2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

While operating the vehicle at a low speed, it has on multiple occasions decelerated, stopped, and displayed the message "Shift to P, then desired gear." This issue has been observed on both the highway during rush hour and on local streets. No diagnostic trouble codes are present when the system is scanned.

NHTSA complaint #11758755 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT

The driver seat Active Head Rest system deployed unexpectedly while the car was parked.

NHTSA complaint #11758759 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

CODES C1490-00 REAR DIFFERENTIAL ACTUATOR INITIALIZATION FAILURE. SERVICE INFORMATION STATES TO REPLACE THE ELSD (ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP DIFF.) BEFORE REPLACING THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. REMOVED FILL AND DRAIN PLUGS FROM REAR DIFFERENTIAL, ACQUIRED A FLUID SAMPLE. FLUID SAMPLE WAS CLEAN WITH NO SIGNS OF METAL CONTAMINATION, OR EVIDENCE OF AN INTERNAL Differential failure (ESLD) *key word INTERNAL

NHTSA complaint #11758304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

CODES C1490-00 REAR DIFFERENTIAL ACTUATOR INITIALIZATION FAILURE. SERVICE INFORMATION STATES TO REPLACE THE ELSD (ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP DIFF.) BEFORE REPLACING THE REAR DIFFERENTIAL. REMOVED FILL AND DRAIN PLUGS FROM REAR DIFFERENTIAL, ACQUIRED A FLUID SAMPLE. FLUID SAMPLE WAS CLEAN WITH NO SIGNS OF METAL CONTAMINATION, OR EVIDENCE OF AN INTERNAL Differential failure (ESLD) *key word INTERNAL

NHTSA complaint #11758304 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Component Failure & Inspection: The engine water pump assembly failed. This specific failure is a documented factory defect explicitly covered under manufacturer Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) #9100212 and tracked under NHTSA ID #10244344. The failed component was replaced by an authorized dealership; the physical part is not available, but full diagnostic logs and proof of failure are stored in the manufacturer database under University Auto Center invoice #6044139/1. Safety Risks: The water pump suffered a sudden, catastrophic structural failure while operating at highway speeds—a known vulnerability detailed in TSB #9100212 and NHTSA ID #10244344. This caused an immediate loss of engine coolant and a rapid spike in engine temperature. The vehicle lost power and was forced to make an emergency pull-off onto a busy highway shoulder, stranding occupants in a highly vulnerable position. A sudden cooling failure at highway speeds creates an immediate risk of engine seizure, vehicle fire, or traffic collision while disabled on the roadside. Dealer Confirmation & Inspection: Yes. The failure was inspected, reproduced, and confirmed by an authorized manufacturer dealership (University Auto Center). The dealer confirmed that the water pump assembly completely failed and required replacement, perfectly mirroring the defect parameters outlined in TSB #9100212. Warning Lamps & Prior Symptoms: There were no prior symptoms, noises, or early warning indicators. The component failed instantly without warning. The first indication was a sudden, rapid flashing of the engine temperature warning light and an "Engine Overheating" message on the dashboard cluster, immediately followed by a loss of power.

NHTSA complaint #11757853 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

STRUCTURE:BODY

Paint blistering and peeling on hood and roof. Bad paint known problem with wranglers and gladiators

NHTSA complaint #11753642 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

2019 Jeep grand Cherokee, noticed to have leaking water pump, engine showed no signs of overheating. Water pump and thermostat changed due to a small fluctuating of temp gauge but never over the half way mark. Took it in for diagnostics, which, after reading many reviews of ongoing issues with head gaskets in jeeps, even after Jeep said they remedy it in 2016, I asked for diagnostics done on my radiator and head gaskets to only see it was in fact leaking head gaskets. There was no signs other than a leaking water pump and small fluctuation when the water pump started to leak, but engine never read that it was overheating nor did oil temp. Seems to be an ongoing issue with the 3.6L engines that Jeep is still selling and a lot of people are paying for major engine repairs, at such lower mileages.

NHTSA complaint #11752532 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

One day after driving the vehicle around town and after we parked it in the garage, we noticed a large pool of oil on the garage floor. After taking it to a service station, for inspection, we were told that the oil leak was caused by a cracked plastic oil cooler. We were told if we had not noticed the oil leak, the engine could have locked up and caused a serious accident. The next day we were going to take the vehicle on the highway for a trip. The service station said they have had multiple cracked plastic oil coolers come in for repairs on the same vehicle, year, make and model. There was no warning.

