What 685 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Srt

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 35-40 MPH, the instrument panel board inadvertently engaged on its own turning the seat warmer on and increasing the air conditioner temperature. The contact also stated that the navigation system started malfunctioning and the vehicle was making phone calls independently while her phone was connected to Bluetooth. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact was able to continue to drive the vehicle however, the failure reoccurred several times while driving. The dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle in for diagnosis. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The approximate failure mileage was 44,000.

NHTSA ODI 11435045

The electrical system on the touch screen is overheating I'm assuming from the engine area causing malfunctioning of the screen,ac,heating and radio as well as Bluetooth functioning. It is not safe for driving to have to deal with these issue while functioning the vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11434340

The rear right seat belt became unusable in August 2021. I bought the car in October 2017 and it only has 20,000 miles. The seat belt was fully retracted and stuck, which caused a major safety issue for my passengers, including my children. The dealership confirmed it the seat belt retractor was broken and needed to be replaced. The repair costed me $558, which was not covered or guaranteed by Jeep. I would have thought that a critical safety part like a seat belt retractor that breaks at 20,000 miles, the company will cover it and recall other vehicles to check same and ensure that retractor systems are properly working. No crash or incident was involved, just normal use of the car.

NHTSA ODI 11434012

Radio screen delaminates causing radio functions change without notice, heated seats turn on without notice. Glue has started to leak down towards electrical connections and radio mother board.

NHTSA ODI 11433938

The factory installed Uconnect UAQ 8.4 inch screen (PART NO: 68306656AL) is de-laminating. This started as just a "bubble" on the screen that wouldn't go away in the upper section around 45,000 miles or April 2021. It has since grown to span about an inch of the entire top of the screen. During this expansion of the "bubble" or de-lamination ghost touches started happening causing the screen and operation to jump around. This severity and portion of the screen experiencing these ghost touches has continued to grow. A potential safety issue exists as I was using the GPS at one point and a ghost touch caused it to jump to another screen just as I was approaching an intersection looking at which way to turn when the screen jumped to another option and I diverted my attention from the road to the screen to get it back to the GPS and find out which direction I needed to go. I have not taken my specific vehicle into a dealer/independent service center for verification because many of the same issues I've researched online and compared who HAVE had this independently verified mirror the exact same symptoms/issues.

NHTSA ODI 11433587

The component I am reporting is the Uconnect touch screen/control panel within the head unit of the car. The screen is delaminating, which is resulting in distorted images during use (quite noticeable when using the backup camera). Also, while the vehicle is in motion, random buttons are being pressed on the interface as a result of this delamination, which is extremely distracting while driving the vehicle. Researching this issue online shows many owners of 2018 Chrysler/Jeep/Dodge vehicles fitted with this same Uconnect screen to be experiencing the same issue, which leads me to believe this is a manufacturer defect.

NHTSA ODI 11433520

The infotainment system is malfunctioning. The radio turns on and off and switches channels on its own. The phone will also randomly dial phone numbers continuously. Navigation will suddenly try to send me someplace on it's own. This issue could potentially distract me enough to cause an accident while I'm driving, especially when I'm on the highway and it starts dialing numbers in my contact list.

NHTSA ODI 11432872

The 8.4 inch Uconnect driver information and control screen is delaminating leading to inoperability of the screen and driver control functions. Others have reported similar issues on this model and other OEM models. OEM refuses to replace out of warranty. My vehicle has about 41,000 miles and just over 3 years old. Out of warranty. Delamination is very visibly apparent.

NHTSA ODI 11432914

The screen to the infotainment system is delaminating. Due to the delamination, at times the screen registers phantom presses on the screen. The radio/audio input will switch back-and-forth rapidly, as well as the display on the screen at times. This has been very distracting and dangerous. The car is one month out of warranty, and the manufacturer and dealership will not remedy this safety issue. Going online to research this issue, I see that it is a common complaint for 2018 Chrysler vehicles with the UAQ infotainment system, including the Grand Cherokee and Ram trucks.

NHTSA ODI 11432601

The Infotainment screen has begun to delaminate causing the controls to unexpectedly change while you are driving. The infotainment screen in this vehicle controls everything in this vehicle to include the radio, climate controls, heated and cooled seats, navigation, phone controls, etc. When it happens it can be very distracting to the driver and could result in an accident due to the unexpected nature of the issue.

