What 325 owners told NHTSA about the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Srt

Driving at approximately 20 mph on a busy highway, when accelerated to do a lane change, my vehicle did an extremely aggressive jolt and I can hear my engine struggling. I managed to move over lanes to the closest center divider and when i tried to put my car on "Park" it did not shift, it was stuck on drive. I had to apply the emergency foot break and turn off the vehicle. I quickly turned it back on and then i was able to shift to park. As i was being escorted by CHP to the right divider, the vehicle would jolt at the touch of the accelerator. I was unable to accelerate and the mechanic is saying my transmission gave out. No prior symptoms, no warning of any issues. The check engine light came on after the first jolt. The vehicle is currently in the mechanic shop. I'm being told that i need a new transmission.

NHTSA ODI 11638941

Transmission failed. Stuck in drive while on busy road, could not put vehicle in park or neutral and could not turn vehicle off. Drove very slowly to dealership because no one would tow without being able to turn it off and stuck in drive. Dealership did diagnostic and decided transmission needed replaced. Safety of other drivers were put at risk because car could not be taken out of drive and could not be shut off. No warning lamps, no messages prior to failure. Message came on to place vehicle in park to reset after trouble started but nothing worked at that time. Would not go into neutral or park. The emergency brake had to be used to keep car from moving forward. I recently had transmission replaced (1/24/2025) and now have a check engine light on with a code reads P1DCA Park Sensor Circuit Open

NHTSA ODI 11638957

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while approaching a light and attempting to depress the brake pedal, the vehicle shut off. The contact pumped the brake pedal while the vehicle was coming to a stop. The contact stated that the vehicle was unable to be shifted into park for a while; however, after several attempts, the contact shifted into park, restarted the vehicle, and continued driving. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer where the vehicle was diagnosed and the contact was informed that the cylinder, ignition coils, spark plugs, and an oil change were performed. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 74,893.

NHTSA ODI 11638388

On the Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit there is a known defect on the leather dash that comes delaminated from the dash itself. The leather starts to lift, wrinkle, bubble, becomes loose and comes separated from the dash. This impares vision and in an accident could become a safety hazard as you now have a very large piece of leather which comes flying at the driver and passenger.

NHTSA ODI 11635794

The EVAP system leak P0456 the code I received.

NHTSA ODI 11633143

Let me preface this by saying, I have spent THOUSANDS of dollars trying to get this fixed. Changed Batteries. Changed Fuel Pump. Changed Sensors. Made sure everything is tight/plugged in properly. It's gone to Jeep and other shops but no one has been able to find or fix the issue. Probably about two years ago this started. I was driving to work as normal and stopped at a red light. When I tried to accelerate, the car kind of jerked a little like it didn't want to go and then chugged on. Leaving work the same day, it did the same thing, but instead of just jerking, the car completely stopped. The dash displayed a notification that said: "Shift to Park". All of the electricity was on (lights, air, dash) but the car somehow switched itself directly into neutral even though I was in drive. Brought it to the shop, and they changed some sensors. A few months later, the same thing happened while in heavy morning traffic. I had to hurriedly put on my hazards because my car was NOT able to move. Tried starting it up after the "Shift to Park" notification displayed and it wouldn't start at all. I turned it off completely, waited a few minutes, tried to turn it on again, missed twice, and on the third try it FINALLY came back on. Every day I drive my car now, I make sure to turn off the Auto-Start/Stop button because this was the one time this happened while it was still on. Brought it to the shop - they had another, TOTALLY DIFFERENT DIAGNOSIS. More recently, I hadn't had a problem in a few months - but leaving work in 4 pm traffic the car felt like it was jerking every time I had to slow down (which was every few minutes since it was traffic time). I finally made it to the on-ramp of the GNO to cross the river and while going around the roundabout, it happened YET AGAIN. It's dangerous. I'm surprised this hasn't led to severe accidents, injuries, or even deaths yet. It's absolutely ridiculous. There are thousands of forums online with people having the same issues. HELP!

NHTSA ODI 11629826

The HID headlights failed and is available for inspection. Can't drive in the dark or rain, less visible to other motorists. Yes, confirmed by dealer. No other inspections. No notices were given. My friend noticed it and we drove home from an event at night with running lights. Numerous other Jeep Grand Cherokees have the same issue and do have the recall and repair available, but for some reason the Summit was overlooked and should be placed in the recall ASAP. Clearly, this is a Jeepwide problem and not limited by VIN number.

