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, May 7, 2021
DRIVING 45MPR SERVICE SHIFTER LIGHT COMES ON, ALL GEARS P.R.N,D L LIGHTS COMES ON CAR JERKS WHEN POSITIONING IN AND OUT OF PARK
Power train, Electrical system, May 4, 2021
THE "SERVICE SHIFTER" COMES ON AT RANDOM TIMES. THE VEHICLE MUST BE RESTARTED TO CLEAR THE CODE.
Power train, May 4, 2021
'SERVICE SHIFTER' MESSAGE COMES ON AND ALL LIGHTS LIGHT UP ON THE SHIFTER WHILE DRIVING.
Power train, Apr 29, 2021
MY 2017 JEEP CHEROKEE DISPLAYS "SERVICE SHIFTER". I'VE SEEN MULTIPLE ONLINE REVIEWS/COMPLAINTS FOR THE SAME ISSUE, YET THIS $900 TO REPAIR ISSUE HAS NOT BECOME A RECALL. WHAT RECOURSE DO WE ALL HAVE AND WHY WON'T JEEP FIX THIS ONGOING PROBLEM? THE MESSAGE HAS BEEN GOING ON/OFF INTERMITTENTLY SINCE I BOUGHT THE VEHICLE IN 2019, HOWEVER, AT THAT TIME, THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT SAID IT PROBABLY WASN'T CRITICAL TO HAVE IT REPAIRED AT THAT TIME. NOW, THEY'RE SAYING THE SHIFTER NEEDS TO BE REPLACED.
Other or unspecified, Apr 28, 2021
SERVICE SHIFTER LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON.
Steering, Electrical system, Engine, Apr 23, 2021
JEEP WILL STALL WHILE DRIVING. ENGINE WILL SHUT OFF, LOSE POWER STEERING, CANNOT ACCELERATE TO TRY TO GET OUT OF HARMS WAY, BATTERY, OIL AND ENGINE LIGHT WILL COME ON AND RECEIVE A MESSAGE SAYING TO "SHIFT TO PARK OR NEUTRAL TO START THE VEHICLE". IF YOU WANT A COUPLE MINUTES THE JEEP STRUGGLE TO TURNOVER BUT EVENTUALLY WILL. THIS IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS AND THIS VEHICLE NEEDS TO BE RECALLED IMMEDIATELY!!!! THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE!!! IT HAS HAPPENED TO ME 6 TIMES IN THE PAST 3 WEEKS. IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND OCCURS WITHOUT WARNING ON ANY STREET OR HIGHWAY, TURNING OR BRAKING.
Other or unspecified, Apr 22, 2021
SERVICE SHIFTER LIGHT FREQUENTLY ON.
Other or unspecified, Apr 20, 2021
SERVICE SHIFTER CONTINUES TO POP UP
Steering, Power train, Other or unspecified, Apr 4, 2021
DOESN'T SEEM TO BE TURNING RIGHT. A LOT OF CLICKING MAKING NOISE WHEN I BACK UP. AND TURN WHEEL.
Power train, Electrical system, Engine, Apr 3, 2021
THE CAR IS CONSTANTLY STALLING WHILE DRIVING AND THEN SHUTTING OFF IMMEDIATELY. IT DOESN'T MATTER IF I AM ON THE EXPRESSWAY OR SIDE STREETS. THIS HAS NOW HAPPENED TWO DAYS IN A ROW. IT IS VERY DANGEROUS! LITERALLY HAVE TO SIT STRANDED IN A PLACE UNTIL THE CAR STARTS BACK UP. YESTERDAY APR 2, 2021, IT STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF 57TH AND COTTAGE GROVE IN CHICAGO AND TODAY APT 3, 2021, IT STALL ON INTERSTATE 80 AT THE CALUMET EXIT HEADING WEST, WITH MY CHILD IN THE CAR... REGULAR MAINTENANCE HAS BEEN DONE. NEW OIL CHANGE AND STILL STALLS AND SHUTS OFF. IT'S HAPPENING ONCE A WEEK AND THE DEALERSHIP ACTS LIKE THEY HAVE NO IDEA. TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALERSHIP FOR AN APPOINTMENT ON 4/13!
