2016 Jeep Cherokee
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 1,406 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 5th highest complaint count among 12 Cherokee model years with reports.
Of the 2016 reports, 37 involved a crash and 14 involved a fire. 27 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Electrical system, wiring, rear compartment/trunkPark outsideMay 11, 2023
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a power liftgate. An electrical short in the power liftgate module may lead to a vehicle fire with the ignition on or off.
A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will relocate the power liftgate module and add a water shield. In addition, dealers will inspect for corrosion and replace the module and electrical connectors, if necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 1, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 49A. This recall supersedes recalls 15V-393 and 15V-826. Vehicles repaired under the prior recalls will still need to have the new remedy performed.
Campaign 23V338000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmissionApr 27, 2023
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power or loss of park function.
A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. A loss of park function can cause an unintended vehicle rollaway which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 11, 2023. Owners may contact FCA USA LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 45A. This recall expands previous recall number 20V-343.
Campaign 23V302000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, driveline, differential unitJun 11, 2020
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a two-speed Power Transfer Unit (PTU). Relative movement in the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) between the differential input splines and the transmission output shaft may cause some input spline teeth to wear off, which may eventually cause a loss of engagement between the transmission and the differential inside the PTU. If this occurs, power cannot be transferred between the front wheels and the transmission which results in a loss of drive while the vehicle is in motion and a loss of the Park function while stationary.
A loss of drive can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning. A loss of the Park function can cause unintended vehicle rollaway which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update that will maintain vehicle propulsion by engaging rear wheel drive and prevent rolling in Park by activating the electronic parking brake if a failed input spline occurs. This recall began July 14, 2020. Owners may contact FCA USA LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is W47.
Campaign 20V343000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, wiringMay 17, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.
If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.
Campaign 18V332000 on NHTSA.gov
EquipmentDec 21, 2017
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer models is available at: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17V824-0103.pdf. These extinguishers may become clogged, preventing the extinguisher from discharging as expected or requiring excessive force to activate the extinguisher. Additionally, in certain models, the nozzle may detach from the valve assembly with enough force that it could cause injury and also render the product inoperable. For a full list of the affected fire extinguisher models visit: https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/rcl/2017/RMISC-17E062-5427.pdf
If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.
Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or Kidde customer service service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Chrysler's number for this recall is T82.
Campaign 17V824000 on NHTSA.gov
SeatsAug 10, 2016
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured July 29, 2013, to February 5, 2016. The seat fasteners on the first or second row seats may not have been tightened to the proper torque specification.
Loose fasteners may allow the seats to move, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupants in the event of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seats or seat sets, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during September 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall S63.
Campaign 16V590000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, axle assembly, axle shaftMay 11, 2016
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured September 30, 2015, to October 2, 2015. The left halfshaft may have been incorrectly manufactured causing it to fracture without warning.
A fractured halfshaft may disconnect from the drive axle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left halfshaft, free of charge. The recall began on June 30, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler's customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's recall number is S38.
Campaign 16V287000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, axle assembly, axle shaftMay 11, 2016
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 3, 2015, to March 22, 2016. The right halfshaft may have been incorrectly manufactured causing it to fracture without warning.
A fractured halfshaft may disconnect from the drive axle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the right halfshaft, free of charge. The recall began on June 30, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler's customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's recall number is S39.
Campaign 16V284000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, wiring, rear compartment/trunkDec 9, 2015
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 18, 2015, to September 10, 2015 and equipped with the power liftgate option. In the affected vehicles, water may leak into the Power Liftgate Control Module and result in a high resistance short circuit.
A short circuit in the module increases the risk of a fire.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the module and connectors for corrosion, replacing the damaged components as necessary. The mastic shield will be removed and the module will be covered with a water shield. These repairs will be performed free of charge. The recall began on February 1, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R67. This recall is superseded by NHTSA recall 23V-338.
Campaign 15V826000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
1,406 reports, newest first.