NHTSA complaint #11746838 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated after the dealer had performed the recall repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V838000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); the brakes started making an abnormal squealing sound while driving the same day, and it felt like a part underneath the vehicle was separating. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 68,408.

NHTSA complaint #11746125 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated after the dealer had performed the recall repair under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V838000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); the brakes started making an abnormal squealing sound while driving the same day, and it felt like a part underneath the vehicle was separating. There was no warning light illuminated. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 68,408.

NHTSA complaint #11746125 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

POWER TRAIN

I am reporting a safety concern involving my 2019 Jeep. The primary systems of concern include the Forward Collision Warning/Automatic Emergency Braking system, front camera/driver-assistance system, electrical/communication network, PCM/ECM communication system, transmission/driveability system, and related control modules or sensors. While driving, the Jeep’s forward collision system activated unexpectedly. The vehicle reacted as though it detected an imminent collision, even though there was no appropriate reason for the system to activate in that manner. This created a serious safety risk because unexpected activation of a collision-warning or braking-related system can cause sudden driver reaction, loss of control, or a rear-end collision with vehicles behind me. This incident did not occur in isolation. The vehicle had been brought to the selling/servicing dealership, Bill Luke Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Phoenix, Arizona, numerous times before and after the safety incident. Issues began as early as approximately 3,523 miles. Between 2019 and 2025, the vehicle was taken to the dealership more than 19 times for recurring mechanical, electrical, diagnostic, and safety-related concerns. However, the vehicle was inspected multiple times by Bill Luke Chrysler, including several visits before the forward collision incident. My concern is that these may not be isolated failures, but part of a broader electrical, communication, sensor, or control-module issue affecting multiple systems.I also have concern that the vehicle may have had pre-sale service or diagnostic history that was not disclosed to me at the time of purchase. An internal dealership record appears to indicate that repair orders were purged from the dealership’s system on 10/29/2018, at approximately 8 miles and before I purchased it new in 2019. I was not provided an explanation of what repair orders were purged, why they were purged.

NHTSA complaint #11744557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I am reporting a safety concern involving my 2019 Jeep. The primary systems of concern include the Forward Collision Warning/Automatic Emergency Braking system, front camera/driver-assistance system, electrical/communication network, PCM/ECM communication system, transmission/driveability system, and related control modules or sensors. While driving, the Jeep’s forward collision system activated unexpectedly. The vehicle reacted as though it detected an imminent collision, even though there was no appropriate reason for the system to activate in that manner. This created a serious safety risk because unexpected activation of a collision-warning or braking-related system can cause sudden driver reaction, loss of control, or a rear-end collision with vehicles behind me. This incident did not occur in isolation. The vehicle had been brought to the selling/servicing dealership, Bill Luke Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Phoenix, Arizona, numerous times before and after the safety incident. Issues began as early as approximately 3,523 miles. Between 2019 and 2025, the vehicle was taken to the dealership more than 19 times for recurring mechanical, electrical, diagnostic, and safety-related concerns. However, the vehicle was inspected multiple times by Bill Luke Chrysler, including several visits before the forward collision incident. My concern is that these may not be isolated failures, but part of a broader electrical, communication, sensor, or control-module issue affecting multiple systems.I also have concern that the vehicle may have had pre-sale service or diagnostic history that was not disclosed to me at the time of purchase. An internal dealership record appears to indicate that repair orders were purged from the dealership’s system on 10/29/2018, at approximately 8 miles and before I purchased it new in 2019. I was not provided an explanation of what repair orders were purged, why they were purged.

