2018 Jeep Cherokee
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 686 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 8th highest complaint count among 12 Cherokee model years with reports.
Of the 2018 reports, 11 involved a crash and 5 involved a fire. 7 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
Electrical system, wiring, front underhoodAug 9, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.
A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.
Campaign 18V524000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, axle assembly, axle shaftJul 26, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee all-wheel-drive vehicles. The bearing cage for the right front halfshaft assembly may not have been properly heat treated, possibly resulting in the bearing cage breaking and a potential halfshaft assembly failure.
If the halfshaft bearing cage breaks, the halfshaft may not be able to transmit engine power, causing a loss of drive or it can allow the vehicle to move while in the "Park" position. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front right halfshaft assemblies, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U78.
Campaign 18V494000 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
Fuel system, gasoline, delivery, hoses, lines/piping, and fittingsMay 1, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a 2.4L engine. These vehicles may have been manufactured with a fuel tube that may leak fuel into the engine compartment.
A fuel leak in the presence of the ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel tube, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U39.
Campaign 18V282000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engineOct 24, 2017
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee and Compass vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines. The engines may have a cracked oil pump housing that can result in oil pump failure.
If the oil pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the oil pump, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 5, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T65.
Campaign 17V670000 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
Representative owner complaints: service brakes
36 reports, newest first. Show all
Electrical system, Other or unspecified, Service brakes, Sep 18, 2020
'SERVICE SHIFTER' LIGHT HAS COME ON THE DASH SEVERAL TIMES. STARTING AT 26,000 MILES. HAVE TAKEN IT SEVERAL TIME TO CROWN CHRYSLER DOGE JEEP IN CHATTANOOGA TENNESSEE FOR THEM TO TELL ME IT'S ONLY THE BATTERY. THIS BATTERY HAS BEEN REPLACED AND THIS ISSUE IS STILL OCCURRING. TONIGHT, SEPTEMBER 18, 2020, MY JEEP CHEROKEE NOTIFIED SERVICE SHIFTER THE. SLAMMED THE EBRAKE ON WHILE GOING 55. THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE AND THE DEALERSHIP KEEPS STATING NOTHING IS WRONG. I HAVE ALSO HAD ISSUES WITH AFTER PUSHING THE 'BUSH TO START' BUTTON 'TO CUT THE CAR OFF,' THE BUTTON STATES THE CAR IS OFF, BUT YET THE ENGINE IS STILL RUNNING. I NO LONGER WANT THIS 2018 JEEP CHEROKEE DUE TO IT BEING A SAFETY ISSUE.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Sep 10, 2020
SERVICE SHIFTER LIGHT COMES ON AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE SHIFTER LIGHT UP AND SOME CAUSES VEHICLE TO STALL . DEALER SAYS IT NEEDS A NEW WIRING HARNESS AND BEZEL BUT IS NOT UNDER RECALL EVEN KNOW ITS A COMMON PROBLEM AND HAS BEEN FOR YEARS. TALKED TO MULTIPUL PEOPLE HAVING SAME ISSUE ONE INVOLVED IN A CRASH FROM IT
Power train, Service brakes, Engine, Mar 10, 2020
AS PULLING OUT INTO THE ROAD THE VEHICLE STUTTERED AND DOGGED DOWN VERY BAD EVEN MASHING THE GAS TO THE FLOOR THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO. A LIGHT CAME ON SAYING THROTTLE SHIFT CONTROL RESET NEEDED. VEHICLE STARTED TO GO AND THEDOGGED DOWN AGAIN. VEHICLE KEEPS DOING IT. TOOK IT TO JEEP DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE SAYING IT ONLY NEEDS A OIL CHANGE . EVEN THOUGH IT DOESN'T
Service brakes, Mar 7, 2020
THE REAR BRAKE CALIPERS STUCK ON AND WORE THE REAR BRAKE PADS AND ROTORS OUT IN THE FIRST 50,000 MILES. THE FRONT BRAKES BARELY SHOW SIGNS OF WEAR.
Steering, Service brakes, Engine, Dec 27, 2019, crash
I HAVE A 2018 JEEP CHEROKEE WITH UNDER 30,000 MILES ON IT. MY CAR'S STALLED IN THE MIDDLE OF AN INTERSECTION WHILE TAKING A RIGHT TURN. MY BRAKES AND STEERING WERE LOCKED, CAUSING ME TO DRIFT UP ON TO A CURB AND HIT A SIGN. NO WARNING OR INDICATOR LIGHTS CAME ON IN THE CAR PRIOR TO THIS. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP THAT I AM LEASING THE CAR FROM. I WAS TOLD THAT THIS IS COMMON WITH JEEPS, THAT THE CAR WILL BURN THROUGH OIL VERY QUICKLY, THAT NO LOW OIL INDICATOR LIGHT WILL COME ON, AND THAT THE ENGINE WILL SHUT DOWN AS A 'SAFETY FEATURE.' I WAS TOLD THAT THERE IS NOTHING I CAN DO TO PROTECT MYSELF BEYOND GETTING OIL CHANGES EVERY 3K MILES AND THAT IT 'SHOULD' BE FINE. AGAIN, THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO WARNING THAT THE CAR WILL SHUT DOWN OR THAT THERE IS AN ISSUE PRIOR TO IT TURNING OFF WHILE IN MOTION. THE CAR SHUTTING OFF WHILE IN MOTION WAS REFERRED TO AS A SAFETY FEATURE BY THE DEALERSHIP WHO WOULD ONLY OFFER ME AN OIL CHANGE AS A FIX.
