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, Jul 21, 2023
transmission slips to the point it jerks my car when it down shifts and going down a hill it will rev up over 3 rpm
Steering, Suspension, Power train, Jul 19, 2023
I brought car in for oil change and was told the R front axle was leaking. Brought it to dealer for repair and told Both that both front and rear axles needed to be replaced along with PTU. Was informed that the that was ordered was cancelled b/c 800 people across the country were looking for the same part. There were no safety warnings. I was told very unsafe to drive b/c front axle came out of PTU.
Steering, Power train, Electrical system, Jul 17, 2023
Service shifter message has been appearing and at times, all lights on PRND lighting up. The vehicle transmission may still engage or may not. Recent occurrence on 07/13/2013, vehicle took 20 minutes before transmission engaged. Fortunately, I was parked at work, going home. If this occurred on the road, has potential of wreck happening. Jeep dealership leaning towards voltage error, cleaned battery terminals, test drove, could not replicate error. Did not drive until 07/17/2023, service shifter message came back without all PRND lights coming on.
Power train, Jul 12, 2023
SHIFTER SERVICE light appears chronically while driving and locks the digital speedometer, all lights on console go red until car is parked and restarted. No one can tell me what this means, or how to fix it ... not even the dealer. Totally scary as I travel alone a great deal of the time, and today is just the latest occurrence of this over the last 18 months.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Jul 8, 2023
Service shifter light keeps going on after having shifter replaced 1 year ago
Other or unspecified, Jun 30, 2023
Service shifter light
Other or unspecified, Jun 29, 2023
Service shifter
Power train, Jun 28, 2023
"Service Shifter" light came on, and all my shifter's lights are red. Looking across the internet, this is a widespread issue. Thankfully this didn't cause an accident, but it sounds like some users report not being able to shift into park. Will be taking to the dealership soon (its too late in the day to drop it off now).
Other or unspecified, Jun 12, 2023
When starting my jeep my service shifter light comes on. I shut my engine of and the light goes off. Next morning start my engine service shifter light come on. I have to restart my jeep 5 times before the light goes off. I've called a jeep dealership and they inform me that I'm the third person within the last week to inquire about this information.
Other or unspecified, May 22, 2023
I have a message that says service shifter
Power train, May 18, 2023
al accionar el boton de la 4wd low en la pantalla Servicio no disponible y requiere mantenimiento, iva por carretera y llegue a un taller y se escaneo para ver el problema, el escaner arrojo muchos codigos entre ellos que no havia comunicacion con varios modulos y problemas con el freno de parqueo, llame a la agencia para ver si havia un recall de esta unidad y solo tenian registrado 2 llamados a revicion ya echos segun esto. en su pagina reportan para este modelo 5 llamados. la unidad la acabo de comprar, ademas encontre un modulo electronico al parecer fue por cambio. pero ignoro si fue por garantia o llamado de algun servicio,
Vehicle speed control, May 11, 2023
There was no accident but I would like to prevent one. I believe there should be a recall on my vehicle regarding the service shifter. This defect could potentially result in power loss to the front wheels and the transmission being impossible to put into park. My vehicle service shifter light is on and my car jerks while driving. Is this not a problem with many Jeeps?
Power train, May 10, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 65 MPH and releasing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle made abnormal banging sounds and lunged forward. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the TCM software update was completed under a recall; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer, Huntington - RAM (5080 E Jericho Turnpike, Commack, NY 11725), where the TCM software update was completed; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that the RPMs revved up to 5,000 while in Adaptive Cruise Control mode. The contact shifted into gear, and the vehicle responded as needed. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that he would need to leave the vehicle for additional diagnostic tests. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the TCM software update was the adequate fix. The failure mileage was approximately 88,000.