Other or unspecified, Apr 1, 2021
WHEN DRIVING MY SERVICE SHIFTER LIGHT COMES ON ALL THE GEARS ARE LITE UP RED THE PARK REVERSE NEUTRAL AND DRIVE I HAVE TO PULL OVER KILL THE ENGINE THEN WAIT A FEW SECONDS THEN RESTART IT BUT IT CONTINUE TO COME ON AT LEAST 2 TIMES A DAY THROUGH OUT THE WEEK
Power train, Electrical system, Apr 1, 2021
OUR SERVICE SHIFTER LIGHT STARTED COMING ON PERIODICALLY AT AROUND 20K MILES. IT HAS HAPPENED NO LESS THAT 10 TIMES NOW. THIS IS PROBLEMATIC SINCE IT WILL HAPPEN WHILE DRIVING AND THE POWERTRAIN WILL SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL CAUSING THE DRIVER TO HAVE TO PULL OVER WHILE IN TRAFFIC. I TALKED TO THE JEEP DEALER WHO SAID THIS IS OUT OF THE BUMPER TO BUMPER 3 YEAR/36K WARRANTY AND NOT COVERED BY THE POWERTRAIN WARRANTY. WHEN THIS HAPPENS THE SERVICE SHIFTER LIGHT COMES ON AND THE GEAR SHIFT LIGHTS ARE ALL RED,P,R,N,D, THE VEHICLE LOSES POWER AND GOES NUETRAL. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF POSTS ABOUT THIS ISSUE. SEE HTTPS://WWW.CARGURUS.COM/CARS/DISCUSSION-T68742_DS990296 . HOW CAN THIS NOT BE A RECALL OR COVERED UNDER POWERTRAIN WARRANTY? DOES MY TEENAGE DAUGHTER NEED TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN AND THEN GET PLOWED INTO BY A TRUCK TO MAKE YOU OR JEEP TAKE ACTION? PLEASE DO WHAT IS RIGHT AND SAFE FOR ALL OF US JEEP OWNERS EXPERIENCING THIS ISSUE.
Vehicle speed control, Engine, Mar 28, 2021
WHILE DRIVING ON HWY 395 TRAVELING NORTH FROM SPOKANE, WA, WITH CRUISE CONTROL SET AT 60 MPH, AFTER CRESTING A LOW HILL AND DESCENDING THE HILL MY CAR'S ENGINE BEGAN RACING THE RPM WENT TO 4500 RPM AND I COULDN'T GET IT TO SLOW DOWN OR STOP BY BRAKING OR CHANGING THE CRUISE CONTROL. MY CAR GOT TO 80 MPH WHEN I FINALLY GOT THE CRUISE CONTROL TO DISENGAGE BY PRESSING CANCEL AGAIN WHILE BRAKING. THIS IS THE SECOND TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED. IT'S VERY SCARY. I'M AFRAID TO USE THE CRUISE CONTROL IN MY CAR.
Power train, Mar 27, 2021
WHEN ACCELERATING IT FEELS LIKE THE ENGINE IS NOT SENDING ENOUGH POWER AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS ON A HIGHER GEAR AND ALSO THUDS AS IF THE TRANSMISSION WAS HAVING TROUBLE SHIFTING.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Mar 23, 2021
SERVICE SHIFTER RANDOMLY COMES ON AND CAUSES SCREEN TO LOCK AND LIGHTS UP THE SHIFTER. THIS HAPPENS WHEN STARTING THE VEHICLE.
Engine, Mar 23, 2021
THE JEEP HAS 42K MILES. RECENTLY THE CAR SUDDENLY, WITHOUT ANY WARNING JUST QUIT WHILE DRIVING IN TRAFFIC. THIS WAS THE SECOND TIME IN 3 WEEKS THIS HAPPENED. 5K MILES AGO I GOT AN SYNTHETIC OIL CHANGE GOOD FOR 10K MILES. AT APPROX. 5K MILES WAS WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED TO DIE. I CONTACTED DEALER IN ELIZABETHTOWN KY AND EXPLAINED WHAT HAD HAPPENED. HE APPARENTLY WAS AWARE THAT FOR EVERY 1K MILES, A QUART OF OIL WAS USED. THIS WAS NEVER TOLD TO ME AND YET KNOWING THIS, THE DEALER TOLD ME I HAD TO HAVE THE 10K MILE OIL KNOWING I WOULD NEVER REACH THAT. HE SAID THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF RECALL ON A SENSOR THAT UNTIL THEY COULD SCHEDULE ME IN, I NEEDED TO POUR OIL INTO THE ENGINE WHICH I DID. MY LIFE WAS PLACED IN DIRE JEOPARDY. AND I WAS NEVER MADE AWARE OF THIS OBSCENE USAGE OF OIL BY THIS MODEL. IF THE ENGINE BLOCK HAD CRACKED DUE TO THIS-THAN WHAT?
