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.
Electrical system, Dec 14, 2023
At 57,537 miles, the heads-up speedometer and all other displays were disabled with an error message to "Service Shifter". At the same time, each PRNDL indicator light on the shifter panel lit up RED. Very disconcerting! I cycled the engine and that restored normal operation, but I could find no information on this error in the JEEP manual. On line, however, I found many people concerned about this same error with different potential causes/fixes.
Power train, Dec 11, 2023
The service light was coming on and off. It would reset on startup but would come on after driven for a few miles. I experienced the car kicking into gear when I went from park to drive. The first time I brought it in, they said that they didn't see anything and cleared the codes and I drove it off the lot not even 1/2 mile and the light came back on and as I was leaving the lot, I noted that the car abruptly took off when I put my foot lightly on the gas pedal. When I questioned that there was a recall a few years ago, the dealership said that this car had no recalls related to my problem. A few months after I got the car repaired, there was a recall for the 2017 Cherokee for the PTU but not for my VIN #. This car was manufactured Sept 2016 and is a 2017 Jeep Cherokee High Altitude.
Air bags, Dec 8, 2023, crash
The contact's wife owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle before him stopped suddenly, causing his vehicle to crash into the rear end of the other vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The emergency units transported the contact to the hospital, where he was informed that his upper spine disk could be dislocated or fractured. An appointment was scheduled for an MRI. A police report was filed. The vehicle remained at the scene on the side of the road. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.
Power train, Dec 1, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the transmission was slipping while driving. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact stated that it seemed as if the transmission had slipped into neutral (N) before the vehicle lost motive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact attempted to shift from park(P) to drive (D), but the vehicle failed to respond. The contact shifted into reverse (R) and the vehicle responded. The contact stated that he continually moved the gear shifter until the vehicle responded and shifted into drive (D). The contact then drove to the nearby residence. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. The local dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 113,000.
Power train, Nov 29, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that it had snowed, and the transmission mode was shifted to "Snow”. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle was losing forward momentum and there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact depressed the accelerator pedal and the vehicle revved but lost motive power. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact pulled over and stopped the vehicle and turned off the vehicle. The contact restarted the vehicle and returned to regular drive mode however, the vehicle would not shift into drive (D). The contact had the vehicle towed to the residence. The vehicle was not taken to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle had not been diagnosed and was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 83,000.
Power train, Nov 28, 2023
We was running and because was a lot of snow we put the 4X4 and then after we turning that function on the car start making weird sounds and we decided to stop the car. Then when we took the 4X4 out, the car doesn’t move anymore. Just the reverse move but not to the front. Never turn any lights transmission on and nothing. Just the transmission got stock.
Visibility/wiper, Nov 28, 2023
No front defroster… blows but does not blow out defroster vents… Very serious problem here in Wisconsin… Could cause accident if windshield frosts up while driving
Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Nov 27, 2023, crash
There was already a recall on the make and model of my car, Jeep Cherokee Latitude; however, when I search by VIN it shows zero unrepaired recalls. So if the problem is fixed (no one even attempted to fix my car), why does my car still shut off in the middle of driving? When it shuts off I can’t turn the wheel, Can’t put it in park, and the gas and brakes/ABS don’t work. This has happened many times with my daughter, currently 4yo, in the car; why do I have to risk my life every single time we need to go somewhere? Every single dealership and mechanic I’ve brought it to says there is nothing wrong with the car, yet it continues to shut off while driving… I did crash the first time it happened, but it was in a snow storm and possibly unrelated? No injuries or damage.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Engine, Nov 27, 2023
The car randomly activated the Electronic Parking Break and it will not disengage. I have disconnected the Battery hoping to reset the module but that did not work. This car will also randomly refuse to start or shut down. Only resetting the ECM/PCM will clear the error and get the car moving again. This is a safety concern because the Ebrake may engage while moving at high speeds. There is a warning light indicating that Ebrake needs service. There is also an unknown leak coming in from the roof and running towards the back lift gate. Water will pool in the storage section to the left and right of rear lift gate.
Service brakes, Nov 26, 2023
My parking brake locked up and no matter what we tried to attempt to unlock the parking brake nothing worked so my vehicle was towed. This problem occurred overnight while it sat in my parking area I did not have the parking brake engaged by me. Later, we discovered from my mechanic this could have occurred on the highway which could have led to a fatal accident. I think there should be a recall on the emergency parking brake module . Our parking brake module was found in water which meant the compartment the module was in was leaking water into the compartment which caused corrosion which led to the locking up of the parking brake.
Power train, Nov 22, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while starting the vehicle, the message "Service 4-Wheel Drive, Unavailable" was displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, there was vibration underneath the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power transfer unit (PTU) had failed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Numbers: 23V302000 (Power Train) and 20V343000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 122,000.
