. December 2025: While driving, multiple warning lights (check engine, blind spot, lane departure, forward collision, accident avoidance) flashed repeatedly. Battery died and was replaced by AAA. Vehicle taken to dealership due to safety concerns; dealership found no issues. March 2026: Same warnings occurred again while driving. Vehicle lost all power while stopped at a red light. Hazard lights did not work. Gear selector knob rotated freely and could not be put in park. After opening the hood, vehicle restarted but windows, powered seats, and infotainment stopped working. Dealership replaced fuse array. April 2026 (~3 weeks later): Vehicle would not start. After accessing battery under passenger seat, vehicle turned on with alarm and lights flashing. Same warning lights reappeared while driving. Interior electronics (windows, seats, infotainment) remained non-functional. Safety Risk: Complete loss of power in traffic, inability to use hazard lights, failure of driver-assistance safety systems, and inability to shift into park create significant risk of crash or injury. Inspection/Repair: Vehicle inspected multiple times by dealership and AAA. Batteries and fuse array replaced. Issue persists and root cause is UNKNOWN. Warning Signs: Repeated warning lights prior to failures, including check engine and multiple safety system alerts.
NHTSA complaint #11728673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.