Home · 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Srt · Complaints

What 799 owners told NHTSA about the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Srt

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 (799)Crash / fire / injury (65)Electrical system (374)Brakes (146)Fuel system (109)Engine (104)Seats (56)Transmission & drivetrain (54)Airbags (32)Steering (26)Lights (23)Speed control (22)

Newest first · 799 complaints · page 3 of 32

Sep 9, 2023Seats

On the way home from work the Active Head Restraint deployed without there being a rear end collison. The head restraint on driver's side hit my wife in the back of the head and sounded like a loud and startling gunshot-like sound. Since I was on the highway if I had not kept from jerking the steering wheel when the head restraint deployed i could have been in a head on collison. I was able to pull off the road to see what happened. First I called my dealer and they said it wasn't going to be covered under warranty and also call fiat-chrsyler and they said that it wasn't covered. No warning lamps, messages and no other symptoms shown prior to the failure. The dealer did acknowledge verbally that they had had 3 or more other cases. Currently it is at the dealer being repaired and i will ask them to give me the old head restraint.

NHTSA ODI 11543540

Aug 22, 2023AirbagsSeats1 injury

4 days ago, while backing out of a parking spot, the passenger Active Head Restraint (AHR) deployed and struck my girlfriend in the head. There was no interaction with another vehicle and there was no accident. The AHR simply deployed on its own and struck my girlfriend in the head. I have not reset the AHR and left it as is. Please let me know what my next step should be. Thank you [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11540026

Aug 22, 2023Brakes

Brought my 2013 Jeep grand Cherokee in for braking issues, was told abs module has failed. Dealership/Mopar does not have a replacement part for the module and no aftermarket support is available. As a father with a 2y/o and a newborn, this seems unacceptable that a critical component such as the abs module is no longer available 10yrs later.

NHTSA ODI 11540113

Aug 5, 20231 injury

I was parked when my driver-side headrest activated and hit me in the head. I have had a headache ever since.

NHTSA ODI 11536653

Jul 19, 2023Fuel system

The battery failed in my vehicle after receiving recall repairs at the service department. The dealership stated that the malfunction happened after first installing a new alternator which was a bad part and shut the vehicle pcm down and they had to replace those components but won’t give me a new battery after stating that it was there mistake but battery’s aren’t cover under warranty components if damaged while repairing other components inside the vehicle. I have contacted the manufacturer and filled out a report for the components and complaints I have experienced with my vehicle in this service dealership. I need help and I have the documents showing that nothing was wrong with any component of my electrical system prior to them supposedly repairing the manufacture safety recalls.

NHTSA ODI 11533281

Jul 8, 2023Electrical systemEngineFuel system

Alternator, Fuel Pump, and Brake Booster Water Shield all recall parts were supposed to be repaired at the Jeep service department on June 18 entered in to service department on June 12, 2023 and ready for pick up on June 19, 2023. The service department informed me that after installing the new parts that they shutdown the PCM had to be replace. After picking vehicle up from the Jeep service department the car shut down on the freeway which it stalled in the middle of the busy freeway which could have resulted in death which is a safety concern. After vehicle was safely pushed to side of road the vehicle was towed to home. I called the dealership next morning they informed me that I would have to repay for another tow back to the dealership to see what the problem was but I had to wait for an open appointment for this service so waited and finally the service department stated that I could send the vehicle back to service now on July 05, 2023 after week of calling and not getting an appointment. As indicated on the receipt from the Jeep service department on June 19, 2023 the vehicle failed because of recall parts failing. Now the second time the vehicle is in service the Jeep service department indicated that the recall parts failed again and now they don’t know what’s wrong with the vehicle at this point and they are trying to find remedies such as making me pay for a new TIPM that was damaged from the burnt out recall parts after being fixed. The vehicle is still not operational and no loaner vehicle was offered to me since this is my second time experiencing the same issues from the recalls that supposed to have been fixed which can put me and my family in danger without a proper solution or remedy.

NHTSA ODI 11531035

Jul 7, 2023Seats

The active headrest popped open without an accident and can't be reset due to broken internal tabs. Very dangerous if it happens while driving. It's like getting punched in the back of the head by a rock-em sock-em robot.

NHTSA ODI 11530982

Jul 4, 2023Seats1 injury

The active head restraints (AHR) deployed without any collision. I was driving on the interstate when this happened. My neck and shoulders have been sore now for 3 weeks. I went to the dealership and they said I would have to pay for this out of pocket. Chrysler should be paying for these since it is a known fault of small plastic parts that were designed too small to hold the tension of the active headrest assembly.

