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

The engine power cuts of randomly while driving with no warning at all. When it happens the steering locks up veering the vehicle to the left so you have no control and at the same time the power brakes lock up and you are unable to stop the vehicle. Everything else works when this happens lights, radio, heater, air conditioning. No warning lights display. I had the vehicle with a mechanic that kept it for over 4 months to test drive and see if it would occur. It happened while he drove it but no codes show up to determine the cause. I had it towed back to my home and contacted Jeep Chrysler and they gave me a claim number to bring to my local Jeep dealer. They had it for over a week and unfortunately the jeep ran fine so once again no resolution to be able to fix. I bought the Jeep from Carvana 9/7/24 and am still paying it off but yet haven't been able to drive it for the past 15 months because it is unsafe for myself and anyone else on the roadway.

NHTSA ODI 11744558

The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed while slowing down; however, the RPM elevated to 5,500 RPM. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to depress the brake pedal. The vehicle was stopped, turned off, restarted, and operated normally. Additionally, the remote start feature was not operating properly. After remote starting the vehicle, the brake pedal was difficult to depress. The contact also stated that a phone call was ringing through the radio even though the phone was not in use. The contact researched online and believed that the vehicle had been hacked. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be hacked. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.

NHTSA ODI 11718744

All dashboard lights came on while cherokee shut off on the parkway yet allowing me to steer to the side shoulder. Is this a symptom of total integrated power module TIPM.

NHTSA ODI 11711989

I brought my vehicle to the Jeep of concord for a fuel pump relay recall and oil change on 11/12/25. Prior to 11/12 the vehicle did not experience any of the issues described below. On 11/13/25, a dealership representative sent an inspection video stating the vehicle was in immaculate condition following the recall repair. However, within less than 24 hours, the check engine light illuminated, and additional issues began occurring intermittently. After the recall work, the vehicle began experiencing intermittent warning lights, including service four wheel drive, traction control, and check engine. These warnings appear unpredictably and are sometimes accompanied by loss of vehicle functions, creating unsafe driving conditions. The vehicle has also experienced overheating since these issues began. Sometimes turning the vehicle off and then on would temporarily correct the problem if it would recrank. The failures occur intermittently, making them difficult to reproduce or diagnose, and they pose serious safety risks, including the potential for sudden loss of power, steering assistance, or drivability while the vehicle is in motion. On multiple occasions, the issues have left me stranded. I returned the vehicle to the dealership on 1/8/26. On 1/9/26, I received an inspection video from the dealership identifying a transmission issue for the first time. The rep stated they “double-checked” the recall wiring but confirmed that no manufacturer engineer inspected the vehicle, despite my request to escalate this as a STAR case due to safety concerns. The intermittent warning lights, overheating, and transmission concerns remain unresolved and Stellantis refused to escalate the issue. The dealership currently retains possession of my vehicle. I am concerned the recall repair may have been performed wrong or inadequately inspected, resulting in ongoing intermittent safety-related failures affecting multiple vehicle systems. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate & confirm

NHTSA ODI 11711550

Two similar incidents to report during week of Dec 15th 2025 on surface streets: Was driving 25 mph when 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee just came to a complete stop -- without any warning signs of a problem. Vehicle stalled with no engine power and loss of power steering. I could not steer the vehicle to the side of the road. Was just stuck. The emergency lights did work. I put the vehicle in park and restarted the engine after about 30 seconds. The vehicle drove normally therafter. THIS COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC IS IF I HAD BEEN ON A MAJOR HIGHWAY WITH TRAFFIC. This same stalling of the vehicle with no power or steering ability has happened 2 other times before earlier in 2025. The Dealer insists there is no recall, but this looks like the same problem that this Jeep had in 2019 when the dealer replace the fuel pump relay as part of a previous recall. Obviously that recall was not effective.

NHTSA ODI 11706652

The cuts off in the Middle of the street in front of a school .The vehicle will not start up.I try to Crank it on vehicle make a loud screeching sound like metal to metal .Dash lights 4wd pop on then a lightning symbol came on.The vehicle wont change gears steering wheel lock ,wheels lock ,The front left turning signal does not work all the other lights do.My wife and I avoided a collision when the vehicle shut off while driving .Thank God no one were hurt.Bought this vehicle in October 2025.