NHTSA ODI 11432274

Radio screen started bubbling up since week or so ago now all my controls are going crazy

NHTSA ODI 11432123

Screen doesn't work correctly the screen start to do crazy this I wish was able to post the video of it acting up I when to the dealership while under warranty and they was willing to fix it at my expense which isn’t fair I shouldn’t have to spend over 2,000 dollars to replace a radio that is defective it’s embarrassing to have others in my vehicle while driving down the road and the radio start to act up

NHTSA ODI 11430963

We have experienced 2 separate episodes of this vehicle suddenly becoming disabled with complete engine shutdown while driving at highway speeds. Both episodes occurred abruptly, engine idling extremely rough, then shutting down within seconds, leaving the car completely inoperable. Both episodes were very dangerous as the car could barely coast to the shoulder of the highway for safety of the passengers. The first episode occurred when the car was a few months old, gas gauge showing over 1/4 tank of diesel gas. Car was towed to the Jeep dealership where they claimed that the car simply ran out of diesel (despite the gas gauge indication) no repair "was required", car filled with several gallons of diesel and OBD codes reset by the dealer, car then ran normally . The second episode occurred one week ago. Again driving at highway speed, 5 lane highway, over 1/4 of diesel remaining on the gauge, sudden violent engine running, sudden full loss of function of the vehicle, nearly in an accident simply trying to " limp " to an emergency stop on the road shoulder. Car required towing to our residence. with the prior experience at the Jeep dealer, despite gauge reading of greater 1/4 tank, the car was filled with 5 gallons of diesel, car started normally. All OBD fault codes insufficient fuel to the engine, fuel rail, fuel pressure, etc. The car has run normally since. I contacted my Jeep dealership and they stated they have no knowledge of any similar issues with this Jeep Diesel engine. The internet and Jeep car forums are filled with identical Diesel engine problems. Either related to faulty fuel pressure regulation or some design fault with fuel level indication affecting the safe operation of this Jeep Diesel engine. these problems date back to pre 2008. We now feel very unsafe to drive this relatively new 2018 Jeep Diesel Grand Cherokee at highway speeds without hovering near the shoulder lane of the road.

NHTSA ODI 11430713

Component Malfunctioned: 8.4" Center display, it is available to inspect and there are many other vehicles with the same issue. The digitizer on the display is coming unglued (due to heat), it is causing the touchscreen to do things on its own like change the time, call people, switch radio stations. Safety at Risk: While it may not seem like a safety issue outright, when those phantom touches happen is very distracting to the driver. In addition, after reading about other cases where the delamination is even worse, the glue that is essentially melting has been seen to start dripping on other components and wiring inside the center stack, like air conditioning and parking sensor control and traction control button. Reproduced: This is a very well-known issue within the Jeep/FCA family of vehicles. I called their customer service and they were 100% aware, they were ready with a replacement option right away but at my cost. This is a manufacture defect and should be covered by FCA. I live in Cleveland, OH, the hottest it has gotten here is 90 degrees, this screen should have been tested well beyond that temp. If the glue is melting in this weather, it needs to be replaced as a recall. Inspected: No, but I will give it to anyone to inspect. Mine is not as bad as others I have seen but I would like to get is replaced before it becomes an even bigger safety issue. Warnings: No, the car itself does not realize anything is wrong, it thinks that a human being is touching the screen, so it is doing the commands it is given.

NHTSA ODI 11430129

Display showing signs of delamination from the digitizer. Looks like the screen in loosing fluid and draining down. Screen doesn't work correctly where it is delaminated. It is a distraction during driving if it dowork correctly.

NHTSA ODI 11429615

I have a reoccurring problem filling up my gas tank. More often than not, I cannot fill the tank. If the tank is on “E”, I can usually only put approximately 8 gallons in my tank before it starts to spew out of the tank and into the overflow tank. I had a nightmare with this just a few days ago trying to put gas in my tank at Royal Farms on Rt. 3. Gas flowed out of my tank yet my tank wasn’t full. I am sick of this problem and Jeep needs to stand behind it. I want you to make this a recall. It’s dangerous. If anyone at the gas pumps had been smoking, my entire car and the parking lot would have caught on fire.

