2017 Jeep Cherokee
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 1,334 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 6th highest complaint count among 12 Cherokee model years with reports.
Of the 2017 reports, 24 involved a crash and 6 involved a fire. 27 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power trainApr 29, 2025
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power and/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.
Dealers will update the drivetrain control module and PTU software and replace the PTU, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning February 19, 2026. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 01C.
Campaign 25V011000 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
Equipment, other, labelsAug 31, 2017
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The tire and rim size information required to be on the Certification label was omitted during manufacturing, which may result in an incorrect tire and rim combination being installed on the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
The missing tire and rim designation information may lead to an incorrect combination being installed on the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners and will provide a corrected certification label, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T53.
Campaign 17V543000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bags, knee bolsterNov 2, 2016
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 13, 2016, to October 17, 2016. Improper welds on the driver's knee air bag inflator may prevent the air bag from properly inflating.
If the driver's knee air bag does not properly inflate, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's knee air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S84.
Campaign 16V799000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints: power train
647 reports, newest first. Show all
Power train, Dec 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate and had experienced a sudden loss of power. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the power transfer unit was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were not yet contacted. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V302000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was 107,000.
Power train, Nov 28, 2024
There is a power transfer unit (PTU) issue affecting certain 2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. My 2017 Jeep Cherokee has been diagnosed with a PTU failure, which matches the symptoms of the defect covered under an extended warranty program provided by Jeep, however, my VIN does not apply to this program somehow. There is a “SVC 4WD” alert on my dash that alerted me to the issue. Because the PTU cannot be replaced, due to the part being on back order across the nation, the vehicle’s 4WD will not work. Being in southeast WI, where snowfall can become heavy, puts the lack of 4WD availability a hazard to me and my family.
Power train, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Nov 3, 2024
Due to the limit on text characters I have attached the 17-page document explaining the safety issues.
Power train, Oct 17, 2024
2017 Jeep Cherokee PTU failure August 5, 2021 new one installed 43,795 miles/ paid by warranty - Second failed PTU Oct 18, 2024 80,000 miles / paid self pay $5,000 Should be immediate recall Car in new condition, always currently serviced Never driven off-road PTU units should not be failing, car has had history of transmission/PTU/ shifter and radio issues and front struts incorrectly installed from factory, warranty refused to repair
Power train, Oct 14, 2024
The 2017 Jeep Cherokee Latitude we own under the VIN entered is having issues with 4-wheel drive warning lights and shifter warning lights. The issues are connected to the PTU and Park break shifter selection. The same issues recalled under 45A and W47 FCA recalls. I believe the same issues exist with my vehicle though it's not being included in the recall. The recall needs to be expanded, and FCA/Stellantis should be accountable for the problem vehicles.
Power train, Oct 9, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message “4-WD Service Required” was displayed. In addition, the contact stated that the wheels were not functioning as intended. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle was independently reset; however, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 129,000.
Power train, Oct 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and became inoperable. The vehicle was diagnosed by the dealer, and it was determined that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V302000 (POWER TRAIN). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 120,000.
Power train, Electrical system, Oct 7, 2024
Message "service shifter" pops up on the instrument panel, and a series of red alert lights appear next to every gear on the automatic transmission shifter lever. The dealer is unable to fix the problem! They replace the wiring harness, they replace the shifters themselves, they reset the computers ? And the problem always returns!
Power train, Oct 5, 2024
Service shifter light came on and gear shift lights are all red. There does not seem to be a mechanical issue but the message does not go away until after a restart. Also, while the message is displayed, you cannot access any other visual features like the speedometer or navigation system.
Power train, Sep 21, 2024
POSSABLE TRANS. PR0BLEM. NEVER RECIEVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR THIS PROBLEM RECALL 45a bought vehicle new dealer has sense changed hands recently trans. has a skip when shifting a causes a thump
Power train, Aug 22, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that after restarting the vehicle, the message "Service Shifter" was displayed. The message was also displayed intermittently while driving. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Power train, Aug 20, 2024
PTU unit malfunctioned while driving on freeway and almost caused an accident. Cannot repair due to no parts available. Cannot drive the vehicle.
Power train, Engine, Aug 16, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 15 MPH and making a turn, the vehicle shutoff inadvertently. The contact stated that the service shifter message was displayed. The contact stated while driving 25 MPH, the vehicle shutoff but was restarted. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was due to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V302000 (Power Train). The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that the failure was due to the gear shifter. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 137,000.
Power train, Aug 15, 2024
We fixed recall W47 21-017-21 on July 2021, PTU is damaged and broke again, but I do not qualify for the Extended warranty because this issue was caught early on and did not present any error codes or affect any drive ability of the vehicle yet. I see there is a recall W48 for those that already had the PTU replaced but still have the issue. Chrysler and Dealership will not honor it since there are no error codes because the issue was found early during an annual state inspection before anything catastrophic could happen.