Power train, Mar 22, 2021
SERVICE SHIFTER LIGHT COMES ON AT INTERMEDIATE TIMES WHILE DRIVING AND ALL THE PRND LIGHTS COME ON. SHUT THE VEHICLE OFF AND TURN BACK ON AND IT'S GOOD FOR A WHILE.
Electrical system, Mar 19, 2021
MY BACK GATE/ TRUCK WILL NOT OPEN FROM THE OUTSIDE AT ALL I PRESS THE BUTTON ON MY KEYS AND THE BUTTON ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE GATE/TRUNK AND NOTHING THE ONLY WAS I CAN OPEN IT, IS IF WE CLAIM ON THE BACK AND MANUELING OPEN IT , WE TRIED EVERYTHING AND IT DOESN'T OPEN.
Power train, Mar 19, 2021
SERVICE SHIFTER LIGHT CAME ON AND GEAR SHIFT LIGHTS ARE ALL RED,P,R,N,D
Power train, Other or unspecified, Mar 19, 2021
SERVICE SHIFTER INDICATOR CAME ON
Power train, Electrical system, Mar 17, 2021
SHIFTER SENSOR LIGHTS KEEPS COMING ON AND ALL LIGHTS ON SHIFTER LIGHT UP RED, WHILE STATIONARY AND IN MOTION. I HAVE TO STOP TURN THE CAR OFF AND RESTART IT TO PROCEED.HAS BEEN HAPPENING FOR OVER A YEAR.
Exterior lighting, Mar 16, 2021
FACTORY INSTALLED TOW PACKAGE SIGNALS WHERE NOT ACTIVATED. HAD TO BRING TO DEALER AFTER TRYING TO SAFELY USE A TRAILER. DEALER HAD TO CONTACT JEEP STAR/BCM. TO ACTIVATE THE SYSTEM. DEFECT HAS PRESENT FROM DAY ONE, DID NOT HAD A REASON TO USE THE SYSTEM UNTIL NOW. DEALER ALSO DID NOT DETECT IN THE PRE-CUSTOMER RELEASE OF THE VEHICLE.
Power train, Mar 15, 2021
KEEP GETTING MESSAGE TO SERVICE SHIFTER AND DISPLAYS ON DASH CONTINUOUSLY ALL LIGHT ON SHIFTER LIGHT. SEEMS TO SHIFT VERY HARD WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I SEE MANY COMPLAINTS ABOUT THIS ON THE INTERNET WITH MANY DIFFERENT YEARS OF VEHICLES. STARTED LAST YEAR 2019. STILL DOING AS OF TODAY 3/15/2021
Steering, Power train, Service brakes, Mar 14, 2021
I WAS AT AN INTERSECTION STOPPED YESTERDAY AND MY 2017 JEEP CHEROKEE LIMITED LOST ALL POWER STEERING, AND BRAKES. DASHBOARD FLASHED 'CAR MUST BE IN NEUTRAL OR PARK TO SHIFT GEARS' AND WOULDN'T GO FORWARD, STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS UNTIL I PULLED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. TURNED OFF THE CAR TO TRY TO RESET IT AND TOOK A LONG TIME TO TURN OVER. WENT OUT WITH IT AGAIN THIS MORNING AND SAME THING BUT GOING ABOUT 20MPH. THIS IS COMPLETELY UNSAFE AS I HAVE NO CONTROL OVER THE CAR!!!!
Suspension, Mar 13, 2021
EVERY TIME YOU HIT A BUMP YOU HEAR A RATTLE OR A LOUD CLUMP NOISE ! IT SOUNDS LIKE SOMETHING IS FALLING APART OR LOSE : STRUTS HAVE TO BE CHANGED A LOT ON THIS VEHICLE ! NEEDS TO HAVE A RECALL THERE ARE SEVERAL COMPLAINTS ABOUT STRUTS BEING BAD !