Power train, Jul 12, 2023
Approx. 4 weeks ago (6/14/23), the service 4WD service light started to come on/off at random times in my 2016 Jeep Cherokee (upon starting car, putting car in reverse, making a turn and just during driving). On 6/22/23, I took my vehicle to an independent auto shop to see if they could pull a code as to the issue of the service 4W drive light and they could not pull a code to find out what the issue was. I then scheduled an appointment with a Chrysler/Jeep dealership on 7/6/23 to have them investigate the service 4WD light. I was advised that the PTU (Power Transfer Unit) needs to be replaced as metal was found inside. A new PTU has been ordered as of 7/11/23 but was advised that this part is on backorder with no ETA. Upon research, Jeep issued a recall in 2020 for 2016 and 2017 Jeep Cherokees over PTU's affecting 93K vehicles. I believe the internal recall # was 45A and the previous recall # was W47. My 2016 Jeep Cherokee (64K miles) was not a part of said recall. I believe Jeep has a larger problem with the PTU's being used in their vehicles but does not want to admit it. Upon reading the NHTSA Part 573 Safety Recall report - 23V-302 regarding the recall of the PTU's, the safety risk is a loss of motive power which can cause a vehicle to crash without prior warning. My Jeep may not have had the component parts numbers listed in said report but did the recall for the PTU's go deep enough than the part numbers listed? Has Jeep really corrected the issue with their PTU's? At this time, I do not know if I have a safe vehicle to drive. I do not know if I am putting myself and other's at risk for an unknown time period. I am concerned about the safety of driving my vehicle based on the Safety recall report.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 9, 2023
I was sitting in park waiting to pump gas and when it was my time to pull forward, I shifted into drive and when I pushed the gas pedal my emergency break was on without me turning it on. About 30 minutes later this happened again. I turned off the vehicle and turned it back on and when I did, the emergency break came on. I am concerned that the emergency break will engage again when put into drive without me knowing.
Electrical system, Structure, Jul 7, 2023
The contact owns a vehicle 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V338000 (Electrical System, Structure) 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 dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
Power train, Jul 6, 2023
The SRV 4WDR light is still coming on after getting the recall work done on the PTU at the Fox jeep dealership today. A spline was replaced I think. Recall 45A. I believe the whole PTU is bad.
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 5, 2023
Driving down the road the emergency brake engaged and the car stopped. If there had been a car behind me, this would have created an accident, especially if I had been on the highway. I have read that others have had this problem and there is class action suit.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Jul 1, 2023
My "service 4wd" light continues to come on and the shop said my PTU needs replaced but my VIN number isn't part of the recalls so it's going to cost me several thousand dollars.
Power train, Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Jun 30, 2023
I just bought my vehicle and I looked it’s been driving funny I took it to the shop they said I need my ptu fixed when I looked it up there is a recall but I don’t understand why my car not involved in the recall when it’s majority jeeps problem right now
Service brakes, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 24, 2023
My electronic parking brake malfunctioned AGAIN. The vehicle was parked and turned off without activating the parking brake. When I returned to the vehicle and restarted it the parking brake was engaged and would not turn off. In addition, the red ‘brake’ light, and yellow electronic park brake warning light on the dashboard appeared; the odometer was flashing. After several attempts putting the vehicle in D and then R, in effect “rocking it”, the parking brake did disengage. All of the lights remained on. Each time the car was placed back into ‘park’ the parking brake would re-engage, and I needed to go back through the same process to disengage the parking brake.” About the third time, the Parking Brake permanently engaged and could not be disengaged by any means. The car is at the dealer to have the Brake Module replaced for the 3rd time, ALL due to water intrusion. Water is getting in the electrical systems. There’s a recall for a minor water intrusion issue on the lift gate! This is the SAME issue. Please issue a recall before someone is seriously injured or killed. This brake could engage at any moment and easily cause a collision.
