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
1,334 reports, newest first.
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
Electrical system, Oct 17, 2024
Our 2017 Jeep Cherokee had the service 4WD light come on Tuesday. Our mileage is 60,800. We took it to our local mechanic, who ran a diagnostic. The code C14A7-97 came up as active on our vehicle. Our mechanic said there was a recall for this issue for our model year. We found "Safety Recall W47/NHTSA 20V-343 PTU Input Spline". Since our Jeep had the exact issue that the recall covers and falls within the 2014-2017 manufacture years, we made an appointment with a local Chrysler dealership. We took it in today for them to look at it. They confirmed that the code active on our vehicle is C14A7-97 and that our 4wd system is not working and that if we are in a situation that we need 4wd we will be at risk. They then told us that our VIN is not listed on the recall and our bill would be $3,200. I pressed that it makes no sense that we are having the exact issue in the recall, that we have a Jeep Cherokee as listed in the recall, that our model year is between 2014-2017 as in the recall, and that our mileage is exactly around the mileage listed in the recall that this problem surfaces("on about 67,240"); but it isn't listed in the recall. How can we be having the exact issue reported and not be covered in the recall? We feel they are taking some loophole and risking the safety of their customers, specifically our safety.
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.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Oct 13, 2024
The Electronic Parking Brake turned on after putting vehicle in PARK. Could this brake have been applied while driving? If so, there could have been multiple fatalities or serious injuries. I did find some text on how there was a lawsuit going on about this.
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!
Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Engine, Oct 6, 2024
1. Consumer is a Permanent and Total Disabled Vet (Unemployable) and this vehicle is the only vehicle Consumer has. 2. I have a 2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk KL (XXX) I have owned since day one with 56k miles. 3. At all times I did not receive any recall notices for correct known safety issues. 5. I have OBD-II tools of vLinker (use everyday for LiveData), BlueDriver and TogDog. 6. For almost as long as I have had the Jeep I have experienced the following. When I say the following I mean, at all times: a. Any type of road- surface- weather- time of day- city, highway and interstate driving- speed to include deaccelerating, at stop sign/light- 1-3 x’s a day, weekly- it doesn’t matter when or where b. The PTU was replaced in 2018 according to service report, service stating they couldn’t replicate issue although they had videos, etc a total of 4-x’s c. But, I keep experiencing the following: d. Loss of acceleration, push on gas pedal nothing happens, sometimes can let off for a bit and then accelerates, revs to 6-7k up/down using/not cruise, cruise doesn’t turn off, pulling trailer and not- lose brakes when stopped rolls back, parking brake message, traction control message, service engine message, loud engine noises from in front of driver, rear back and under center console- lose of rear wheel traction, loss of park- shifting to park grinding noises, 7. Below is a Google Shared Link for anyone that includes videos as it happens, OBD-II scans in .cvs and .brc files along with screenshots of the codes. [XXX] 8. Upon researching these issues I have found 1000s of complaints online regarding the same issues I experience. Including Jeep Compass- Renegade- Wrangler- Grand Cherokee. 9. Upon further research it seems this Consumer is the only one with video during the event and data of said event. 10. I am still retrieving older vids. 11. Vids and documents to large to attach. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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.
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 27, 2024
I’m not the only one with the same issues. I know a lady who has the same problem with her vehicle and has been quoted thousands of dollars to fix it. Cylinders and engine housing.. anti freeze leak.. and then expect us to pay expensive car payments.
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
Other or unspecified, Sep 20, 2024
I need to replace the power transfer unit already on a vehicle with 70,000 cost $3500 there are 850 PTU on backorder with no ETA this is not acceptable I’m told to drive my vehicle until I can’t or buy a new vehicle. I READ ONLINE THERE WAS A SAFETY RECALL W47 / NHTSA 20V-343 but I received no notification. Any help would be appreciated. Thank you.
Fuel/propulsion system, Sep 18, 2024
Date: [XXX] I went to the Exxon gas station in Richmond ,VA to fill up for the trip back to Rocky Mount, N.C. When I put the handle hose into truck hole to pump the gas the gas would not go down the hose. It splashed out on the ground, on my feet and clothes. After several attempts with no resolve, I contacted my insurance for roadside assistance. Which led to the Jeep towed to N.C.I view this as a manufacture defect. I researched this issue and found that there are others consumers dealing with the same difficulty with their Jeep. They can not longer pump gas in the tank. This is a manufacture issue which should be investigated for a recall of this impairment, defected vehicles. In order to correct and repair the defected component or system malfunctions. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical system, Engine, Sep 12, 2024
Vehicle is putting up a code for “service shifter” while driving, which turns off when the car is turned off. Code does not read for dealerships to fix issue. it is reoccurring and we are concerned as we have seen a 2017 jeep Cherokee wreck out after throwing this code and “locking up the engine”. We are secondhand owners of this jeep and believe the previous owner sold this car because of said issue because it came up within a month of us purchasing the car.
Electrical system, Sep 3, 2024
2017 Jeep Cherokee shows "Service Shifter" in dashboard and all lights light up on shifter. This problem first happened in 2020 with 33,101 miles when the car was under warranty. The dealer "fixed" the problem and it went away. Now at 79,000 the exact same problem is back again. There was a lot of research on the issue done 4 years ago and most of the information came from [XXX] where everybody has the same problem. Obviously, whatever fix my previous dealer did is not the solution that Jeep recommended, if they recommended anything at all. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Electrical system, Aug 27, 2024
"Service Shifter" appeared on the dash and the lights "P", "R", "N", "D", and the one between "-" and "+" were all lit up, as if the electronics did not know which gear the car was in. Car would then not go above 50 mph while on the interstate and shifting was slow and jerky. When you're unable to control elements of your driving, you are unable to ensure a safe experience. This shifter issue is directly correlated. The problem is widespread in online forums and seems to be predictable with this model and line of cars. The car is available for inspection upon request. It's common for this to be an issue with cars less than 50000 miles which is a clear sign that this is a manufacturer's fault that needs to be corrected.
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.
Air bags, Other or unspecified, Aug 20, 2024, crash
UNKNOWN Airbags did not deploy when struck by a semi that crossed the median and hit me then pinned me against guardrail that was also damaged/destroyed.
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.
Other or unspecified, Aug 15, 2024
Service shifter light goes on just put a lot of money in this car and nothing but a problem
Service brakes, Aug 1, 2024
While I was driving, the brakes completely failed. I was not able to stop my car. The brakes could not be tapped and the pedal simply did not move. I was only able to move the pedal approximately 1/2in applying tremendous pressure and the car slowed down to a stop. Upon repair, the “vacuum brake booster bump” failed, which is (I am told) a part unique to Jeep/Chrysler. There is no way to know when this part is going to break as it does not have signs of wear and tear and cannot otherwise be maintained. I was lucky this malfunction did not happen on a highway or a busy road as it certainly would have resulted in a catastrophic accident.
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.