Power train, Jul 24, 2024
I have been hearing a grinding noise coming from my car for a few months. I was having another service on my car and tire replacement at an independent provider and asked them to diagnosing the noise. After completing their diagnosis they determined I need my PTU replaced. "Diagnoses grinding noise coming from PTU. Needs PTU replaced." There are current PTU recalls on other Jeep Cherokees years 2014-2017. My mechanic reviewed the recall with me and told me to contact Jeep . I went to Jeep dealership with supporting documentation from my mechanic. My 2017 Jeep Cherokee is having the same issue as recall notice for PTU. I am being told by Jeep that due to no open recall issues for my VIN Jeep wont make the necessary repairs under recall. My mechanic advised me to file a formal report as I meet all the criteria for the recall and my Jeep should be added to the recall and covered through Jeep as a recall defect. He also advised me to limit driving my car long distances or at high speeds as the safety concerns are the PTU will eventually break which in turn will seize my axle, which would render my vehicle immobile. If this occurred in heavy or fast traffic the accident that would ensue could be deadly. I have uploaded the necessary documentation for review. I have the up most confidence that Jeep will extend the recall notice to cover my PTU replacement and get me safely back on the road.
Power train, Jul 24, 2024
At random times, the vehicle will come up with "Service Shifter" on the dash, making it so that no other items can be viewed, including speed and such. Simultaneously, all lights on the shifter will come on, and no manual gear changes can be executed. The only way to get this cleared is to turn off the engine and restart. yhis can come up at the time of starting the engine and moving into reverse, or it can come up at random times whern driving at freeway speeds, so there is no reliable pattern on when this will occur. Shops have said that there is no remedy that they are aware of, but this appears to be a common issue amongst this vehicle with other owners. If this continues, I worry that this may cause a long-term incident for my family.
Power train, Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Jul 23, 2024
The shifter turns all red lights and service shifter appears in the warnings. There was a recall for this on certain vin #s for the same make and model but Chrysler refuses to acknowledge the wider problem effecting others. They advise you to pay out of pocket and I can’t afford that. This is clearly an issue that is wide spread and the danger is unknown what can happen but I don’t feel safe driving my [XXX] in a vehicle with all these warning lights. The issue started apparently 2 years ago but hadn’t been addressed by my wife because she was out of work and not driving it much. We need both our vehicles safe and Chrysler needs to fix the issues that their manufacturers caused. There are so many articles and complaints about this same issue and Chrysler refusing to fix it. Please help us ensure the safety of our family until we can afford another car. Our mechanic was able to replicate the issue and now it’s just constantly on. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Jul 17, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the 4-WD unavailable warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the PTU (Power Transfer Units). The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 21-017-21. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was 71,076.
Power train, Jul 16, 2024
Service shifter keeps popping out and I know thousands of other people have that issue and they still haven’t issued a recall or anything to fix it
Power train, Jul 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle was able to be restarted. After restarting the vehicle, the vehicle briefly returned to normal functionality, but the failure reoccurred. The low oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the transmission mount. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the vehicle was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000. The VIN was not available.
Steering, Power train, Jul 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact's husband struck a curb. The contact's husband depressed the brake pedal and attempted to make a turn, but the steering wheel became difficult to turn. The "Service Shifter" message was displayed, and the vehicle made an abnormal sound and stalled while driving. The steering wheel was firm while making the turn. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle, and the failure was self-corrected. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic; however, the failure was unable to be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and informed the independent mechanic that the gear shifter needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was approximately 127,000.
Power train, Jul 4, 2024
vehicle jolted while driving, then lost all power to wheels. grinding noise coming from front end. rolled backwards when placed in park.
Power train, Jul 3, 2024
The vehicle jerks or jumps while driving on the highway. I took the dealership twice to get it fixed and paid out of my pocket but problem is not resolved. Now the issue leads to the power transfer case (PTU) failure. I went to the dealership for diagnosis and they told it will cost me $3900 out of pocket to fixed the vehicle.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Engine, May 31, 2024
I was driving up bridge in morning rush traffic suddenly without warning lost drive cv axel on passegner side broke and had to be towed. I called 911 and the police tried to put car in drive and car would just roll back and it almost went into the unit. when the car suddenly stopped I was just lucky no one ran into me, I was in the middle of the road & could not move the car.
Power train, May 10, 2024
SHIFTER GEAR HARNESS PTU REPLACEMANT. Driving down the road and the shifter light all light up and a message comes on saying service shifter the car has 45000 miles . take to dealer they say need a new shifter gear 535.00 . I google it to find out there is a recall on 2017 Jeep Cherokee but not on my vin ! really? have it fixed 3 months later a message appears on my dash again saying service 4wd . so I take it in and now the put is bad 3600.00 really ? jeep no help because original warranty expired .had a extended warranty also it read 75000 mils or 7 years guess what came first 7 years 2months after it expired this happen .I believe jeep is putting cars on the road they know has these problems also just two ago the shifter g service light came on again this time they said it was a cracked female cap on wire harness . they said as a courtesy they temp fixed no charge this time but if it happens again I would have to replace both shifter and harness 1200.00 cost really of course its going to happen again this car is lemon! they also told me that it was safe to drive while they order the Parts which takes weeks to get ! really safe to drive ? I don't think so as you read hundreds of people have the same problem . jeep has put their customer in unsafe vehicle where is the protection for the consumer? they say my vin is not on recall because of the factory it was produced in . that is crap its the parts that are bad and they are in all jeep Cherokee 2014 -2018!