Exterior lighting, Engine, Jun 23, 2023
I was driving mid day today and I noticed my display on the dash had gone dim as if the headlights had turned on and the dash lights dimmed expecting it to be dark inside. I then got a ding about the auto shutoff when stopped feature not working (this has been dinging for a few years and hasn’t worked since shortly after I got the vehicle in 2018, however it’s been working the last few weeks). I was pulling into a grocery store looking for a spot when all of a sudden the car died. I lost brakes and power steering but luckily was going slow. I turned off the key, put it in park, and it turned right back on. I pulled into a spot and then noticed the engine light on. I’ve read countless forums about this exact issue. Other owners have experienced this since their Jeep was brand new. I’ve had this for 5 years without issues until lately. Prior to the is event, my car was experiencing the same issue with the display dimming. A week prior to the stall today, I was driving around 70 mph when the dash dimmed and I think went completely dark for a bit. I got a ding about the auto shutoff and another stating that 4wd was not available. I tried to turn my headlights on and off but there was nothing. I didn’t have any blinkers either. I pulled over, turned it off and back on and all was fine the rest of the hour-long drive home. I am extremely concerned about it stalling, especially if I’m turning in front of traffic at an intersection. This is not uncommon and other owners are concerned for their safety as well.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, Jun 23, 2023
For months now I keep having something wrong not sure whats wrong either it’s engine, powertrain. It keeps doing different stuff. First it’s acting like it want to dye like stall out for no reason. Sometimes it loses power like hitting the gas peddle but won’t go engine just fires up. The other day I had issues trying to put into reverse to back up hit the gas and it just accelerated really bad but didn’t move almost like it was stuck in gear. I’ll be driving down road and out of nowhere my car accelerated gears to 3/4 wouldn’t go down when i was going 40 on straight road. Took few minutes to unstick. Whatever is going on seriously needs looked into bc i am worried it’s gonna cause me get hit. This been going on for couple years and i am about ready to trade my Jeep in for different dealer
Electrical system, Structure, Jun 21, 2023, fire
The contact owned a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that she had parked the vehicle in the driveway near the garage of her friend's residence, and 10 minutes later, she was informed that the vehicle had caught on fire. The contact stated that the vehicle caught on fire from the front seats onward. The contact stated that the fire expanded to the garage, causing the whole residence to catch on fire. The contact stated that the five adults and two children, who were occupying the residence immediately exited the residence. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with the assistance of the fire department. A fire department report was filed. The contact did not recall whether a police report was filed. There was no injury sustained. The vehicle was totaled. There was no further information provided. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was opened. The manufacturer later informed the contact that the case had been closed as they were unable to investigate the remains of the vehicle. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V338000 (Electrical System, Structure), however, the VIN was not included. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Electrical system, Structure, Jun 20, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while her son was driving at an unknown speed, there was smoke coming from the liftgate. Fellow motorists alerted her son of the failure as he pulled over and allowed the liftgate to cool down. The contact stated that her son was able to drive the vehicle home without further incidence; however, the liftgate failed to open. The dealer and the manufacturer were notified of the failure; however, the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V338000 (Electrical System, Structure). The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 78,000.
Power train, Jun 19, 2023
PTU failure, dealer cannot effectively perform recall 45A without a whole PTU replacement, at a cost of upwards of $4000. This is a known issue with the PTUs in these Jeeps, with numerous service bulletins and recalls regarding the part. Failure of the 4x4 system has put my, and others’ safety at risk because unreliability in inclement snowy weather conditions and forcing the vehicle into 2wd mode unexpectedly could cause loss of traction or control. The problem is well known, simply search “Jeep Cherokee PTU failure” and hundreds if not thousands of other owners have experienced the same issue. The component has been inspected by a Jeep dealership/service center and confirmed to be faulty. At highway speeds, seemingly randomly, the warning message “4WD System Temporarily Unavailable” would sometimes come on briefly, then go away. After failure of the part, “4WD System Unavailable, Service Required” would come on persistently and 4WD was not functional at all.
Power train, Jun 15, 2023
When I came to a stop, and turned right or left, I could hear a low "growl" in the rear.This started around April, I went for my oil change and regular maintenance on June 2 and mentioned to my mechanic about the noise. The warning light "service 4WD" was coming on. A computer check was done. It was suggested it was most likely a differential issue with the 4WD. The repairs were not done at the time. I reviewed the cost of repair/replace and also found reports of other people with the same vehicle and issue. I saw the campaign #23V-302, 20V343000, and FCA recall 45A.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Forward collision avoidance, Jun 10, 2023
Blower module, a/c module and yes it’s available anytime. For starters my a/c doesn’t work completely and I have a newborn that cannot be in this vehicle due to that issue. Also with my first encounter with the issue, my car turned off and all the lights came on then turned off and warned that autostart/stop didn’t work, and my emergency brakes didn’t work along with my traction control. The a/c error has be confirmed by a dealer for me, but they said it was rare for a bunch of electronics to go out with it. The vehicle has not been looked yet by a manufacturer dealer due to money being tight. The car stopped working for about 5 minutes with my brother inside the vehicle. The lights flashed on then threw out all those warnings I had mentioned up top.
Power train, Jun 10, 2023
While driving on the freeway transmission went out without any warning or signs. Was going 65 mph in the fast lane and engine rpm went up but speed dropped to 35 mph almost getting rear ended and barely made it to the emergency lane.
Power train, Jun 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the “Service 4-WD” warning light illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the power transfer unit and informed the contact that the unit needed to be replaced. After investigating the cause of the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 60,000.