Power train, Electrical system, Service brakes, Nov 16, 2019
ELECTRICAL WARNING SYSTEM CAN NOT BE REMEDIED. EMERGENCY BRAKE SYSTEM IS MALFUNCTIONING AND SETTING WHEN CAR IS IN DRIVE. ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPLETELY WENT DEAD ON THE FREEWAY CAUSING THE CAR TO STALL, WHEN CAR WAS RESTARTED AND NURSED OFF OF THE FREEWAY THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM COMPLETELY WENT DEAD, THE TRANSMISSION LOCKED UP PREVENTING THE TOW COMPANY FROM LOADING THE CAR ONTO THE TOW TRUCK, THE CAR WAS MANUALLY MANIPULATED TO RELEASE THE SYSTEM INTO NEUTRAL. THE CARS ELECTRONIC DASH BOARD COMPLETELY GOES DEAD WHILE ON THE FREEWAY. THE CAR HAS BEEN IN 3 DEALERSHIPS OVER MORE THAN 1 MONTH, THE DEALERSHIPS CLAIM THEY HAVE REPLACED COMPUTER COMPONENTS, CAN'T FIND ANYTHING WRONG, OR 'JIGGLE THE WIRES'. THE CARS WARRANTY IS NEARLY UP, AND WE HAVE BEEN PRESSURED TO BUY AN EXTENDED WARRANTY. THE DEALERSHIP HAS PROVIDED US WITH A RENTAL CAR, AND CLAIMED TO HAVE FIXED THE PROBLEM, THAT IS WHEN THE CARS ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED ON THE FREEWAY. THE CAR IS A COMPLETE HAZARD. MY HUSBAND HAS THE REPAIR RECORDS ON FILE.
Power train, Electrical system, Service brakes, Sep 16, 2019
DRIVING DOWN A CITY HIGHWAY THE SERVICE SHIFTER ALERT CAME ON. ALL OF THE LIGHTS NEXT TO THE INDICATORS ON THE SHIFTER LIT UP. THIS HAS HAPPENED TWICE SO FAR TODAY. THE PARKING BRAKE HAS ALSO BEEN TURNING ITSELF ON AS SOON AS THE JEEP IS PUT IN GEAR AND THE FOOT IS LET OFF OF THE BRAKE.
Steering, Electrical system, Service brakes, Jul 9, 2019, crash
I WAS COMPLETING A TURN WHEN THE VEHICLE LOST ALL POWER AND SHUT COMPLETELY OFF CAUSING ME TO LOOSE CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE AND HIT A CURB. VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO DEALERSHIP WHERE I WAS ADVISED THIS HAPPENED DUE TO A SAFETY FEATURE OF MY CAR . WHEN THE CAR IS LOW ON OIL WHEN YOU TURN IT THROWS OFF THE OIL PRESSURE SENSOR SO THE ENGINE DOESN'T BLOW UP . MY LAST OIL CHANGE WAS IN FEB MY CAR IS COMPLETELY OUT OF OIL AND NO CHECK OIL LIGHT APPEARED .
Steering, Service brakes, Engine, Jul 8, 2019
MY VEHICLE WS IN MOTION WHEN THE BATTERY LIGHT FLASHED ON BRIEFLY. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THIS MY VEHICLE LOST POWER COMPLETELY. I WAS UNABLE TO STEER, BRAKE OR ACCELERATE. THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUT OFF. I USED MY EMERGENCY BRAKE TO STOP THE VEHICLE.*BF CONSUMER STATED THE VEHICLE IS CURRENTLY HAVING THE ENGINE REPLACED BUT IT HAD AROUND 28,000 MILES ON IT. THE BATTERY LIGHT BRIEFLY BLINKED ON BEFORE THE VEHICLE STOPPED FUNCTIONING. THE LAST OIL CHANGE WAS ON MAY 26,2019. VIN IS INVALID.*JB
Service brakes, Apr 4, 2019
FRONT RIGHT BRAKE PAD/ROTOR FAILURE WHEN STOPPING VEHICLE. APPEARANCE OF SIGNIFICANT LOCALIZED BRAKE PAD MATERIAL IS CEMENTED TO THE ROTOR IN ONE LOCATION CAUSING FAILURE OF RIGHT FRONT TIRE TO BRAKE PROPERLY. VEHICLE DELIVERED AFTER PURCHASE WITH 272 MILES, NOTICED ON FIRST TRIP THAT THE SYSTEM "PULSATED" WHEN STOPPING. INCREASED STOPPING DISTANCE REQUIRED FROM HIGHWAY SPEEDS. INSPECTION OF ASSEMBLY SHOWS APPROXIMATELY 2" CIRCULAR RUSTED RING ON ROTOR, INDICATING FAILURE OCCURRED WITH LESS THAN 272 MILES ON VEHICLE.
Electrical system, Service brakes, Oct 27, 2018
1.)THE DOOR KNOB/HANDLE IS BURNING HOT THAT YOU COULD HARDLY HANDLE IT OR GRAB IT. 2.) WHEN TURNING, THERE IS A SQUIZZING SOUND AT THE REAR WHEELS AND COULD HARDLY PULL FORWARD, SOMETHING LIKE HOLDING BACK. 3.) WHILE IN TOTAL STOP, ENGINE ON, THERE IS A CLICKING SOUND WHEN STEPPING ON BRAKE AND IT CAN ALSO FEEL THE CLICKING SOUND WHEN PLACING YOUR HAND AT THE SHIFT LEVER. WHAT IF MAKING A TURN, THEN IT WONT MOVE IN THE MIDDLE OF A BUSY RAOD? WHAT IF, WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY THE DRIVER SIDE BURNS,DRIVER CANNOT GET OUT.