NHTSA complaint #11744557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: WARNINGS

I am reporting a safety concern involving my 2019 Jeep. The primary systems of concern include the Forward Collision Warning/Automatic Emergency Braking system, front camera/driver-assistance system, electrical/communication network, PCM/ECM communication system, transmission/driveability system, and related control modules or sensors. While driving, the Jeep’s forward collision system activated unexpectedly. The vehicle reacted as though it detected an imminent collision, even though there was no appropriate reason for the system to activate in that manner. This created a serious safety risk because unexpected activation of a collision-warning or braking-related system can cause sudden driver reaction, loss of control, or a rear-end collision with vehicles behind me. This incident did not occur in isolation. The vehicle had been brought to the selling/servicing dealership, Bill Luke Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram in Phoenix, Arizona, numerous times before and after the safety incident. Issues began as early as approximately 3,523 miles. Between 2019 and 2025, the vehicle was taken to the dealership more than 19 times for recurring mechanical, electrical, diagnostic, and safety-related concerns. However, the vehicle was inspected multiple times by Bill Luke Chrysler, including several visits before the forward collision incident. My concern is that these may not be isolated failures, but part of a broader electrical, communication, sensor, or control-module issue affecting multiple systems.I also have concern that the vehicle may have had pre-sale service or diagnostic history that was not disclosed to me at the time of purchase. An internal dealership record appears to indicate that repair orders were purged from the dealership’s system on 10/29/2018, at approximately 8 miles and before I purchased it new in 2019. I was not provided an explanation of what repair orders were purged, why they were purged.

NHTSA complaint #11744557 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEATS:FRONT ASSEMBLY:HEAD RESTRAINT

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked with the vehicle off and occupied by the contact and her children, the headrest unexpectedly disengaged erroneously. The clips were fractured when the contact looked inside the air bag storage of the headrest. The contact sustained an injury to the back of her head and pain on the right side of the neck. The contact returned to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer or an independent mechanic for diagnosis. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 80,000.

NHTSA complaint #11743555 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

UNKNOWN OR OTHER

The vehicle experienced failure of the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), including illumination of ABS and traction control warning lights. The failure was confirmed by a dealership, which identified an internal ABS module failure and wheel speed sensor issues. These components are available for inspection upon request. This issue is associated with Safety Recall 94B, which addresses defects within the ABS system. At the time of failure, there was no remedy available under this recall. The failure impacted critical safety systems, including braking stability and traction control, creating a potential safety risk, particularly during braking or adverse driving conditions where ABS functionality is essential. The issue was reproduced and confirmed by an authorized dealership, which replaced the ABS module and related components after diagnostic testing. Prior to failure, warning indicators including ABS and traction control lights were present on the dashboard. A recall remedy for Safety Recall 94B was later released. However, despite the failure involving the same system identified in the recall, the manufacturer has denied that the repair is related, without providing a technical explanation. This raises concern regarding whether similar safety-related failures are being consistently identified and addressed.

NHTSA complaint #11735365 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

I just had a recall repair for my ABS system which was electrical done to my 2019 jeep grand Cherokee. I drove off the lot with it but the next day it wouldn't start, I called the dealership back for an inspection but they stated I would have to pay for a diagnostic. I stated the code that came up when I hooked my OBD scanner up the code for my park, neutral, switch input circuit popped up. I told the dealership numerous times about the code but they are ignoring the code and saying it is my starter and batteries. Mind you I take it to this dealership all the time I never once heard them say I needed any of these things until now. So I told them I need a diagnostic on the electrical issue but once again they are brushing off the circuit code and jumping to the starter but stated I would have to pay $2,319 for a starter and see what comes up, which means spending money for something that is not the problem.

NHTSA complaint #11734463 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SUSPENSION

The air suspension / Quadra-Lift system on my 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland with approximately 87,000 miles has failed and is available for inspection upon request. The vehicle is becoming stuck in Off Road 1 ride height and will not reliably return to normal height. When I am able to get it to lower, it raises itself back into Off Road 1 again without command. I also observed that one wheel/corner of the vehicle was sitting higher than the others, indicating the suspension may be uneven or malfunctioning. This creates a serious safety risk because the vehicle height changes unexpectedly and remains in an elevated off-road mode not intended for normal road use. It can affect handling, steering stability, braking, visibility, headlight aim, tire wear, and rollover risk, especially at highway speeds or during emergency maneuvers. Uneven ride height from one side to another further increases the risk of loss of control. Prior to complete failure, symptoms included abnormal vehicle stance and the suspension not responding normally to ride height changes. Warning messages/lights: UNKNOWN at time of filing. The problem has not yet been confirmed by a dealer or independent repair facility, but online research shows many owners reporting similar Quadra-Lift air suspension failures around similar mileage. This appears to be a common premature failure involving air struts, sensors, compressor, or related components. The vehicle has not yet been inspected by the manufacturer, police, or insurance representatives. I am filing this complaint because this suspension defect impacts safe operation of the vehicle and may affect many owners.