NHTSA ODI 11626677

On [XXX], I was involved in an accident in Maryland while driving my 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It was raining and despite attempting to slow down, brakes performed poorly, causing my car to skid and collide with the vehicle in front of me. Fortunately, no one else was injured, but I sustained a neck injury, and my car was ended up a total loss. During the accident, I noticed the ABS warning light had activated. This, combined with prior experiences of delayed brake response, raised concerns about the vehicle’s safety. Having derive. For over 15 years without incidents, this was my first major accident and I suspect it may be linked to a mechanical issue. After learning about recent calls related ABS/brake issues in Jeep vehicles, I felt it was important to report my experience. I urge you to re-evaluate the safety of the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee’s ABS and braking systems to prevent similar incidents in the future. Thanks INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ODI 11625708

I was at a redlight at a complete stop. I began to turn right onto the bypass and got to 13MPH when my Jeep wouldn't catch the next gear. I rode in the emergency lane to make it to an autoparts store. My battery needed replacing so we tried that. I got back in Jeep and went to the red light and began to turn left and when my jeep got to 13MPH again it wouldnt shift to the next gear and I the car behind me had to slam on their brakes to keep from rear-ending me. I have found online a recall for 2016-2017 Jeep Cherokee where over 67,000 were recalled for transmission issues.It took me an hour and a half speaking to 4 different people at Jeep Customer Care whom all told me "well that doesnt apply to your vehicle." How does it NOT apply when my vehicle is doing the exact thing the recall was called for? I would greatly appreciate if someone would contact me about this issue. I enjoy my Jeep but I dont understand how this shouldn't be under the recall when this IS a life threatening situation.

NHTSA ODI 11622943

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle failed to start. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V406000 (Fuel System, Diesel). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.

NHTSA ODI 11622278

My headrest opened without me being involved in an accident.

NHTSA ODI 11621646

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, the check engine warning illuminated, and there was an abnormal sound coming from the driver’s side of the engine compartment. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that cylinder #3 had misfired and a tune up was needed. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The vehicle was then taken to a different independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the cam shaft and both head gaskets needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired but while in reverse(R), the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was restarted after three attempts. The vehicle was taken back to the independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that unstated software needed to be updated and reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired but while stopped at an intersection the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was able to restart after waiting for a while. The vehicle was taken to the same independent mechanic again and was diagnosed and determined that the throttle body needed to be reprogrammed. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 86,000.

NHTSA ODI 11621259

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission unexpectedly down shifted into a lower gear. The vehicle was driven to the residence. The contact who is a certified mechanic used an OBD scanner to diagnose the vehicle and retrieved a fault code for transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.

NHTSA ODI 11615687

Faulty transmission that breaks before 90K miles

NHTSA ODI 11614759

There is a very serious issue with the mechanical part of these car models that end up having issues with the service shifter. there needs to be a complete recall due to it being a worldwide issue.

NHTSA ODI 11612180

Yokohama tornate installed in 2022 plenty of tread left on tire. Driving 20 mph on back road. Driving around a person walking their dog so very slow and rear passenger tire was in the middle of the road. Tire pressure is emptied completely for no reason. Upon inspection found tire blew out at side wall. Large 4-6” crack from mid sidewall to tread. Driving back from beach in Maine. Drove up to Maine from NH then half way back when this happened.

NHTSA ODI 11610781

When using the heated seat feature, there was a faint electrical smell. It got worse after about 5 minutes. I shut the heated seats off and the smell started to disappear. I read some jeep forums and this seems a common issue in the jeeps with suede & leather seats for there to other be an electrical short, or “hot spot” on a certain part.

NHTSA ODI 11607002

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front passenger's seat headrest deployed. The contact's minor child was seated in the rear seat was struck by fragments. The contact stated that the fragments landed in the minor child's lap. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 166,455.

NHTSA ODI 11605267

The contact owned a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the brake pedal was depressed while in the park position gear, the engine revved and the vehicle accelerated independently forward causing the contact to hit her head on the headrest. The contact confirmed by looking down if in fact her foot was on the brake pedal and it was during the incident. As a result, the contact crashed into the waiting room of a building. The contact remained depressing the brake pedal and shifted into reverse however her head hit the headrest again. The contact then attempted to shift into the park position but the vehicle continued to accelerate on its own and crashed into a parked Mercedes-Benz and then crashed into the rear door of a parked vehicle where the vehicle came to a stop. During the incident, the Anti-Braking System did not engage. The air bags did not deploy. The driver sustained a concussion and neck injury which later required medical treatment. The vehicle was destroyed and towed away. A police report was filed. The cause of the failure was not determined. The local dealer was notified of the crash but no assistance was offered. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 67,500.

