Jeep Grand Cherokee Years to Avoid

Why 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015 made the avoid list

2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee

AvoidTop issue: electrical · 50% of complaints · median 49,000 miles

Owners describe brakes suddenly losing power or turning hard to press, often after a hissing sound under the dash, plus a failing power module that causes stalling or no-starts. Many say needed parts were backordered for weeks, leaving repairs incomplete or vehicles unusable.

Full 2011 report ›

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee

AvoidTop issue: electrical · 52% of complaints · median 43,000 miles

Owners of the 2012 Grand Cherokee describe brake pedals suddenly going hard or to the floor with little stopping power, often in cold weather, alongside stalling, misfiring and no-start problems tied to the TIPM or alternator. Many report dealers faced long parts delays or repeat repairs.

Full 2012 report ›

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee

AvoidTop issue: powertrain · 25% of complaints · median 11,000 miles

Owners describe brakes that feel weak or engage on their own, dashboards where warning lights and the speedometer fail together, and transmissions that shift into neutral, shudder or roll out of park. Many say dealers struggled to reproduce or permanently fix these problems.

Full 2014 report ›

2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee

AvoidTop issue: powertrain · 44% of complaints · median 9,000 miles

Owners describe headrest air bags suddenly popping open with no crash, electronic shifters that leave the Jeep in the wrong gear so it rolls away, and a jerky 9-speed transmission. Many also report electrical glitches like stalling and warning lights, with dealer repairs often inconsistent.

Full 2015 report ›

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints on NHTSA's site and checked against them; the counts and mileages come from our data.

Best Jeep Grand Cherokee years to buy

2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Best betTop issue: powertrain · 18% of complaints

Owners filed 40 complaints with NHTSA about the 2009 Grand Cherokee in its first five years, about 71 for every 100,000 sold: 0.4× the rate of a typical Grand Cherokee year. 18% of them involve the powertrain (transmission and drivetrain).

Full 2009 report ›

2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Best betTop issue: powertrain · 28% of complaints · median 55,000 miles

Owners filed 43 complaints with NHTSA about the 2010 Grand Cherokee in its first five years, about 57 for every 100,000 sold: 0.4× the rate of a typical Grand Cherokee year. 28% of them involve the powertrain (transmission and drivetrain), at a median of 55,000 miles.

Full 2010 report ›

2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Best betTop issue: electrical · 22% of complaints · median 31,000 miles

Owners filed 188 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Grand Cherokee in its first five years, about 81 for every 100,000 sold: 0.5× the rate of a typical Grand Cherokee year. 22% of them involve the electrical system, at a median of 31,000 miles.

Full 2017 report ›

2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Best betTop issue: electrical · 28% of complaints · median 9,000 miles

Owners filed 153 complaints with NHTSA about the 2019 Grand Cherokee in its first five years, about 64 for every 100,000 sold: 0.4× the rate of a typical Grand Cherokee year. 28% of them involve the electrical system, at a median of 9,000 miles.

Full 2019 report ›

2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Best betTop issue: air bags · 9% of complaints · median 16,000 miles

Owners filed 122 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Grand Cherokee in its first five years, about 56 for every 100,000 sold: 0.4× the rate of a typical Grand Cherokee year. 9% of them involve the air bags, at a median of 16,000 miles.

Full 2020 report ›

A best bet drew 0.6× the complaint rate of a typical Grand Cherokee year or less in its first five years on the road. How we rate

1. Electrical37% of complaints · 2,544 complaints · median 2,000–56,000 miles by year · worst years: 2011, 2012 and 2014
2. Brakes17% of complaints · 1,180 complaints · median 6,000–51,000 miles by year · worst years: 2011, 2012 and 2014
3. Engine17% of complaints · 1,126 complaints · median 5,000–48,000 miles by year · worst years: 2011, 2012 and 2014
4. Powertrain16% of complaints · 1,067 complaints · median 4,000–55,000 miles by year · worst years: 2014, 2015 and 2022
5. Fuel and propulsion9% of complaints · 588 complaints · median 5,000–53,000 miles by year · worst years: 2011, 2012 and 2022

Complaints owners filed with NHTSA in each model year's first five years on the road, all years combined. A complaint can name more than one area. Worst years are the rated years with the most complaints about that area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

Questions owners ask

Which Jeep Grand Cherokee years should you avoid?

Counting complaints owners filed with NHTSA in each year's first five years on the road, per vehicle sold, the 2011, 2012, 2014 and 2015 Grand Cherokee drew the most: each more than twice the rate of a typical Grand Cherokee year, spread across more than one problem area. The 2013 also ran above average; use caution with it.

What is the best year for a used Jeep Grand Cherokee?

The best bets are the 2009, 2010, 2017, 2019 and 2020 Grand Cherokee, which drew far fewer complaints per vehicle sold than a typical Grand Cherokee year. The 2009 drew the fewest for its time on the road (0.4× the rate of a typical Grand Cherokee year). Years from 2023 on haven't had five years on the road, so they aren't rated yet.

What is the most common problem with the Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Across every year, the problem area owners report most is the electrical system (37% of complaints), followed by the brakes (17%) and the engine (17%). A complaint can name more than one area.

Has the Jeep Grand Cherokee been recalled?

Yes. NHTSA lists 90 recall campaigns covering Grand Cherokee model years 2008 to 2026, the most recent in September 2026. Enter a vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether its repairs were done.