NHTSA ODI 11704916

When driving the vehicle it just stalls. No warning and all power is lost including power steering which makes it VERY dangerous to all occupants of the vehicle and others on the road.

NHTSA ODI 11698331

Year: 2012 Make/Model: Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 L V8, 4WD Mileage: ~140,000 miles Date of Incident: [Insert date] Location: McKinney, Texas (near U.S. 75 exit) Description of the Safety Issue: While driving normally, the Service 4WD System warning illuminated. Seconds later, the lightning-bolt symbol (Electronic Throttle Control) appeared, and the engine stalled abruptly without warning. All power steering and power-brake assist were lost while the transmission was still in Drive. The vehicle rolled backward on a slight grade as if in neutral. Attempts to restart the vehicle failed. Even CarMax technicians, at whose lot the vehicle came to rest, were unable to start it. A strong hot/burning electrical odor was present immediately after shutdown. This indicates a possible overheating or shorting event in the electrical or fuel-relay system (TIPM or throttle-body circuit). Had this failure occurred on U.S. 75 at highway speed (80–85 mph), I would have lost steering assist and braking ability in heavy traffic — a situation that could have led to a severe collision or injury. I respectfully request that NHTSA review this case as a potential recurrence or expansion of the existing recall group. The combination of a sudden stall, complete loss of control systems, no-restart condition, and electrical-burn odor constitutes a serious and ongoing safety defect that endangers vehicle occupants and others on the roadway. Supporting Information: – CarMax technicians confirmed the vehicle would not restart. – Recent maintenance included new fuel pump, injectors, hoses, and cooling-system components (~$10 K). – Warning lights: “Service 4WD System” and “Electronic Throttle Control (lightning-bolt)” appeared immediately before stall.

NHTSA ODI 11696378

In August 2025 my 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo lost engine power and stalled while driving 15 mph. There was no warning. I was able to restart the car and drive. Then while driving in traffic at 45 mph on 18 Oct 2025, my Jeep abruptly lost engine power and stopped, putting my safety and the safety of my passenger at great risk as I had several cars behind me. Again, the Jeep stalled without warning. I was able to put my emergency warning lights on, then after 30 seconds, I put the car in park and restarted the engine with no problem. The Jeep drove normally. This unexpected loss of power while driving at speed in traffic on Hwy 431 could have been catastrophic. This incident appears to be linked to two previous Fuel Pump Relay recalls, the most recent being V62/NHTSA 19V-813. My Jeep was repaired by the Jeep dealer under both of these recalls which were prompted by no-start conditions and ENGINE STALL CONDITIONS. It appears the FCA repair has been ineffective as my Jeep has experienced two engine stalls while driving and does have intermittant problems with start up. This most recent problem has not yet been confirmed by a dealer as the Jeep Dealer cannot see my vehicle for another 2 weeks, which puts my safety at risk. There were no warning lamps or messages before the abrupt engine stalls while driving. However, for the past 6 months, I had had intermittant instances of the car not starting immediately, particularly in the morning. I would turn the key fob a few times before my Jeep would start. But it always started.

NHTSA ODI 11694647

The car cuts off in middle of the road n won’t shut on brought a new fuel pump and it’s still shutting off the electric light pops up on dash when cutting the engine on the car gives the cranking engine power sounds but doesn’t cut on mechanic put in new fuel pump and now think it’s a electrical problem the steering is tight backing up and it has steering fluid this has been happening since 3 months ago I wanna say it comes n goes I’ve got it inspected twice and they inquired about the fuel pump which I have gotten fixed and the car still continues to shut off in the middle of traffic which can cause an accident

NHTSA ODI 11689925

Alternator causing engine stall also electrical issues

NHTSA ODI 11689776

While driving the engine power randomly cuts off & steering & brakes lock up veering the vehicle to the left which causes me to have no control of my vehicle. Everything else stays on radio...lights...etc. There is absolutely no warning at all when this occurs. This has happened to me 3 times while driving almost causing me to crash. I brought it to a local Jeep dealer & they couldn't find any codes showing what the issue was. So in fear of getting into a crash that could possibly injure myself or others on the road I haven't been able to drive it safely.