NHTSA complaint #11734160 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SEAT BELTS

The front seatbelt latch on my 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee will not latch or secure properly. The buckle fails to engage when inserted, leaving the seatbelt unusable. This creates a serious safety hazard because the occupant cannot be restrained while the vehicle is in motion. The issue occurs every time the seatbelt is used and has not resolved on its own.

NHTSA complaint #11731675 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES

Our office has received several notices for a recall on this vehicle regarding the Anti-lock Brake system module. The first notice was post marked 6/3/24 with recall code Z48/NHTSA 22V-426. The second notice was for a 94B/NHTSA 24V-838 recall postmarked 12-4-2024 and another employee took it in to a dealership on 2-12-2025 to be repaired. We have received two more notices, one in January 2026 and another in April 2026 with the same recall code. I called the dealership both times and they claimed both times, to not have parts for the recall. This is a federal vehicle used for public service work. We would like to get this resolved so that we do not have any safety issues in the workplace.

NHTSA complaint #11731043 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to a local dealer and repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V838000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic). Prior to the appointment, the vehicle had no warning lights or mechanical failures. Following the recall repair, the instrument panel displayed several warning lights, including 4WD and traction control, which were illuminated, and the message “Service ESC” was displayed. The dealer denied responsibility for the failures. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,000.

NHTSA complaint #11730942 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL

While attempting to park my vehicle, it suddenly accelerated on its own, causing the car to move quickly toward a tree and a nearby building. I immediately attempted to stop the vehicle by pressing the brake pedal, but the car continued to accelerate. The engine was roaring, and I even tried using both feet on the brake pedal in an effort to stop the vehicle, but it did not respond. The only way I was able to stop the vehicle was by turning off the engine. Due to the unexpected acceleration and my concern that it could happen again, the vehicle was not safe to drive. A tow truck was called, and the vehicle was transported to a mechanic for inspection.

NHTSA complaint #11728491 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

While attempting to park my vehicle, it suddenly accelerated on its own, causing the car to move quickly toward a tree and a nearby building. I immediately attempted to stop the vehicle by pressing the brake pedal, but the car continued to accelerate. The engine was roaring, and I even tried using both feet on the brake pedal in an effort to stop the vehicle, but it did not respond. The only way I was able to stop the vehicle was by turning off the engine. Due to the unexpected acceleration and my concern that it could happen again, the vehicle was not safe to drive. A tow truck was called, and the vehicle was transported to a mechanic for inspection.

NHTSA complaint #11728491 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

ENGINE

Vehicle: 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine: 3.6L V6 (Pentastar) While driving on the highway, the vehicle experienced a sudden engine overheating condition, followed by a catastrophic failure of the coolant recovery tank. This failure created a serious safety hazard and appears to be the result of a known and well-documented head gasket defect in the 3.6L engine used in Jeep Grand Cherokees. While driving at highway speed, the vehicle was operating normally until I made a left turn. Immediately after the turn, the engine temperature began to rise rapidly, indicating an overheating condition. I turned around and began driving back toward my residence to avoid further damage or a roadside breakdown. Before reaching home, the coolant recovery tank violently exploded, releasing coolant throughout the engine bay. As well as strong burning coolant chemical smells throThis occurred while the vehicle was still in operation and could have resulted in loss of visibility, fire risk, or complete engine failure while driving. After inspection by a qualified professional, the failure was confirmed to be caused by a failed head gasket, which allowed combustion gases to pressurize the cooling system until the coolant recovery tank ruptured. This failure occurred without warning and while the vehicle was being driven on public roadways. A sudden coolant system explosion and rapid overheating can result in: Loss of engine power while driving Fire risk from hot coolant contacting engine components Loss of vehicle control Stranding occupants in unsafe conditions This represents a significant safety defect. Jeep Grand Cherokees equipped with the 3.6L engine are widely known to experience head gasket failures, typically occurring between 50,000 and 75,000 miles. Despite this known issue, Stellantis/Chrysler has not issued a recall, technical service campaign, or extended warranty related to this defect.

NHTSA complaint #11726070 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.