Power train, Jun 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at approximately 50 MPH, the steering column was moved, and the 4-WD warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the light remained illuminated until the wheel was straightened. Additionally, the contact stated that when the steering wheel was turned, a grinding sound was coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that the powertrain control unit (PCU) had an internal malfunction and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 73,000.
Power train, Jun 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH or less, the vehicle was losing motive power and the vehicle decelerated and came to a stop. The contact waited several minutes before restarting the vehicle. The contact stated that there was a banging sound coming from the transmission. The speedometer was blinking and the Service 4WD warning message was displayed on the instrument panel. The failure occurred approximately 4 times. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that the Power Transfer Units (PTU) had failed. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V302000 (Power Train) and 20V343000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included in the recalls. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and the contact was referred to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 72,000.
Power train, Jun 1, 2023
The contact's daughter owns 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the Service 4WD warning light was intermittently flashing on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken a dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic discovered a failure with the Power Transfer Unit (PTU). The vehicle was not repaired. Upon investigation, the contact discovered NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000 (Power Train) which he linked to the failure. The manufacturer had not been notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 90,400.
Service brakes, May 29, 2023
I had the Emergency Brake Module replaced in Nov 2020 at a cost of over $900, plus a rental car for 2 weeks. Yesterday, 05/28/23, my emergency brake started setting itself AGAIN, plus the dash shows same error codes as before. Being a holiday weekend, I took it to the only place that was open. They cannot fix it. It requires the dealer. It’s the same issue as before. The emergency parking brake sets every time the vehicle goes into park. I’ve been able to get it unstuck 2x, so I didn’t have to have the vehicle towed YET, but I’m not sure I will be able to get the brake unstuck again. It’s very scary driving it because the emergency can engage randomly at any speed. This is an issue the NHTSA must investigate further. Clearly with a second failure of the same system, there is a serious safety issue. Warranty doesn’t cover it because it’s out of warranty. Extended warranty doesn’t cover it because it’s “water intrusion”. Chrysler/Jeep has known about this issue. It’s a manufacturer defect and a serious safety issue. Chrysler/Jeep needs to be held accountable before someone is seriously injured or killed.
Power train, May 28, 2023
I don’t as on vacation in the Smokey Mountains. I turned a corner, heard a noise and my Jeep wouldn’t go anymore. Luckily there was a pullout near me and I coasted in. I had to walk about a mile to get a cell signal to call Jeep. A tow truck came 4 hours later and it took over 3 weeks to get repairs. The Power Transfer (a known defect) was the issue. It was replaced by Jeep under warranty. I only had a little over 26k miles on the vehicle at the time. It was dangerous because had a I been higher up in the mountains or on an interstate, it could have cost me my life. Additionally, I was alone and the Knoxville TN dealership where the vehicle was towed was absolutely NO HELP whatsoever & rude to boot!
Service brakes, May 28, 2023
My emergency parking brake module failed. The module would then engage the emergency brake randomly causing it to stick and create a very dangerous situation. I was able to get the brake to disengage and drive to the dealer for repairs. The repair took awhile and was expensive. I’m extremely fortunate I wasn’t driving when it happened, and I went immediately to the dealer. This was an incredibly unsafe situation as the brake will engage even when driving. My Jeep was stuck in front of the dealer where I parked it with the brake fully engaged. They came to get me to show them how I got the brake to disengage and move the vehicle into the shop. The brake module is in an unfortunate place with no protection from water damage. A leak (probably from the rear sunroof drain coming unattached) caused my damage. Jeep has known about this defect for a long time. My damage was in fall 2020. I’m just now reporting it because I’m having emergency parking brake issues again only 2.5 years later. This is extremely unsafe and Jeep must be held accountable.
Service brakes, May 26, 2023
Recently my emergency brake locked up while driving and lost control and bumped my head pretty hard the car would not release it brought it to jeep dealer they said it’s corrosion due to water intrusion in the electronic emergency brake module after doing a little research on finding that a lot of people are having the same problems and have reported them to you. I also called jeep and had a customer service representative. That was very rude and did not care about the accident. I’ve just been in Is there anything you can do as my car is stuck in the shop at the moment, don’t want to put a new part in if it’s going to happen again because it’s a manufacture defect, and I also don’t want the brakes to lock up while me or my wife is driving. This is very dangerous and needs immediate attention now
Power train, May 26, 2023
We were told at dealership that the vehicle needs a new PTU, however, we are not under recall as of now. This looks like a widespread issue with 2014-2016 jeeps and they need to be replaced.