Home · 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk · Complaints

What 1,637 owners told NHTSA about the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (1,637)Crash / fire / injury (151)Electrical system (834)Brakes (288)Engine (283)Fuel system (242)Transmission & drivetrain (101)Steering (99)Airbags (43)Speed control (35)Lights (34)Suspension (32)

101 of 1,637 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · clear filters · page 2 of 5

Mar 13, 2020Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE DEALER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 81,000.

NHTSA ODI 11317859

Feb 4, 2020Transmission & drivetrain

TL- THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING, THE VEHICLE HESITATE AND FAILED TO ACCELERATE. NO WARNING LIGHTS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO PLANET CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM DEALER, (400 E CENTRAL ST, FRANKLIN, MA 02038, (508) 520-1550) BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VIN WAS INCLUDED IN NHTSA RECALL CAMPAIGN NUMBER; 19V813000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM). THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT PART WAS NOT AVAILABLE FOR THE REPAIR. THE PART NEEDED FOR THE REPAIR WILL BECOME AVAILABLE WITHIN A YEAR AND WAS PROVIDED CASE NUMBER. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 100,000. VIN TOOL CONFIRMED PART NOT AVAILABLE. AW

NHTSA ODI 11306929

Feb 3, 2020Transmission & drivetrain

JUST RECENTLY BOUGHT THE CAR WITH 50,000 MILES ON IT CAR IS IN GOOD CONDITION BUT ONLY A MONTH AFTER I PURCHASED IT A LIGHT SAYING ' SERVICE 4WD' HAS POPPED UP ON MY DASH AND IVE TAKEN IT TO SEVERAL DEALERS AND THEY SAY ITS NEEDS A NEW TRANSFER CASE AND IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH THESE CARS. IF IT IS A COMMON PROBLEM THEN WHY HAS THERE NOT BEEN A RECALL ON IT, IT IS PRETTY RIDICULOUS AS MUCH AS PEOPLE PAY FOR A CAR AND THE PROBLEMS THAT GO WRONG WITH IT AND THE MANUFACTURER CANT EVEN FIX THERE OWN PROBLEMS ON THE CARS THAT BUILT! THERE SHOULD BE A RECALL FOR THIS PROBLEM AS IT IS NOT A CHEAP FIX AND IS OBVIOUSLY A PROBLEM WITH THE MANUFACTURING WHEN THE CAR WAS BUILT. I AM DISGUSTED WITH HOW [XXX] AND UNRELIABLE CARS ARE NOW A DAYS, SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE DONE! INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11306692

Jan 27, 2020Transmission & drivetrain

2012 GRAND CHEROKEE V6. TRANSMISSION RANDOMLY SLIPS TO NEUTRAL WHILE STILL IN DRIVE WITHOUT WARNING. MOSTLY WHILE STOPPED FOR LIGHT OR SIGN. SHIFTING TO NEUTRAL AND BACK TO GET IT INTO DRIVE AGAIN. NO SIGNS OF SHIFTING, SOUNDS, LURCHING, BUMPS OR GRINDING. SMOOTH AS CAN BE, ONLY WAY I CAN TELL IS THE CAR ACCELERATES. REPAIR SHOP CANNOT FIND A PROBLEM.

NHTSA ODI 11302309

Dec 1, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

MY JEEP HAS BEEN GOING INTO FIRST GEAR ON ITS ON WHILE IN MOTION WITHOUT ME DOING ANYTHING. IT HAS BEEN OCCURRING FOR THE LAST 2 YEARS BUT IS NOW HAPPENING WITH MORE FREQUENCY. IT HAS USUALLY HAPPENED AFTER HAVING BEEN STOPPED AT A STOP SIGN OR RED LIGHT AND AFTER GETTING BACK INTO MOTION AND UP TO SPEED BUT IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE DRIVING WITHOUT HAVING RECENTLY STOPPED. I AM USUALLY IN TRAFFIC AND UNABLE TO PULL OVER SO I HAVE BEEN HAVING TO PUT IT IN NEUTRAL AND THEN BACK INTO DRIVE WHILE IN MOTION.