NHTSA ODI 11429620

The infotainment system begins to delaminate at very premature time and cause the climate to change in the vehicle which gets to be very distracting and uncomfortable, on top of that when the navigation is on it moves all over the place and changes songs by itself . It’s like the screen is possessed

NHTSA ODI 11429057

Touchscreen interface (8.4" Uconnect) is delaminating and causing ghost touches which randomly select and activate systems on the screen, including switching screens to different controlled systems. While some of these may not be considered safety-related (environmental controls), I would respectfully suggest that others are, including: random and unexpected changing, turning on or off radio various audio at various sound levels (imagine turning on your car and somebody jokingly set the radio to an extremely loud volume - funny, but not necessarily unsafe. Now imagine that happens randomly while you are driving down the road!); interfaced mobile phone randomly placing calls (I have had this happen; solved by disconnecting phone, but was extremely distracting the first time it happened); random activation of the rear-view camera while driving; navigation system randomly activates (and tries to direct you somewhere you are not going); AND inability to disable the screen in order to alleviate the distractions (ghost touches automatically turn it back on). This is apparently an issue with tons of Jeep, Chrysler, Dodge and Ram vehicles...especially 2018 and later. To this point, FCA is refusing to address if out of warranty (which many, including mine, now are). Let me be clear, I am not trying to avoid an out-of-warranty repair on my dime, but I truly believe that the random activation of many of these systems - and the inability to disable most of those - is so distracting that it presents a major safety issue. I would respectfully request you look into this. A few forums indicating how widespread this is: www.jeepgarage.org/threads/display-screen-starting-to-delaminate.224391/ www.ramforumz.com/threads/uconnect-8-4-screen-delamination.274234/ www.ramforum.com/threads/8-4-uconnect-touch-screen-delaminating.162663/ https://www.infotainment.com/blogs/news/touchscreen-bubbling-a-widespread-problem-in-chrysler-dodge-jeep-and-ram-vehicles

NHTSA ODI 11428413

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 55 mph, the structure underneath the driver’s side collapsed and almost caused a collision. The contact felt the structure underneath the driver’s side was lower while turning. The contact attempted to contact the dealer, but the dealer was not answering calls. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 34,008.

NHTSA ODI 11427786

While driving on Sat. 7-31-21 my passenger side headrest popped forward, I found small pieces of plastic in the seat and rear floorboard. No one was in the passenger side seat at the time. It now sticks forward and will not return to its normal position. I called my local dealership and told them what happened, they explained this is only supposed to happen in a collision, I explained that I was driving and no accident happened, they looked up my info and said it’s not under warranty and no recalls. They were willing to make me an appointment to have it diagnosed for a charge of course. I now fear the driver side will do the same so I leave the seat set leaned back and I sit forward so if it does , it doesn’t hit my head while driving

NHTSA ODI 11427459

The computer screen has delaminated causing computer system failure

NHTSA ODI 11426600

The main uconnect "radio" screen is delaminating. The screen itself and the clear digitizer has a bubble in-between and is separating. The issue is that while using navigation or the climate controls the screen defect selects random things or back out of the desired screen completely. The screen defect will also repetitively select buttons which causes the screen to change or flash unexpectedly and is a major distraction while driving. Many vehicles are having the same issue. For example https://www.jeepgarage.org/threads/display-screen-starting-to-delaminate.224391/

NHTSA ODI 11425604

The unconnect system starts to bounce from navigation to radio and then bounces between radio and navigation and doesn’t allow user to change anything on the screen.

NHTSA ODI 11425587

I bought a new 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee a few years ago, but have had the same error message pop up a few times now that has me concerned. I keep receiving "Service Shifter" message. Check engine light stays on for a while (2-3 days) then eventually goes off. Took it in for service, which they kept for a little bit and allegedly fixed. A few months later, same message popped up again, but this time the engine wouldn't down shift, tachometer kept going higher and higher - had to pull of highway and restart vehicle for it to run correctly. Took it to dealership again, they kept the vehicle for a week, dealership had to get approval to fix under warranty (had to work on transmission). On July 5th, I was driving on highway, service shifter error popped up again, but was still driveable, or so I thought...About a minute later, a message popped up telling me to drive directly to dealership for service, if I turned the vehicle off, it wouldn't start again. I drove a little further to the next exit, turned blinker on and all the lights on the dash were flashing, blinker worked, but much slower. I drove to gas station and it started back up, but check engine light remained on for a couple of days. My brother traded his Jeep in for electrical issues, looks like I'll be doing the same, unfortunately. 38K miles and keeps acting up.

NHTSA ODI 11424530

Infotainment system freezes and shuts off on its own when driving. System does its own reboot and can become non functional

NHTSA ODI 11423353