NHTSA ODI 11530272

Jun 30, 2023Body & structure

The contact owns a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the leather on the dashboard had started to peel. The contact stated that she would feel the heat from the engine coming through the front vents on the dashboard. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that there was a recall for the failure; however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred her to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11529799

Jun 29, 2023

The dashboard is covered with leather and the glue that holds it in place has failed. The leather is starting to flap up when the defroster and the air conditioner goes on. It is lifting up and obstructing my view of the road while driving. This should not happen in a car. It must be a design flaw using cheap glue and not having clips to hold the leather in place

NHTSA ODI 11529673

Jun 28, 2023Electrical systemEngine

Vehicle sent for recall repair and service on June 12, 2023 at Northland Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, 14100 West Eight Mile Rd, Oak Park, MI 48237. Vehicle serviced date release on June 19, 2023. Vehicle was serviced by Nathan Marghalle Lic# M271087 and service advisor 1479 Trevor Szymanski. The service department stated that the vehicle substained a gross malfunction because of bad alternator and bad pcm in the vehicle. Service department advisor parts were repaired and fixed. The vehicle was driven home and parked next day the vehicle wouldn't start and no power to vehicle having presented same issues that was deemed repaired and fixed but isn't functioning at all. Called service dealership and no solution was given at the time of contract, then called Jeep customer service number spoke with representative about the same issues with the vehicle after service. Was advised that I would receive a solution and follow up call and no call or solution. I am without a vehicle and am still paying a note and the vehicle is undrivable.

NHTSA ODI 11529318

Jun 26, 2023Electrical system

The contact owns a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH, the "Battery" warning light illuminated, and the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact was unable to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to a local mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the alternator was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to the local dealer who confirmed the alternator failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V435000 (Electrical System). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 88,000.

NHTSA ODI 11528902

May 17, 2023Fuel system

Recall 19V-813 was initiated on November 14th, 2019. It is now May 17th, 2023 and the manufacture still is OUT OF STOCK on this part needed to remedy the situation. I'm reporting this because it states if the mfg. cannot remedy in a reasonable amount of time to report it to NHTSA which is what I'm doing. If something happens regarding safety everyone is now on notice that it's unacceptable to be backordered for a recall part for 4 years.

NHTSA ODI 11522450

Apr 18, 2023Seats

The Active Head Restraint (AHR) deployed on it own due to failed plastic internal parts on the passenger headrest. This is a known issue and has been for years. Jeep should correct this issue for all affected vehicles. I fear that the driver headrest will also fail and could potentially lead to a crash. This needs to be addressed.

NHTSA ODI 11517653

Mar 6, 2023Seats

Passenger headrest separated -- turns out it is called "Active Head Restraint" -- I did not know it was even there! The vehicle was not involved in an accident or rear ended (as I understand activates this). Nobody was injured and in fact nobody was in the vehicle when it went off. This happened a few months ago and thought it was just a broken headrest and I would have to fix it. Upon investigating the headrest last week is when I discovered this has been an issue for a long time. I found a "Warranty Bulletin" put out by Mopar BUT it was not issued to owners of the vehicle. I called the Jeep dealer on 3/2/23 and found out that my vehicle went out of the "Warranty Bulletin" time period just last month. I missed the repair because I was not notified of the issue from Jeep / Mopar! After reading of other individuals occurrences and injuries I have disconnected the "AHR" from the driver seat because of the possibility of it activating when my daughter is driving the vehicle and causing her to loose control of the vehicle. This item failing is more dangerous to drivers & passengers than other items which have been recalled by the NHTSA because this can cause an accident with death potential vs like a leaking fuel line that would cause a fire and loss of the vehicle but most likely not a death because the person would be able to exit the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11510280

Jan 31, 2023EngineSpeed control

The contact's mother owns a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while her mother was driving 50 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, but the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. In addition, the failure recurred, and the stuck throttle body warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 160,000.

NHTSA ODI 11504746

Dec 15, 2022Fuel system

I have had an open recall on my jeep since November 2019. I have called into both of the local jeep dealerships in the area for help with the open recall and was told that they do not have the parts needed to repair the recall. I asked what my next best steps were because this is a safety hazard and based on the recall details, could result in the car coming to a stop while I’m driving without any notice which could lead to an accident or could potentially be fatal. I was told they have no timeframe on when they will be getting in the needed parts and that it could be months. I asked for a rental and was told they do not offer this service even in situations like this. I’ve been driving in fear since learning of the recall and am hoping you can help me with a resolution.

NHTSA ODI 11497517

Dec 5, 2022Visibility & wipersFire

The contact owns a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the contact noticed smoke coming from the sunroof. The contact stated that the smoke turned into flames. The contact was able to pull over and the fire department was contacted, and they were able to extinguish the fire. There were no injuries reported. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and they stated that no failure was found. The contact's insurance also diagnosed the vehicle they stated that it could be a wiring issue. The manufacturer was contacted and provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 115,000.