NHTSA ODI 11283123

Oct 31, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

WHEN I PRESS THE PUSH START AND THE BRAKE, THE ENGINE WILL STALL AND NOT TURN OVER. IT HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES IN THE 4 YEARS I'VE HAD IT. THE LAST TIME I TRIED TO START IT, IT WOULD NOT CRANK. I USED JUMPER CABLES TO TRY AND REVIVE THE BATTERY. DOING THIS REVERTED POWER BACK TO MY VEHICLE, YET IT WOULD STILL NOT TURN OVER. I THEN HAD TO PUT THE KEYFOB INTO THE IGNITION AND TRY IT MANUALLY. STILL NOTHING WORKED AND MY CAR WILL NOT TURN OVER AND START. IT MAKES ONE CLICK, AND THEN NOTHING.

NHTSA ODI 11277266

Oct 2, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 35 MPH, THE TRANSMISSION UNINTENTIONALLY SWITCHED INTO NEUTRAL. THE CONTACT MENTIONED THAT THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO ACCELERATE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE MOVED THE GEAR SHIFTER INTO NEUTRAL AND BACK INTO DRIVE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT TAKEN TO A DEALER OR AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING OR REPAIRS. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 52,000.

NHTSA ODI 11265599

Sep 17, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

WHEN DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AT NORMAL SPEED, THE VEHICLE JUMPED OUT OF GEAR AND INTO NEUTRAL WHILE IN THE PASSING LANE. WITH NO POWER I ALMOST HAD A CAR REAR END ME BEFORE I COULD PUT ON MY FLASHERS AND PULL OVER. WHEN I PULLED OVER AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE, IT ACTED NORMAL FOR A WHILE. BEFORE ARRIVING HOME THE VEHICLE DID THE SAME THING AGAIN. I TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A REPAIR SHOP AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION OIL COOLER HAD STARTED LEAKING AND THE VEHICLE WAS LOW IN TRANSMISSION FLUID. HOWEVER, WITH THIS VEHICLE THERE IS NO WAY TO CHECK THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL AND THERE WAS NOT A LOT OF FLUID LEAKAGE FOUND WHERE CAR IS NORMALLY PARKED. THIS NEEDS TO BE RECALLED BEFORE SOMEONE GETS INJURED!

NHTSA ODI 11256103

Sep 11, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

AT VARIOUS TIMES, WHEN CAR IS CRANKED AND PUT INTO DRIVE, THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION GETS STUCK IN GEAR AND GEARS DO NOT CHANGE AUTOMATICALLY. VERY LITTLE POWER WHEN TRYING TO DRIVE FROM BEING STOPPED. HOWEVER WHEN CAR IS TURNED OFF AND CRANKED BACK UP IT SOMETIMES RESETS THE ISSUE ELECTRONICALLY.

NHTSA ODI 11254695

Sep 4, 2019Transmission & drivetrainElectrical system

HAVING ISSUES WITH GEAR SHIFTING AND THE MAJOR COMPLAINT IS THE VEHICLE COMPLETELY SHUTS DOWN WITHOUT WARNING AND I HAVE HAD VEHICLE IN MULTIPLE TIMES FOR THE SAME ISSUE AND NO ANSWERS. THIS HAPPENS AS VEHICLE IS MOVING AND YOU HAVE TO PULL OVER WITH NO POWER NO STEERING NOTHING. SCARY DEAL. THIS HAS BEEN GOING ON FOR YEARS

NHTSA ODI 11253252

Aug 11, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

TRANSMISSION COOLER/CONDENSER LEAK CAUSES LOSS OF TRANMISSION FLUID BUT YOU CAN'T CHECK THE FLUID LEVEL BECAUSE THERE IS A TAMPER PROOF CAP ON THE TRANSMISSION FLUID LEVEL DIP STICK. TRANSMISSION GOT HOT, TRUCK SLIPPED GEARS AND LOSS OF FORWARD MOMENTUM CONTROL. THIS SHOULD BE A RECALLED ITEM BUT IS NOT.

