What 1,322 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Jeep Cherokee

2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk suffered a Power Transfer Unit failure leading to sudden motive power. Vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road with a narrow shoulder. Exiting the vehicle put driver at risk of being struck by traffic. Driver had to exit the vehicle via the passenger side leading to neck injury. Note Failure of have could have resulted in crash if it had happened earlier. PTU failure confirmed by dealership. Vehicle was under FCA recall O1C NHTSA 25V-011. It should be noted that even though this is a safety issue owners were not told not to drive vehicle, plus the remedy doesn't prevent PTU failure, which can happen without warning in certain conditions.

NHTSA ODI 11742791

The contact owned a Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 45 mph , while raining, when coming down a decline on the roadway, a truck with a trailer was stopped and turning into a driveway, the corner of front driver side near the headlights collided with the pickup truck and the trailer. There was no additional property damage. The contact's vehicle came to a stop in the driveway while the vehicle spun around and became perpendicular to the road which caused additional damage to the rear passenger door. The driver side air bags did not deploy. The passenger side, side air bag did deploy. No airbag warning lights illuminated The vehicle was towed to a tow yard. The insurance company deemed the vehicle as a total loss. Medical treatment was received. No injuries were sustained. The dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11739000

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the driver inadvertently drove off the road and lost control of the steering, causing the vehicle to drive over a driveway, go airborne, and crash into a large boulder. The contact indicated that during the incident, the accelerator pedal was inadvertently pressed, causing the vehicle to accelerate faster. During the crash, the vehicle had sustained severe front-end damage, but no air bags deployed. The driver sustained injuries to the lower back and was transported from the scene to the hospital. A police and EMS report was taken at the scene. The vehicle was later towed to the home. The cause of the failure was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The local dealer had not yet contacted. The failure mileage was 71,000.

NHTSA ODI 11656008

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in his driveway, powered on, parked, and unattended, it began to roll back and crashed into his other vehicle, a 2017 GMC Sierra. The service shift message was displayed. There were no reported injuries, air bag deployment, or fire. A police report was not filed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, who inspected it and determined there was no evidence of a manufacturer defect. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer opened a case on the contact's behalf. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

NHTSA ODI 11650428

I had my 2017 Jeep repaired at the mechanic on January 30. I drove it straight home from the mechanic and within five minutes the vehicle was engulfed in flames. The service provided was tires, struts control arms, and of course placing the tire sensors on the car, no electrical work and no prior incidents of electrical concerns. The car is a total loss. It started in the engine compartment. I'm sure and burned all the way through the backseat.

NHTSA ODI 11643448

My dashboard , screen caught fire from the wiring

NHTSA ODI 11641006

UNKNOWN Airbags did not deploy when struck by a semi that crossed the median and hit me then pinned me against guardrail that was also damaged/destroyed.

NHTSA ODI 11609579

I slide off the road and went into a ditch then rolled a dew times no airbags denied I was upside-down Bach shoulder head injury and left leg all on the left side .y mirror wouldn't call 911 I have photos

NHTSA ODI 11562808

The contact's wife owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle before him stopped suddenly, causing his vehicle to crash into the rear end of the other vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. The emergency units transported the contact to the hospital, where he was informed that his upper spine disk could be dislocated or fractured. An appointment was scheduled for an MRI. A police report was filed. The vehicle remained at the scene on the side of the road. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 58,000.

NHTSA ODI 11559133

There was already a recall on the make and model of my car, Jeep Cherokee Latitude; however, when I search by VIN it shows zero unrepaired recalls. So if the problem is fixed (no one even attempted to fix my car), why does my car still shut off in the middle of driving? When it shuts off I can’t turn the wheel, Can’t put it in park, and the gas and brakes/ABS don’t work. This has happened many times with my daughter, currently 4yo, in the car; why do I have to risk my life every single time we need to go somewhere? Every single dealership and mechanic I’ve brought it to says there is nothing wrong with the car, yet it continues to shut off while driving… I did crash the first time it happened, but it was in a snow storm and possibly unrelated? No injuries or damage.

