2019 Jeep Cherokee
Problems, recalls and owner-reported issues
Power train is the leading concern among 1,643 owner complaints filed for this model year. This is the 4th highest complaint count among 12 Cherokee model years with reports.
Of the 2019 reports, 40 involved a crash and 19 involved a fire. 37 people were injured.
What owners report most often
Recalls and investigations
Power trainMay 7, 2026
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may fail.
A failed PTU may result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Dealers will update the Drivetrain Control Drivetrain Control Module, PTU, and Electronic Park Brake software, and replace the PTU, as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk were mailed June 25, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy becomes available. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 40D. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 14, 2026.
Campaign 26V290000 on NHTSA.gov
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
Steering, rack and pinion, rackAug 29, 2019
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The steering rack gear may break, possibly causing a loss of steering control.
A loss of steering control increases the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V99.
Campaign 19V637000 on NHTSA.gov
Air bagsJun 13, 2019
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The impact and acceleration sensors may fail and reduce the air bag system's ability to properly detect certain crash events.
In the event of a crash, the inability to properly detect a crash may result in improper air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected sensors, free of charge. The recall began August 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V63.
Campaign 19V449000 on NHTSA.gov
SeatsMar 28, 2019
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The front passenger seat mounting bolts may be loose.
In the event of a crash, the seat may move, increasing the risk of injury.
Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will tighten the mounting bolts, free of charge. The recall began April 11, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V31.
Campaign 19V248000 on NHTSA.gov
Electrical system, instrument cluster/panelDec 20, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The instrument cluster may fail resulting in a lack of activation of warning chimes, messages, and gauges.
Without the activation of warning chimes, messages, and gauges to provide vehicle information to the driver, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is UC4.
Campaign 18V917000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmissionOct 19, 2018
Chrysler(FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines. Improper transmission calibration may result in a stall.
A vehicle stall can increase the risk of crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will re-flash the transmission controller with a new calibration, free of charge. The recall began November 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is UA9.
Campaign 18V739000 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
Service brakes, hydraulic, foundation components, disc, caliperAug 9, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Dodge Grand Caravan and Jeep Compass, 2018 Dodge Journey, and 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.
A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began September 29, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U86.
Campaign 18V523000 on NHTSA.gov
Power train, automatic transmissionJul 26, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica non-hybrid vehicles. A component in the transmission may not have been welded properly, possibly causing the transmission to not transmit engine power to the wheels.
If the transmission weld fails, the vehicle will stop moving, increasing the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U85.
Campaign 18V492000 on NHTSA.gov
Engine and engine cooling, engineMay 25, 2018
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with 2.0L engines. The engines in these vehicles may be missing valve stem keepers, which can allow the valve to drop into the engine cylinder causing engine damage. These engines may also have a reversed camshaft cap that can damage the camshaft bearing causing camshaft failure.
Cylinder damage or camshaft failure can cause the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair or replace the affected engine components, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 9, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U52.
Campaign 18V344000 on NHTSA.gov
Representative owner complaints
1,643 reports, newest first.
Power train, Jul 20, 2026
Hi, I own a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. Requesting that my vehicle VIN number be included in the active recalls associated with the 2019 Jeep Cherokee, specifically related to the Power Transfer Unit failure. The two active recalls that apply to my vehicle are: 40D and 01C. Recently, my vehicle displayed a "SVC 4WD" warning message. I took the vehicle to an authorized Jeep dealership for diagnosis and paid a diagnostic fee of approximately $200. The dealership determined that the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) needs to be replaced and provided a repair estimate of approximately $3,200. After receiving the vehicle diagnosis from the dealership and reading the possible life-threatening ramifications listed in the active recalls, which are very similar, if not the same as what the dealer diagnosed in my vehicle, I decided not to drive it. That has been very distressing for me because I don't have another vehicle, I don't have the money to repair the vehicle, and the dealer refused to repair it under the recall because my VIN is not listed on the ordered recall. My understanding is that your office has the authority to issue recalls for vehicle with defects that threaten public safety, and my situation described above is certainly dangerous to myself and others. At the time the warning message was displayed on the dashboard, (early June), my vehicle odometer displayed 71,876 miles. Based on publicly available information, PTU-related failures and others have been identified in Jeep Cherokee vehicles, and the symptoms affecting my vehicle are similar to those associated with known PTU issues. The vehicle has been consistently maintained through the Jeep dealership service department at 120 W McKinley Ave, Mishawaka, Indiana, 46545, United States. Please add my VIN number to the Jeep Cherokee PTU-related active recall so that the dealer can repair my vehicle under the recall and I can drive my car again. Sincerely, A very concerned and affected Jeep Cherokee driver.