NHTSA ODI 11686524

My car apparently overheated which made my oil filter melt and explode, popping my oil filter cap off making oil go all over my engine, ground and everywhere else. I was going about 20 mph when I realized my car was feeling weak on power and it was about to overheat. I then started to smell and see smoke. So I stopped my car in the middle of the street immediately, put on my hazard lights, and turned it off instantly. As soon as I got out, oil started to pour out everywhere. I then popped the hood to see a whole lot of smoke going everywhere. I wasn’t sure what happened, I just got the car 3 and half months ago, they said the car was top of the line, why am I having issues like these now? I did get my oil changed from pit stop (superlube) on lake street in Aurora Illinois, 3 days before that happened. I had to manually push my car to chihuahua tires, where they told me it was my starter, so they fixed my starter, and then told me it’s my gasket. Now apparently my head gasket is gone, and it’s going to take thousands of dollars that I don’t have. I’m already paying off the $800 for this starter repair that I didn’t really need :/ and I’m still playing for a car note on a car I’m not even driving! I can’t get to work, I can’t make money, this is depressing! I got this car because they said at Carfect that my jeep was perfect and in great condition. At this point I had over 10+ mechanical issues wrong with it, now this happened and I cant manage this. This is too much money for me. I need help, direction, a new engine, something! I just got this car! I did nothing wrong, I don’t have thousands of dollars to fix this issue! Please help.

NHTSA ODI 11685338

I have 2 issues with this vehicle issue#1 the tire pressure sensor acts up on the front driver side tire pressure goes down to the low 20s then when driving it goes up to 43 and then back down to the 20s , the other is that I was driving from Pennsylvania to New York and the car stalled in New Jersey with no warning I was at the far left side of the highway and came close to getting rear ended twice real bad (my girlfriend who was and is pregnant) was on the passenger seat was hysterically crying because of how close we came to having an accident that would’ve cost us our lives , the car took 5 minutes to start again and we were escorted to safety by tow company that saw us through the cameras they have on the bridges very thankful to them escorting us cause we surely would have died that night

NHTSA ODI 11679911

While driving the road whether highway our town… my vehicle will stall out. I can’t safely pass because my car loses power.. check engine light starts blinking then traction control lights come on and then battery light. I have to turn the car off after turning flashers on put it in park and restart after a few seconds. This vehicle is VERY UNSAFE to DRIVE.

NHTSA ODI 11676084

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee HEMI. As traveling whether on highway or on streets no matter the speeds the Jeep tends to just stall out out of no where especially when braking and coming to a stop it completely shuts off, no engine, no steering and then must have to engage into park or neutral to push to start up the Jeep again. It is very dangerous and scary any time it happens and even more so when happens on highway. It has been an on going issue since I bought the vehicle in NOV. 2018 but only happens every once in a while and out of the blue when it does. I did reached out several years ago to the manufacturer Mopar Jeep Chrysler but they had no solution for me. I had a case number with them but it was so long ago I cannot remember now. I did have the recall on the fuel pump relay in which I thought that would resolve my issue but unfortunately it did not and I still experience this Jeep stalling out at any point while driving, onto braking, and then to the stop. Any help? Thanks

NHTSA ODI 11674353

While driving at normal speeds the engine and everything turns off without any warning. This makes it difficult to get off the road or highway due to loss of power to steering. This happens randomly but with increasing frequency. The vehicle has been at the Jeep dealership since 12 June 2025 and I'm being told they cannot figure it out. Allegedly the dealership service center is contacting Jeep after I had to tell them to do so. Vehicle is at Crown Dodge, 6300 King Rd, Ventura, CA 93033 805-977-6526.

NHTSA ODI 11658890

While stopped at a stop light 5 separate occasions in Eco mode. Vehicle shut off but would not restart unless I pressed the on/off button. I did not realize that it had happened and was almost rear ended because of it.