NHTSA ODI 11557126

My vehicle was in 2 MAJOR wrecks. One in dec 2021, where I t boned someone who turned in front of me at a green light. $19k in damages. Should have totaled it. But how in the hell the air bags didn’t go off is amazing. Bc my chest hit the steering wheel so hard i had to be treated for it. Not only that but the wreck destroyed my lower vertebrae. After it took the shop 6 months to fix and taken back for problems multiple times. I had it 2 weeks, and the brakes failed. Due to something the shop did I’m sure but I rear ended a lady with no brakes at 45-50 mph. Slamming directly into her even though I saw her. I broke my toe I hit the brakes so hard. But again I hit her directly where all the sensors are and this wreck was worse than the first the vehicle totaled and no air bags went off…. I shattered my left knee from hitting the dash.broke my big toe on my right foot etc. why didn’t my air bags go off…… I bought my vehicle certified pre owned in 2019. There’s no way in either wreck I missed that air bag sensor. I work in the collision industry. I know they have to be hit directly on to make them go off but there is no reason mine shouldn’t have other than a defect. I was alone in the first wreck, the second I was further injured and had to stop treatment I was still undergoing from the wreck before bc of the lapsing. My daughter was also injured in the second wreck. Second wreck happened in July 2022

NHTSA ODI 11541200

Issue: Burning smell in vehicle. Diagnosis: driver side visor wiring burned, potential fire hazard. Notes: We noticed a burning plastic smell several times in vehicle cabin. I searched around but couldn’t locate the smell. After the third time, the Homelink garage door opener located in the driver’s side sun visor stopped working. Also noted that the vanity mirror lights were not working either. This wiring is not on a fuse. I check the wiring to the visor with a voltmeter and noted 12 bolts to the visor. I removed the passenger visor and plugged it into the driver side. The vanity mirror lights had power and worked. Plugging the driver side visor into the passenger side showed it to not work. Therefore, the issue is the wiring burned inside the visor, breaking the connection. The visor is stitched all around and not easily accessible without cutting and thereby ruining the fabric and appearance of the visor. So wiring is not easily accessible without having to install a new liner.

NHTSA ODI 11500388

The incident happened in a parking lot. Backing out of the parking space, there was a delivery truck parked right behind me. Backing out of my parking space, I hit the bumper of the truck (no damage to the truck). As I pulled back into my parking space the vehicle accelerated very rapidly in a distance of approx. 25 feet; the acceleration seemed "Hell cat" like. Slamming my foot on the brake did not help. The vehicle then hit a brick retaining wall deploying multiple air bags and causing enough vehicle damage that the insurance company declared it totaled. It is amazing that the vehicle hit the brick wall with enough intensity to deploy the air bags and cause considerable front end damage after traveling such a short distance (approx 25 ft). The vehicle is in the insurance company's possession. As such, I do not have access to the vehicle. Had the brick wall not been there, the vehicle could have hit other vehicles or pedestrians and I was lucky to only have minor bruises and abrasions. There was no warning what so ever that this was about to happen.

NHTSA ODI 11469879

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, he noticed that the temperature gauge was increasing and then it decreased. An engine heater warning was displayed as the engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop as all motive power was lost. The vehicle rolled to a stop crashing into debris on the side of the roadway. The contact stated that there was no body damage to the vehicle. The contact stated that AAA was contacted and stated that they would contact the police however, the police did not show up. The vehicle was towed by AAA to the contact's residence. The contact stated that the AAA driver informed him of a recall that was related to the failure and the vehicle's PTU. The contact stated that the dealer was contacted to verify if the vehicle was included in a recall. The dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not included in a recall. The failure has not been diagnosed or repaired. The contact was relating the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 75,000.

NHTSA ODI 11447886

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. The contact stated while driving at 40 MPH and going up a hill, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The contact stated he veered the side of the road and switched gears to park. The contact stated as soon as he exited the vehicle, the vehicle rolled down and ran over his right arm. The contact stated his wife who was sitting in the passenger seat promptly depressed the brake pedal with her hands and the vehicle stopped. The contact sustained a bruised wrist but did not seek medical assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer who diagnosed that the power transfer unit had failed and the failure was related to the recall for NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000 (POWER TRAIN). The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that they would follow up with the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 128,000.

NHTSA ODI 11436424

While on I95 SB getting ready to exit to 295W the pickup in front of me jammed on his brakes. I hit my brakes, realized I would not stop in time, I pressed harder on the brake and went into a skid and impacted the pickups right rear. Why did the anti skid stop working after applying more pressure? Dealer claims if the brakes were pumped it could have confused the system. ??????