Engine, Jul 19, 2026
Automatic transmission shifts hard at approximately 30 mph causing a sudden lurch.It has happened several times. It is such a sudden movement that it feels unsafe as if someone has hit my car from behind. I took my car to the dealer of purchase for the first time for this issue on 7/18/26. This has happened at least 4x and there were no warnings prior to it happening. Also, when I hit a small speed bump the lights went off on the dashboard and car was still running. No findings were reported.
Power train, Engine, Fuel/propulsion system, Jul 17, 2026
My 2019 jeep Cherokee limited suffered a complete loss of power while driving down the highway and now has a service 4wd light on as well.
Power train, Jul 16, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Service 4WD" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the power take-off unit(PTU) had experienced internal damage and the PTU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer and the dealer were made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Power train, Other or unspecified, Jul 16, 2026
Has been in shop since I have owed it replaced axles (rear) rear differential(1 time), and transfer case(3 times) still slipping and dragging at take off and speed over 55 grinding and bumping sounds , mechanics can’t figure it out no lights on dash and diagonist still shows rear differential and transfer case
Power train, Jul 15, 2026
We noticed a recall will be issued for certain Jeep Cherokee regarding the failed PTU system. Our vehicle is not showing it will be included however we are having the identical issue. The 4WD service light comes on and when you excellerate, the vehicle chokes down and hesitates acting as if it will turn off. The vehicle has 73,000 miles and has never been driven in 4WD or off road.
Engine, Jul 15, 2026
Engine failure at 90,000 miles need a whole new engine
Service brakes, Jul 14, 2026
I was leaving the parking lot of a grocery store - I was probably 100 yards from where I parked to the exit to the road. My [XXX] and [XXX] were in car seats in the back. I went to merge into traffic going left out of the parking lot. As I accelerated to merge into traffic and get up to speed, the emergency brake on my car engaged with roughly half of my vehicle in the lane of oncoming traffic. As quickly as I could, I realized what had happened and turned off the emergency brake so that my car would move. By this time the car coming at us had to swerve around us and another car behind them was honking at us for being in the way and in the lane. The emergency brake was engaged because the driver side door was not 100% entirely closed. It was closed enough that when I would have realized on my own that it wasn't fully closed, I could have safely and easily done it. Instead, it put mine in my daughter's lives at risk. To my understanding, this is the way this "safety" feature is supposed to operate. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Power train, Jul 14, 2026
I took my vehicle to a jeep dealership and they inspected my car. They said the PTU is failing and had to get a new part. They said my car was unsafe to drive due to causing further issues with the transmission. There is a recall for this in other years of the jeep Cherokee but not for mine. This has cost me $2,500. I first noticed the issue when my 4 wheel drive light came on. Then it was making a grinding noise.
Power train, Jul 12, 2026
Ptu going out. Service 4 wheel drive light on. Car wasn’t in an accident. Four-wheel-drive will not activate any longer. Very costly Repair for a part that just went out with not even being used.
Power train, Electrical system, Forward collision avoidance, Jul 10, 2026
Had cruise control on set on 64 up and down hills and around curves it just started going faster & faster I had to stomp the brakes 3 times to get it to quit afterwards the power train is now not shifting right it still was at times going to shop staying at 27 to 35 rpm’s, made it to shop
Power train, Jul 10, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Service 4WD" displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the power take-off unit experienced internal damage and the PTU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Power train, Jul 6, 2026
Took to dealer they informed us the put motor needs to be replaced. There have been recalls for this however ours has not been recalled.
Power train, Jul 3, 2026
The “service four-wheel drive” warning light started coming on. I took it in to an independent, very reputable mechanic and he did a diagnostic on it. The diagnosis that came up says “Has C14A7-97 indicates issue with transfer case. Transfer case would have to be removed and inspected.” The mechanic told me that Jeeps are being recalled because of this and that I should take it into a Jeep dealership. I took it in and although other 2019 Jeep Cherokees with the same issue are being recalled for this issue, my VIN number is not on the recall list for some reason. They told me to contact Jeep customer care which I did and they said they couldn’t help me at all so I am filing a complaint and would like an investigation into this. When this issue is googled there are a lot of people that I have had this problem and it’s a very expensive repair. What’s going on with Jeep and why aren’t they all recalled a lot of their products are having the issue. I also called to voice this complaint and an investigation was started at that time, but when I just looked on the website today it says there are zero investigations for my car/VIN, WHY???
Power train, Jul 2, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Service 4WD" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign: 25V011000 (Power Train). The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was taken to another local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the PTU needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
Power train, Jun 30, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while his wife driving 25 MPH, the 4-WD warning light illuminated, with an abnormal sound coming from the front of the vehicle. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken a dealer where it diagnosed and determined that the PTU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V302000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 81,000.