Service brakes, May 8, 2023
The parking brake deploys automatically (while parked), locking the vehicle, and leaving it undrivable. Just prior, there was an illuminated brake symbol and message to service parking brake, on dash screen. Vehicle was towed to a local garage, and diagnosis was: parking brake censor corroded due to water leak. Part was replaced. Two days later, brake locks vehicle a second time (while parked), due to water damage. Waiting for part to be replaced again, and continued effort to locate leak. I don't know if either of the failed parts are available for inspection, but I will inquire. My main safety concern is for brake to automatically activate while driving. Not to mention the cost for repeat servicing.
Power train, Electrical system, May 5, 2023
Service shifter light illuminates several times per month but disappears when engine is off. Battery randomly drains all power and needs to be jump started when temperature outside is warmer than 76 degrees
Power train, May 3, 2023
MY POWER TRANSFER CASE IS BAD, 4 WHEEL DR LIGHT IS ON AND MECHANTIC SAID TRANSFER CASE IS BAD AND MUST BE REPLACED AND THEY DIDNT INCLUDE MINE FOR RECALL FOR SOME REASON IT IS THE SAME PROBLEM AS OTHERS AND REPLACEMENTS ARE NOT AVAILABLE, SAY THEY ARE ON BACK ORDER? HELP PLEASE
Steering, Power train, May 2, 2023
Service shifter keeps going on but no dealer ship know what the problem is and I have been stuck because of it.
Engine, May 2, 2023
The car sometimes jumps, propels forward, possibly transmission related issue, and just happens randomly.
Power train, Apr 21, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that when he stopped the vehicle and shifted into park(P), the gear was not recognized. Additionally, the “Service 4WD” warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) needed to be replaced. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000 (Power Train). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.
Power train, Electrical system, Apr 20, 2023
Upon starting the vehicle, the service shifter message came on the dashboard screen and all the lights on the shifter illuminated red. If I drive with it on, it stays on. When I turn off the Jeep and turn it back on, the message and lights go off. However, this message has appeared about once a month for the last few months. It is unknown if my safety has been at risk. I've called two different dealers and got widely different answers about what the problem could be, as well as very different cost estimates to fix it. But, no one really knows what the fix is. I've investigated this problem online and have found 100s if not 1000s of complaints about the same problem with no clear solution. Why is there no recall for this yet. It's been going on for years.
Electrical system, Apr 20, 2023
Water is leaking into vehicle when it rains. Floor boards are soaked after it rains. Water is coming into contact with electrical somewhere. Causing loss of power, and lights to flicker. Took to dealership a couple times, they couldn't find the leak. They said they found it but didn't. After a couple attempts to fix the issue. The dealership refunded my money and said they couldn't help.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 7, 2023
My service shifter light stays on almost all the time. The gears PRND are all red lights.
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Apr 6, 2023
At random times, the vehicle will notify of a "Service Shifter" message that pops up on screen. The lights that indicate which gear the car is in all light up-park, neutral, drive, etc. Every light turns on and the notification shows up on the screen where speedometer is located. This is concerning-it has happened multiple times, if I turn the car off and back on, the notification goes away. However, it always comes back a few hundred miles later. I drive a 2017 Jeep Cherokee, and bought it in 2019 with only 16,000 miles on it. The notification first came up when I hit 20,000 miles and has persisted ever since periodically. If you search "Jeep Cherokee service shifter" you can find NUMEROUS forums where people have reported the same issues. It is clearly an issue that needs to be looked into further. I have already filed a safety problem before, and nothing was done about it. I recommend looking into this issue further, and googling the issue as well-there are far too many people reporting the same problem and there has been no recall to be issued.
Power train, Mar 24, 2023
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a left turn, there was an abnormal grinding sound coming from the front of the vehicle. The vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that the gear shifter failed to move as needed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and the contact was informed about NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The local dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact mentioned that the rear differential was previously repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 61,000.
Power train, Mar 24, 2023
The contact's daughter owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that on various occasions while his daughter was driving at various speeds, the "shift to park(P) or neutral(N), Press Brake" message was displayed, and the battery warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the vehicle started losing motive power shortly afterwards. The vehicle was able to restart, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic however, the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 86,000.