NHTSA ODI 11434997

I went into a ditch hit two trees and a culvert before stopping and no airbags were deployed My 2017 jeep is a total loss lucky I didn’t receive any major injuries , a laceration to my face quick need to be closed and brusing and scrapes. Mentally I am not okay know it could have been with my children in the vehicle but that day it was just myself

NHTSA ODI 11433312

The vehicle didn’t have any warning lights or messages on dashboard. Someone ran a red light and hit my car while we were both going over 40mph and my airbags didn’t deploy but there’s did.. my car got towed as it wasn’t drivable anymore and was told the airbags where suppose to deploy but they didn’t.

NHTSA ODI 11421756

VEHICLE WAS IN AN ACCIDENT ON 06/27/2020. THE VEHICLE WAS TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH ON A ROAD FLIPPED 6-8 TIMES AND IMPACTED 3 TREES. NO AIRBAGS WERE DEPLOYED.*DT*JB

NHTSA ODI 11338135

MY JEEP HAS ABOUT 26,000 MILES ON IT, SINCE I'VE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE BRAND NEW OFF THE LOT, IT HAS BEEN TOWED 6 TIMES FOR ENGINE FAILURE. MY ENGINE IS BURNING THE OIL, WITH OUT WARNING WHILE DRIVING, THE CAR SHUTS OFF. THE DEALER INSISTS THIS IS NORMAL, BUT IT IS NOT NORMAL FOR A CAR TO ABSORB OR BURN OIL. *TR

NHTSA ODI 11330789

'SHIFTER BEZEL AND WIRING REQUIRES REPLACEMENT ACCORDING TO EIDE CHRYSLER SERVICE TECHS 'SHIFT MODULE NOT FUNCTIONING ' REPLACED BY EIDE CHRYSLER TWICE 'VEHICLE RANDOMLY SWAPS BETWEEN R/N/D WHILE DRIVING 'VEHICLE HAS DIFFICULT TIME STARTING 'CHECK ENGINE LIGHT ' CODE P0128 ' COOLANT TEMPERATURE BELOW THERMOSTAT REGULATING TEMPERATURE OCAUSED VEHICLE TO ENTER 'LIMP MODE' ON THE INTERSTATE, REQUIRING A TOW TRUCK 'VEHICLE CANNOT ACHIEVE MORE THAN 8MPG IN ANY MODE 'SERVICE AIRBAGS / AIRBAG MALFUNCTION RANDOMLY POPS UP ON DASH INFORMATION CENTER 'VEHICLE WAS PLACED IN 'REVERSE' AND THE TRANSMISSION DROVE THE VEHICLE FORWARD, CAUSING AN ACCIDENT ' VEHICLE TOWED TO EIDE CHRYSLER 3/15/2020 THESE ISSUES KEEP COMING UP AND "ITS NOT UNDER WARRANTY". WHEN WILL CHRYSLER RECOGNIZE THIS IS A MAJOR PROBLEM AND RECALL?

NHTSA ODI 11318383

LAST MONTH I WAS IN A FRONT IMPACT COLLISION CAUSING MY 2017 TO BE TOTALED. HOWEVER THE AIRBAGS DID NOT DEPLOY!!! ITS A MAJOR CONCERN FOR ME! TTHIS DEFAULT COULD HAVE CAUSED SERIOUS INJURY!