Power train, Jun 28, 2026
The power transfer unit (PTU) has failed at 68,000 miles. "Service FWD" light is illuminated on the dash. Review/inspection of vehicle by original car dealer could not resolve the issue. Provided a quotation for $3,640.70 to repair. Although the part did not completely fail, it is uncertain how it might fail and in what condition the failure will leave the vehicle but could lose power or motion as a result.
Power train, Jun 26, 2026
My rear differential, transfer case, and PTU all went out. There were no warning signals. This is after I had the rear differential serviced in 2024. My particular VIN does not qualify for a recall, but other similar makes and model of cars have qualified for a recall. I feel like this is unfair and unsafe.
Power train, Jun 25, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal became inoperable while depressed. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was shifted into park, however, the vehicle failed to turn off. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The ignition coil was disconnected, the gearbox removed, and then shifted to neutral(N) to tow the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000.
Power train, Jun 24, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the message “Service 4WD” was displayed. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate in 2WD. The local dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was diagnosed with PTU failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the parts being on back order. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000 (Power Train) and 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recalls. The manufacturer was contacted and stated there was no recall or warranty coverage on the VIN and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
Power train, Jun 18, 2026
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the 4WD warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the driver was informed that the PTU had failed and needed to be replaced at the owner's expense. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V290000 (POWER TRAIN); however, a second dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.
Power train, Jun 18, 2026
4WD service light turning on and off intermittently, one incident where a grinding noise was noted, car was parked and when looked into further the noise was gone. Contined driving, but 4WD service light stayed on. Took to dealer and they informed me the PTU requires replacement due to failure, diagnostic code shared was C14A797. After further research I discovered safety recall 40D / 26V290000 for 2019 - 2023 Jeep Cherokee vehicles, both dealer and Stellantis/Jeep customer service have stated the vehicle is not included in the recall.
Other or unspecified, Jun 16, 2026
Service 4WD light appeared on dashboard. Vehicle will shake while braking- I am told brakes are sounds. Struts, rotors, and sway links replaced this year. Vehicle has been experiencing a loss of power. Start/Stop system will sometimes initiate loss of power. Battery light comes on- car stalls- break pedal locks. Stereo and lights remain in tact. Results from 2 credited garages that I’m dealing with a failed PTU. Software update was done on the vehicle February of 2026. Problems persist.
Power train, Jun 15, 2026
Manufacturer Evading Safety Recall 40D (NHTSA 26V290) Despite Official Dealer Confirmation of Identical PTU Failure. What Happened: I am filing a formal non-compliance complaint against Stellantis/FCA US LLC regarding my 2019 Jeep Cherokee (VIN: [XXX]). On XXXX, my vehicle exhibited severe mechanical grinding/clicking noises from the chassis during acceleration and turning, with a permanent "Service 4WD" lamp. On June 8, 2026, an authorized dealership, Burlington CDJR (RO [XXX]), officially diagnosed the vehicle with Fault Code 14A7-97 and explicitly documented: "stuck shifter forks. needs transfer case/ptu" on the invoice. Safety Risk: The official diagnosis—stuck shifter forks requiring full PTU replacement—is the exact catastrophic mechanical failure addressed in Jeep's Safety Recall 40D (NHTSA 26V290) issued in May 2026. This defect causes an unexpected loss of motive power while driving and disables the 'Park' lock, creating an imminent risk of high-speed highway crashes and vehicle rollaway. Manufacturer Evaded Duty: The dealer submitted this diagnostic report to Jeep Corporate under my Ref#XXX (Case #XXX). However, Jeep Corporate flatly denied recall coverage, claiming my specific VIN is "not showing an open recall." My vehicle carries the identical component failure, identical trouble code, and identical safety risk as recalled units. Jeep is narrowing the VIN scope by arbitrary production dates to evade financial liability for early 2019 models, knowingly forcing a dangerous vehicle back onto public roads. I urgently request NHTSA to investigate Stellantis/FCA and legally compel them to expand Recall 40D to include my VIN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Vehicle speed control, Jun 15, 2026
The vehichle is available for inspection upon request. While driving the vehichle will lose driving power and the D on the screen will begin blinking. The gas pedal will cause the vehichle to rev, however it does not accelerate. There have been times where an engine light comes on and i will get a message to put the vehichle in park and then back in drive. However, other times the D will just blink and it will not have an engine light or warning on the screen. I have had the vehichle in the Shop five times for the same issue. The first time they changed the wiring harness for the shifter, the second time they changed the shifter assembly. The third time we switched to another dealership and they replaced the whole transmission. When it happened again the dealsership claimed it was related to the recall. Once the recall issue was fixed (they replaced CPU) it began doing the same thing again. It is now in the shop again for the fifth time. This issue has put my family at risk multiple times. It has happened on the highway going 80 MPH multiple times. It has happened in traffic as well and causes me to have to put it in park and back in D in the middle of a crowded street causing many near accidents. It has happened at stop lights and began rolling backwards once while at a light on a hill.