Engine, Nov 17, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle stopped independently. The contact parked, and restarted the vehicle however, the failure persisted. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle had not been taken to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 62,000.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Nov 16, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shut off without warning. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was consuming an excessive amount of engine oil and the engine was replaced. The contact stated that several years later while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle shut off without warning. The contact stated that the failure occurred for a second time soon after restarting the vehicle. The contact drove back to the dealer and the vehicle remained at the dealer for approximately 2 months. Once the vehicle was returned to the contact, the vehicle shut off again; the vehicle was towed back to the dealer. The dealer replaced the power software module and returned that vehicle back to the contact. Soon after retrieving the vehicle, the instrument panel went blank, and the vehicle shut off again without warning. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and then back to the dealer; however, neither the independent mechanic nor the dealer could determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Engine, Nov 10, 2023
Service shifter notification/warning comes on randomly. When this warning is on, all of the lights on the gear shift light up (p,r,n,d). The engine feels like it is slipping, and the vehicle will drive slowly & is very loud. The gas pedal can be pressed completely to the floor and the car will not accelerate fast enough. The airbag and parking braking notification flash as well. Check engine light comes too.
Power train, Nov 9, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while her husband was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle locked up. While attempting to accelerate, the vehicle failed to exceed 25 MPH. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle, but the vehicle failed to move forward or operate in reverse. The check engine light was flashing. The vehicle was towed to her residence. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer however, the mechanic was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The vehicle was towed to a transmission specialist and the contact was informed that the failure was due to the differential and TCM module and referred her to a dealer. The manufacturer was contacted and referred her to the dealer. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V302000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was 68,177.
Power train, Nov 7, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the service shifter warning message had appeared on the instrument panel and the light on the gear shifter appeared in red. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the contact was given an estimate for a diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.
Power train, Nov 6, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The contact shut off and restarted the vehicle and the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the power transfer unit (PTU) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Other or unspecified, Nov 6, 2023
A few months ago, I was at a slow speed, looking for a parking space, when I set the car in parking it made a weird noise and did not stop. After that issue, an indicator light appeared on the board: SVC-4WD. After this, the indicator light came on almost every day. I took the Jeep to the auto repair shop where I usually go, they ordered the piece and had to wait for weeks. I saw on this website that this issue has a recall in several units. I just hope I can get a refund. I'm attaching the invoice.
Power train, Nov 4, 2023
I started the vehicle and a warning came up on the dash stating that I need to service my shifter. All lights on the shifter column are red, and remain red when shifting gears. After shutting off and restarting, the warning and red lights disappear. Recurs randomly.
Power train, Nov 2, 2023
This vehicle has under 90k miles on it. This vehicle has also been maintained by dealerships or certified shops. We are the only owners of the vehicle. We had a “service 4wd” light come on. When we brought it to a dealership for diagnostics it was found that the PTU is failing. Cost for repair from the dealership is 3900. When googling this issue, I found that there were many keeps with the same make and model that were recalled for this exact thing. Please help.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Nov 2, 2023
As I was driving all the lights on my [XXX] gear lit up. On my dashboard, it said service shifter. Well, I continued driving. My truck started to slow down a D kept flashing on my dashboard. I had to pull over to the side as the truck was coming to a complete stop. I turned off the ignition waited a few minutes. Turn my truck back on and I was back on the road. I’ve heard lots of complaints in regards to the shifter, but there’s no recall for this. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Parking brake, Oct 31, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the parking brake failed to disengage. The contact shifted the vehicle into Service Mode for the vehicle to operate as needed. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal sound and the contact felt as if the brake pads were rubbing against the rotors. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 110,000.
Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes, Oct 31, 2023
After the weekend rain, I went to start the 2017 Jeep Cherokee it did not start. I had the battery car jumped and it started up when driving it the steering wheel locked up. The dashboard started to display antilock brake assist off system, power steering assist off system, service transmission restart in Park with vehicle 0 speed, and so many red lights started flashing afterwards. I was in the car with my children a car that was coming behind me had to swerve around me as my car instantly stopped. This could’ve been a horrific or fatal car accident. I just hit my car check to renew my plates the emissions pass and everything safety was good. With this current situation, I would now have to get my car back to the dealership for further inspection, and will be without a car.
Power train, Oct 27, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that after starting the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the PTU. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V302000 (Power Train), but the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 71,000.
Power train, Electrical system, Vehicle speed control, Oct 22, 2023
Service shifter light is turning on the car at 20-60 mph and more. Car warning continues to appear over multiple periods of times and not able to see speed and determine if car is driving properly!