NHTSA ODI 11243126

Aug 7, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A LEAK IN THE TRANSMISSION COOLER AND AN UNKNOWN WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO TETERBORO CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM (LOCATED AT 469 US-46, LITTLE FERRY, NJ 07643) WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THERE WAS NO RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND PROVIDED CASE NUMBER: 59534039. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 95,000.

NHTSA ODI 11242264

Jul 30, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK COMING FROM A/C CONDENSER/TRANSMISSION COOLER. SIGNIFICANT LEAKAGE LEADING TO POOR TRANSMISSION PERFORMANCE SUCH AS SLIPPAGE AND VEHICLE JERKING ON ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION. ALSO JERKS WHEN PUTTING INTO GEAR FROM PARK.

NHTSA ODI 11240749

Jul 23, 2019Transmission & drivetrainEngine

I HAVE LESS THAN 76K MILES ON MY JEEP. I HAVE BEEN THE ONLY OWNER, TAKING EXCEPTIONAL CARE OF MY JEEP, ALWAYS GETTING OIL CHANGES ON TIME AND MAINTENANCE WITH VERY FEW CITY MILES ON MY JEEP AND I AM HAVING TO PAY 10K FOR A NEW MOTOR AND CAMSHAFT.

NHTSA ODI 11234035

Jul 11, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

AN UNINTENTIONAL SHIFTING OF THE TRANSFER CASE THE 4 WHEEL DRIVE ITS ON AND CANT TAKE IT OFF, ALL STARTED WITH THE VEHICLE BEEN STATIONARY.

NHTSA ODI 11230973

May 22, 2019SuspensionTransmission & drivetrain

DRIVING FROM THE GAS STATION TO THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE REAR AIR SUSPENSION FAILED TO SHUT OFF AND OVERINFLATED CAUSING THE FORWARD MOUNTS ON THE REAR SUBFRAME TO BE RIPPED OUT OF THE BODY OF THE CAR WHICH CAUSE THE SUBFRAME TO CRASH INTO THE EXHAUST, TRANSFER CASE, AND DRIVE SHAFT WHICH IMMOBILIZED THE VEHICLE. NO INJURIES OCCURRED LUCKILY AS THE VEHICLE HAD NOT MADE IT TO THE HIGHWAY WHEN THE FAILURE OCCURRED.

NHTSA ODI 11209356

Apr 17, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK COMING FROM A/C CONDENSER/TRANSMISSION COOLER. SIGNIFICANT LEAKAGE OCCURRING LEADING TO PROBLEMATIC TRANSMISSION PERFORMANCE SUCH AS SLIPPAGE AND VEHICLE JERKING ON ACCELERATION OR DECELERATION. IT APPEARS THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE WITH THESE MODELS OF JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE AND THIS TYPE OF COMPONENT FAILURE SHOULD NOT BE CONSIDERED NORMAL WEAR AND TEAR. THIS SHOULD BE TAKEN CARE OF UNDER A MANUFACTURER RECALL OF THE PROBLEMATIC AREAS BEFORE SERIOUS ISSUES ARISE.