NHTSA ODI 11651498

So I just bought this car from a dealer about a year now and I was driving down the fwy. Heading to work And suddenly my car turned off and my steering wheel got really hard to make any turns there was no way I could’ve stopped in the middle of the fwy. To stop and start the engine. luckily I was able to pull over and check the car I was full on gas and I looked up common issues that could turn off a running engine checked all fuses didn’t see any problems with it didn’t see any sort of corrosion in the battery cables and their was no check engine on the dash board. Theirs also been times were it randomly takes a long time cranking and won’t start right away so I literally wait for the engine to sit for a while and start the car. My guess it’s the crankshaft position or the fuel pump going out but that’s why I’m here to find out if theirs any recalls related to this issue. I’ve been told their was a recall for a relay issue

NHTSA ODI 11608555

Vehicle was purchased 8/11/23 had it less then two weeks broke down . Was smoking , was put in shop several times . Told it was battery, then alternator. Gotten out of shop a few days later same issue . Had extended warranty , was stuck paying deductible twice even though it was in the shop for same thing . Deductible $200 twice I had to pay . Come to find out the engine had gone bad , they replaced that if I’m not mistaken . Vehicle was in shop almost a month after we had gotten no results from the original dealership service center where we purchased the vehicle. They did not have the proper tools to repair the vehicle, ended up taking the vehicle to a dodge dealership locally . After driving the car a couple months later it started smoking and jerking again would stop and would not crank . Was taken to the dealership again , told this time it was the transmission and extended warranty would not cover it . We were sold a LEMON. Dealership knew exactly what was wrong with this they wanted to get it off their hands . This is something they know from from the start , unsafe to drive keeps smoking . We need answers fast someone is liable for the damage car they sold my son and I.

NHTSA ODI 11585550

While driving through the intersection after slowing down at light, vehicle completely stalled, turned off in the middle of the intersection and wouldn't start back up. I had to have it towed to dealership. I have had it in dealer prior to this incident for stalling issues just out of nowhere. They simply said they cannot find a cause. This is dangerous to me because vehicles behind me don't know that I am stalled out and almost hit me. Prior to this last time, I have been able to restart vehicle by putting in neutral and getting it to move on it's way, but still scary while vehicles behind me don't know that I was going to stall out. This last incident, I had to be pushed off of the road and then towed to dealer. Hoping they can find the cause and fix.

NHTSA ODI 11570694

The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the dashboard was wrinkled. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a turn, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was determined that the dashboard needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted. The approximate failure mileage was 68,000.

NHTSA ODI 11539064

The camshaft has gone bad and unnatural wear to the lifters has caused the issue. Also, after researching the design of the engine, it is obvious that there is a design flaw. The camshaft does not receive sufficient oil in order to be lubricated due to its location in the engine. The vehicle only has 114,000 miles. It has been taken care of, and received the normal maintenance according to the owners manual. This particular version of the hemi engine has such failures well documented by multiple sources. Such an issue and malfunction attributes to premature engine failure. Such a significant engine design flaw can potentially cause injury to all occupants in the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11535280

I just recently purchased this used 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The problem I am experience, while driving at 74 mph the engine just shuts off. The vehicle would not restart for about 15 minutes. This has happened at least daily. The mechanic shop has checked the engine completely over. However they are stumped, The shop was able to repeat the problem but there are no codes. I know there was a recall on the fuel pump relay and then another on the relay. My mechanic has replaced the fuel pump relay but it still happens. I was reading in numerous blogs of this issue happening to many people. This past saturday night I was coming home from my second job when the car stalled out in the construction zone of 696 in Detroit, I can't tell you how many cars came close to killing me. This problem needs to be fixed by Jeep but there seems to be no movement, I'd hate to see people killed over this KNOWN issue. I know last Saturday night was the most fearful night of my life.

NHTSA ODI 11516567

Was stopped at light and 2012 Jeep Cherokee lost all power and engine stalled. Lost lights, radio, heat and engine. It did restart after a minut or two. A week later, while driving, car began lagging/running rough. I felt I could not drive faster than 25 mph. Drove to Jeep dealer. Dealer is telling me it will cost more than $1500 to fix. I suspect this is a problem with the fuel pump relay....

NHTSA ODI 11515901