NHTSA ODI 11602279

VVL solenoid was faulty, and seems to be a common problem with 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Replaced coils, spark plugs and VVL solenoids.

NHTSA ODI 11598393

The oil filter housing in the Jeep Grand Cherokee is known to have serious problems and safety concerns. The Pentastar oil filter housing used in these vehicles can crack and warp due to heat exposure and this can lead to serious oil leaks. Despite knowing about this issue, the company has never issued a recall, instead, they have discontinued the production of the Pentastar and redesigned the oil filter housing for newer vehicle models. This oil filter housing is prone to so many issues mainly because it is made from plastic, not a metal that can withstand high engine temperatures. My mechanic is replacing the plastic housing now with an Aluminum one that will withstand the heat and pressure needed to hold up. He told me that it has been a major issue for several years now and he has personally changed several of these out over the years. At one point he said it was such a big issue that he couldn't get parts to repair numerous vehicles that ended up sitting in his lot for a long time until parts become available. Everything I read online suggests that this is a major issue and one that people can't understand why Jeep has not been ordered to recall the wrongly designed housing. The safety issue on this one is potential breakdowns on highways where oil will make roadways slick and cpould also start an oil fire when oil starts to spray on the hot engine. Stranded cars will be parked on the sides of the road posing a risk to them and the other cars on the roads as well I didn't even know about the issue or that mine was failing until I had it in the shop to replace a leaking motor mount. It was during this work that they noticed the issue with the housing and told us that we need to replace it very soon. We decided to change it out and incur another 650.00 in repairs.

NHTSA ODI 11597277

A day after I bought my 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited my oil cooler spilt and oil went into my hole cooling system. Rock Top Chrysler said $5200.

NHTSA ODI 11596255

2017 Jeep grand Cherokee, 103k miles. I purchased my car new for around $45,000. All maintenance was done on time. Oil cooler assembly went out, then head gaskets, now I need a new engine. At 103k miles !Jeep has done nothing other than tell me sorry that will be $15,000 to repair. My engine is doing that loud clicking sound everyone is talking about. I’ve spoken with countless people this has happened to, some as early as 49k miles. There are videos online of mechanics bragging about how much money these engines are making them in repairs. Yet Stellantis still refuses to take responsibility for their 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine issues. Even though there is a current class action against them for it. There are full YouTube videos from mechanics explaining exactly why the 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine fails and still Stellantis chooses to take more money from consumers to fix/replace their faulty engine. Now onto functionality of my vehicle, the start/stop engine problems I see people complaining about on here are real. The first thing I did when I got into my car was turn OFF my start/stop system. 20% of the time my system worked properly when left on. The rest of the time it was dangerous. The car would shut off when hitting the breaks and stall. I would be stuck on the freeway having to restart my car. I’m lucky it never caused an accident but it is terrifying being in the middle of the street and your car just shutting off and engaging the parking break and stuck in neutral. It’s happened more times than I can count, stop lights were where my car shut off most commonly. Usually would result in cars honking and people screaming to get out of the way while I scramble to get my car to turn back on. Over all, I’m so disappointed in this company and how it chooses to treat its consumers.. I was forever a Jeep owner until this week.

NHTSA ODI 11587478

My 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee would not start. The power connection on the starter burned and I could smell smoke emanating from the vehicle. My jeep required a tow to a local garage to be fixed. Upon my Mechanic examining my vehicle, he discovered the engine also had a blown head gasket. To fix these issues is estimated to cost $5k - $6k. My jeep only has 82,000 miles on it.

NHTSA ODI 11586700

The component is known to fail on jeep forums weather it fails completely or was not installed properly and may loose its functionality. The event is when towing a trailer and reversing the car will see the trailer as an obstruction and will engage the brakes. The car is alleged to have an automatic system that when towing is supposed to turn the parking assist sensors off to prevent the event occuring. If that system isn't present there is a button that should allow you to turn the parking system off which it does for about two seconds and start backing up the trailer, then it will automatically turn back on and see the trailer and lock the brakes up which is jarring and startling to say the least. I am fairly certain this could cause an accident if it hasn't already.

NHTSA ODI 11585567