NHTSA ODI 11317092

WHILE PICKING UP MY OLDEST CHILD FROM SCHOOL, MY THREE YEAR OLD TODDLER REACHED THE SHOULDER SAFETY BELT LOCATED IN THE CENTER SEAT (NEXT TO HER CAR SEAT ON THE DRIVER SIDE) AND IT GOT WRAPPED AROUND HER NECK AND NEARLY STRANGLED HER. MY CHILD YELLED FOR HELP. I GOT OUT OF THE DRIVERS SEAT AND RAN TO HER AID AND IMMEDIATELY PUT MY FINGERS BETWEEN HER NECK AND THE BELT. I SCREAMED FOR HELP. SEVERAL ADULTS CAME TO AID AND THE SEATBELT WOULD NOT LET UP. EVERY MOVEMENT AND ATTEMPT MADE TO GET IT TO RELEASE MADE THE BELT TIGHTEN EVEN MORE AROUND MY CHILD'S NECK. THE SEATBELT HAD TO BE CUT IN ORDER TO STOP THE HORRIBLE SITUATION THAT OCCURRED. THE CAR WAS IN PARK WHEN THIS OCCURRED. MY CHILD HAD NECK SWELLING AND SOME BRUISING FROM THE INCIDENT. HAD MY CHILD BEEN NON VERBAL AND NOT ABLE TO GET MY ATTENTION, THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT CHANCE SHE WOULD HAVE DIED. THERE IS NO REASON A TODDLER SHOULD BE ABLE TO REACH THE SHOULDER STRAP WHILE IN HER CAR SEAT HARNESSED. THE SEATBELT WOULD NOT LET GO. IT REMAINED LOCKED AND WITH EVERY MOVEMENT OF MY CHILD (MY CHILD WAS PANICKING AND MOVING) IT WOULD TIGHTEN FURTHER. A CHILD THAT AGE DOES NOT KNOW OF THE DANGERS OF SEATBELTS AND THERE NEEDS TO BE A SAFETY PRECAUTION IN PLACE FOR THIS KIND OF SITUATION. I BELIEVE THE SEATBELT IS DEFECTIVE AND EVEN SO THERE SHOULD BE SOME SORT OF RELEASE BUTTON FOR THE MIDDLE SHOULDER STRAP.

NHTSA ODI 11271125

WHILE DRIVING MY 2017 CHEROKEE LATITUDE ON THE INTERSTATE, A "SERVICE SHFTER" WARNING APPEARED AND ALL THE RED LIGHTS ON THE SHIFTER (P, R, N &D) ALL ILLUMINATED. I WAS ABOUT A MILE AWAY FROM A CUSTOMER, SO I PULLED IN AND PUT THE JEEP IN PARK. HOWEVER, WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THE JEEP WENT FORWARD HITTING MY CUSTOMERS FENCE

NHTSA ODI 11240150

MY HUSBAND AND I WERE INVOLVED IN A 4 CAR PILE UP ON THE 3 LANE HIGHWAY. TRAFFIC ABRUPTLY STOPPED SEVERAL CARS IN FRONT OF US ON THE HIGHWAY AND CARS WERE SWERVING TO MISS THE TRAFFIC STOPPED. THE 2 CARS IN FRONT OF US AND OUR CAR WERE ALL ABLE TO GET STOPPED WITHOUT HITTING EACH OTHER. WE WERE STATIONARY (STOPPED) WHEN WE HEARD SQUEALING TIRES AND WERE REAR ENDED BY A F250 HAULING A TRAILER FULL OF FIREWOOD AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. THIS TRUCK THEN PUSHED US FORWARD INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF US. WHICH THEN PUSHED THAT CAR INTO THE VEHICLE IN FRONT OF IT. SO, OUR VEHICLE WAS HIT FROM BEHIND AND THEN IN THE FRONT. THERE IS SEVERE DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE, AND IT HAS BEEN DEEMED A TOTAL LOSS BY INSURANCE. MY CONCERN IS THAT NOT ONE AIRBAG DEPLOYED DURING THIS ACCIDENT. IN ADDITION, THE DRIVER'S SIDE SEAT BELT DID NOT LOCK PROPERLY. IT WAS PULLED ALMOST ALL THE WAY OUT AND THEN LOCKED. MY HUSBAND IS NOT A BIG GUY SO IT SHOULD OF LOCKED RATHER QUICKLY AND NOT AT THE END OF THE BELT. AS A RESULT, OF THE MALFUNCTIONING EQUIPMENT MY HUSBAND FLEW FORWARD HITTING HIS FACE AND CHEST ON THE STEERING WHEEL. HE DID SUSTAIN INJURIES TO HIS FACE AND BODY FROM THE ACCIDENT. I WOULD LIKE TO REQUEST THAT THE AIRBAG AND SEAT BELT ISSUED BE LOOKED AT. IT DOES APPEAR THAT SOME OTHER JEEP MODELS OF THE SAME YEAR HAVE SOME RECALLS FOR AIR BAG ISSUES. I HAVE INCLUDED PICTURES OF MY DAMAGED VEHICLE AND THE SEATBELT. *BF 'PARTS OF THIS DOCUMENT HAVE BEEN REDACTED TO PROTECT PERSONALLY IDENTIFIABLE INFORMATION PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).'*JB

NHTSA ODI 11218276