NHTSA ODI 11196852

Mar 14, 2019Transmission & drivetrainSpeed controlEngine

CAR BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND RISE IN RPMS AND MISSING GEAR GOING INTO NUETRAL AND CAUSING DANGEROUS SITUATIONS IN TRAFFIC RUNS AT 2 RPMS IN IDEAL STANDPOINT NOW CAR IS LEAKING FLUIDS AND SERVICE 4WHEEL DRIVE LIGHTS ON I READ THAT THERE ARE RECALLS FOR THIS ISSUE IN OTHER KEEPS BUT NOT FOR MY VIN NUMBER AND THIS IS A MANUFACTURER PROBLEM

NHTSA ODI 11186855

Feb 25, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

WHILE IN TRAFFIC TRANSMISSION STARTS TO KICK AS IF TRYING TO GET INTO GEAR.. ONLY HAPPENS WHILE IN SLOW TRAFFIC OF ABOUT 10-20 MPH.. AT NORMAL RUNNING SPEEDS ALL IS WELL. I DON'T KNOW IF ANY KNOWN TRANSMISSION RECALLS EXIST FOR MY VEHICLE

NHTSA ODI 11182228

Jan 28, 2019Transmission & drivetrainEngine

TRANSMISSION COOLER/AC CONDENSER LEAK AT TUBE JOINTS

NHTSA ODI 11172638

Jan 21, 2019Transmission & drivetrain

HAD TO HAVE ALTERNATOR AND BATTER REPLACED AT 54,000 MILES. TWO WEEKS AFTER COMPLETING THIS REPAIR, THE BATTER LIGHT CAME ON WHILE DRIVING. AFTER TURNING OFF ALL ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS, WAS ABLE TO GET THE VEHICLE TO REPAIR SHOP. UPON INSPECTION BY THE MECHANIC, THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE WAS NO LONGER WORKING. THE MECHANIC HAD TO REPLACE THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE. IN ADDITION, 3 DAYS LATER, THE ALTERNATOR HAD TO BE REPLACED AGAIN DUE TO THE FAILURE OF THE POWER TRAIN CONTROL MODULE.

NHTSA ODI 11171198

Aug 4, 2018Transmission & drivetrainLights

TAKATA RECALL LEATHER ON THE DASHBOARD COMES LOOSE, I'VE TAKEN IT TO JEEP TO REPAIR AND IT HAPPEND AGAIN. THE ADHESIVE DISSOLVES AND MAKES THE LEATHER BUNCH UP. THE FRONT LEFT HEADLIGHT BLINKS FOR A FEW SECONDS EVERY TIME ENGINE STARTS. ENGINE STALLS AND DOESN'T START AT TIMES.

NHTSA ODI 11115731

Jul 13, 2018SuspensionTransmission & drivetrainElectrical system

MY JEEP CUTS OFF WHEN I'M DRIVING AND STALLS AT TIMES THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT HAS BEEN ON ALSO SINCE I PURCHASED IT. WAS TOLD THE CODES HAD TO BE RESET. TOOK VEHICLE TO DEALER OVER 10 TIMES AFTER I PURCHASED IT DEALER SENT IT OUT OTHER PLACES SEEN NOTHING TURNED OFF CODES IT SEEMED OK THEN EVERY SINCE THEN IT DOES THE SAME THING OVER AND OVER NOW MY WARRANTY IS OUT THEY SEE AN ISSUE I HAD EXTENDED BUT THEY ONLY REPAIRED RECALLS THEY SAY BUT MY LIGHTS STILL FOG FROM THE RECALL AND ELECTRICAL STILL ISSUE!

NHTSA ODI 11111205

Jun 24, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

A/A TRANS CONDENSER LEAK. FAULTY CONDENSER UNIT

NHTSA ODI 11103668

Jun 20, 2018Transmission & drivetrain

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 50 MPH, THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, BUT THE VEHICLE DECELERATED WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER (LIECHTY DODGE, 5080 ACADEMY LN, BESSEMER, AL 35022, (205) 432-7995) FOR A RECALL REPAIR CONCERNING THE ALTERNATOR. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THERE WAS A TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAK. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND WAS INFORMED THAT IT WAS NOT INCLUDED IN THE ALTERNATOR RECALL. THE NHTSA CAMPAIGN INFORMATION WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 131,000.

NHTSA ODI 11102772

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Working with the data? Download all 1,637 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk verdict →