NHTSA ODI 11496147

Nov 22, 2022Electrical system

The contact owns a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while approaching a traffic light, the contact noticed that the air suspension warning light had illuminated, then the vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact attempted to jumpstart the vehicle, but the vehicle would not restart. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the alternator and battery needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and stated that the vehicle was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 17V435000 (Electrical System). The failure mileage was 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11494628

Oct 1, 2022EngineFuel system

Prior to bringing our Grand Cherokee (GC) to the dealer to fix the apply the fix for the fuel pump relay recall, the GC stalled once every one or two months. After dealer applied the solution to the fuel pump relay recall, GC stalls almost daily and sometimes more than once daily. Usually, the GC starts just fine. During the first drive of the day, as we take our foot off the gas, the GC stalls. This is dangerous and life-threatening because the stall has occurred on busy streets and on the highway. ATTACHMENT: I took a look a the external relay that the dealer installed. I'm suspicious about the relay. I looked the relay part number online and found that the relay was commonly used for another application and not for fuel pumps. Please check the relay part number in the attachment and verify that this is the correct relay for this fuel pump relay recall.

NHTSA ODI 11487361

Sep 12, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

This is the second time I’ve replaced the rear end differential in this car. Seems to be a know issue among mechanics that Jeep’s are know to need this rare pair often

NHTSA ODI 11483968

Sep 6, 2022Electrical systemFire

1)The Alternator caught fire. Napleton Jeep Arlington Heights is replacing it so you would have to reach out to them for the part. 2)Driving and smoke started coming from under hood of car. Car stopped dead while I was trying to turn onto side street, almost causing an accident. My safety, other drivers safety, as well as the homes in the area were at risk because of the fire. When hood was opened there were small flames and smoke coming from the Alternator. 3) UNKNOWN 4) UNKNOWN 5) NO WARNING LIGHTS came on prior to any of this happening. No indication by vehicle that there was an issue. Vehicle towed to Jeep dealership and they are replacing the alternator and battery. Do not believe dealer service center is looking into this. They said they are charging me to replace the items. Noticed there was a recall for this issue (T36) but Chrysler said my vin # does not match the "batch" that was recalled. This clearly is the same issue. This needs to be looked at!!! Chrysler needs to stand behind their product and rectify this so no other cars do this. It could have been a catastrophic situation.

NHTSA ODI 11483087

Sep 3, 2022Tires

While driving on a 55 mph 4 lane roadway I experienced a loud "pop" sound followed by rapid rhythmic banging at the passenger rear area of the vehicle. Thinking a tire must have failed I got as far to the right of the roadway and stopped. When the tire was changed it was apparent that the tread delaminated involving about one half of the length of the tread. The tire was not punctured and remained inflated. I was in danger of injury due to the proximity to high speed traffic passing by. I contacted Goodyear, the manufacturer of the tire, and they retrieved the tire for an internal inspection. They denied my claim citing the delamination was caused by "impact causing overdeflection of the tire and a fracture of the steel belt package". There was no impact with any object or defect in the road surface. There is no way the the rear tire could have impacted anything without the front passenger side tire also being involved. The tire was rendered totally unusable as a result. There was no warning nor was there any impact. The tire size is 265/50R20. There is extensive damage to the passenger rear area of my vehicle and the rear passenger door.

NHTSA ODI 11482780

Aug 25, 2022Engine

radiator, hoses, coolant issues

NHTSA ODI 11481305

Aug 21, 2022AirbagsSeats

My driver's-side headrest/"airbag" deployed without a collision. I was wiping down my drivers seat after getting the seat dirty and when I wiped over the headrest it popped against my hand and I heard a tinkling noise of something bouncing around inside my vehicle. Further inspection showed that my headrest had popped out like it had deployed in a crash, etc. I was parked in my driveway and was not pushing hard on the headrest. I looked inside the headrest, and also googled this incident, and there are plastic clips inside the headrest that hold it in place. Those plastic clips wore out and broke off, causing the headrest restraint to deploy. I googled this situation and discovered that other people experienced this same thing as well - I got lucky because I wasn't driving when it happened!! But also, after further research, I found out that this is a thing that is happening and nobody is doing a recall about it. It will cost $600+ to get a new headrest inserted BUT there's no guarantee that my next one won't do the same exact thing! I haven't spent the money to get it fixed yet, because of that, but I have to have my seat and lumbar support adjusted ridiculously so that I can ride comfortably without my neck sticking out like a turtle.

NHTSA ODI 11480448

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Working with the data? Download all 799 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 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Srt verdict →