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2019 Jeep Cherokee

Buyable, but go in with open eyes: this car has specific known issues to check before money changes hands.

Recalls, complaint breakdown & inspection checklist — a shareable PDF

1,581 owner complaints · 11 recalls · data verified July 10, 2026 · source: NHTSA

Cautionwillitcar.com

Why caution?

11 recall campaigns (3 safety-critical) — confirm every one shows "remedy completed" on the seller's VIN.

Transmission & drivetrain problems dominate (48% of complaints, typically reported near 40k miles).

The math, shown

Full methodology →
Complaint volume (40%)52
Severity (30%)52
Recall load (20%)19
Trend (10%)45

Complaints filed per year

Fading = early teething worked out. Climbing = problems aging in.

20182026

The road ahead

What breaks on a 2019 Jeep Cherokee, plotted where owners report it happening.

030k mi60k mi90k mi120k miTransmission & drivetrain~40k mi · 751 reportsEngine~4k mi · 448 reportsElectrical system~5k mi · 335 reportsSteering~10k mi · 120 reportsBrakes~20k mi · 104 reports

Mileage medians come from owners who mentioned an odometer reading in their NHTSA complaint — a rough guide, not a schedule.

Transmission & drivetrain

48%

751 complaints · typically near 40k mi · 488 in the last 2 years

Took to dealer they informed us the put motor needs to be replaced. There have been recalls for this however ours has not been recalled.

Engine

28%

448 complaints · typically near 4k mi · 99 in the last 2 years

While driving the 2019 Jeep Cherokee 2.0L turbo lost power and stalled. Had it towed to mechanic and was advised cylinders 1&2 had low compression and needs new motor.

Electrical system

21%

335 complaints · typically near 5k mi · 78 in the last 2 years

Service four-wheel-drive warning light comes on – intermittently and randomly car still drives but vibrates just a little started at 36,000 miles and continues at 39,0…

Steering

8%

120 complaints · typically near 10k mi · 25 in the last 2 years

While driving home from Church Sunday afternoon, I was on the highway driving 65 mph. Suddenly, and without warning lights or any other ability to know or prepare for …

Recalls (11)

Safety recall repairs are free at the brand’s franchised dealers. Before buying, run the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls and make the seller show the work was done.

Power Train · 26V290000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may fail.

Risk: A failed PTU may result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.

Fix: The remedy is currently under development. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk are expected to be mailed June 25, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy becomes available. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 40D. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 14, 2026.

Power Train · 25V011000

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power and/or loss of park function.

Risk: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. A loss of park function can cause an unintended vehicle rollaway, which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.

Fix: Dealers will update the drivetrain control module and PTU software and replace the PTU, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning February 19, 2026. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 01C.

Steering · 19V637000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The steering rack gear may break, possibly causing a loss of steering control.

Risk: A loss of steering control increases the risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V99.

Air Bags · 19V449000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The impact and acceleration sensors may fail and reduce the air bag system's ability to properly detect certain crash events.

Risk: In the event of a crash, the inability to properly detect a crash may result in improper air bag deployment, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the affected sensors, free of charge. The recall began August 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V63.

Seats · 19V248000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The front passenger seat mounting bolts may be loose.

Risk: In the event of a crash, the seat may move, increasing the risk of injury.

Fix: Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will tighten the mounting bolts, free of charge. The recall began April 11, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V31.

Electrical System · 18V917000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The instrument cluster may fail resulting in a lack of activation of warning chimes, messages, and gauges.

Risk: Without the activation of warning chimes, messages, and gauges to provide vehicle information to the driver, there would be an increased risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will inspect and, as necessary, replace the instrument cluster, free of charge. The recall began February 7, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is UC4.

Power Train · 18V739000

Chrysler(FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines. Improper transmission calibration may result in a stall.

Risk: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will re-flash the transmission controller with a new calibration, free of charge. The recall began November 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is UA9.

Electrical System · 18V524000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.

Risk: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.

Service Brakes, Hydraulic · 18V523000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2019 Dodge Grand Caravan and Jeep Compass, 2018 Dodge Journey, and 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The rear brake caliper pistons on these vehicles may have an insufficient coating causing gas pockets to form, potentially reducing rear brake performance.

Risk: A reduction of braking performance can increase the risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will bleed the vehicle's brake system, free of charge. The recall began September 29, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U86.

Power Train · 18V492000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica non-hybrid vehicles. A component in the transmission may not have been welded properly, possibly causing the transmission to not transmit engine power to the wheels.

Risk: If the transmission weld fails, the vehicle will stop moving, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the transmission, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin September 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U85.

Engine And Engine Cooling · 18V344000

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with 2.0L engines. The engines in these vehicles may be missing valve stem keepers, which can allow the valve to drop into the engine cylinder causing engine damage. These engines may also have a reversed camshaft cap that can damage the camshaft bearing causing camshaft failure.

Risk: Cylinder damage or camshaft failure can cause the engine to stall, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair or replace the affected engine components, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 9, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U52.

Before you hand over money

Verify the recall work was done

NHTSA’s free lookup shows whether this exact car had its recall remedies completed.

Free NHTSA VIN check

Get a pre-purchase inspection

A $150–$250 independent inspection of this exact 2019 Jeep CHEROKEE beats every score on the internet, including ours.

What to ask for

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What owners say

Real owners of this exact model-year, shown separately from the NHTSA score — if they disagree, that’s worth knowing.

The fine print: this verdict is computed from public NHTSA complaint and recall records for the 2019 Jeep Cherokee as a model, not for any individual car. A well-maintained example of an “Avoid” can outlast a neglected “Buy”. Informational only — always get a professional pre-purchase inspection.