UsedScore

2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee: Use caution

Owners filed 371 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee in its first five years on the road, about 219 for every 100,000 sold: 1.6× the rate of a typical Grand Cherokee year. That's above average, so use caution.

The biggest problem area, counting serious complaints more, is the electrical system (54% of complaints, median 35,000 miles).

Complaint index
1.6×
per vehicle sold, vs. a typical Grand Cherokee year
Rank
10th of 14
1st = fewest complaints
Complaints
371
first five years; 219 per 100,000 sold
Recalls
9
campaigns
4th generation (WK2), 2011–2021 · Updated September 24, 2026 · How we rate
2011–2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Photo: 2011–2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee · IFCAR, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Problem areas

Ranked by severity-weighted complaints · share · median miles
  1. Electrical54% · 200 complaints · median 35,000 miles
  2. Brakes33% · 124 complaints · median 16,000 miles
  3. Air bags4% · 13 complaints · median 50,000 miles
  4. Engine7% · 27 complaints · median 19,000 miles
  5. Powertrain5% · 19 complaints · median 35,000 miles
  6. Lights5% · 19 complaints · median 21,000 miles
  7. Steering4% · 15 complaints · median 18,000 miles
  8. Fuel and propulsion5% · 19 complaints · median 24,000 miles
  9. Speed control3% · 10 complaints · median 27,000 miles
  10. Seats and belts2% · 7 complaints · median 65,000 miles

Bars rank problem areas by complaints weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries and deaths count more). A complaint can name more than one area. Mileage is reported on about half of complaints.

What owners describe

Air bags

Owners commonly report the headrest's active restraint deploying on its own during normal driving or while parked, with no collision involved. Others describe air bags not deploying in real crashes, and dealers sometimes needed backordered parts or charged owners for headrest replacement.

Warning signs:
Owners describe a loud pop or bang, the headrest suddenly popping forward or apart, and sometimes an air bag warning light illuminating beforehand.
What shops did:
Dealers often said the headrest needed full replacement, sometimes citing backordered parts, expired extended warranties, or out-of-pocket costs; some crash-related air bag failures were not diagnosed at all.
Mileage:
most between 30,000 and 95,000 miles, among 19 complaints that give it

“It appears that the plastic, that holds in a pin, failed. The pin is still stuck within the latch in the back of the headrest.”

“Passenger side head rest deployed unprovoked and without warning, striking the passenger in the back of the head.”

Brakes

Owners describe sudden or intermittent brake failures where the pedal feels frozen, hard, or unresponsive, sometimes leading to crashes. Many link this to a brake booster recall, but report long parts delays, repeat failures after repair, or dealers unable to find a problem.

Warning signs:
Many describe a hard, frozen, or unresponsive brake pedal, sometimes with a hissing sound, warning lights, or a 'BRAKES' dashboard message, often in cold or wet weather.
What shops did:
Dealers frequently could not duplicate or diagnose the problem, replaced brake boosters, master cylinders, or vacuum hoses, and many owners report long waits for recall parts.
Mileage:
most between 15,000 and 75,000 miles, among 64 complaints that give it

“On 4 separate times I attempted to slow the vehicle on the highway, applied the brake pedal and the pedal was locked/frozen.”

“The pedal felt better, but I could hear a hising sound, like a vacuum leak.”

Electrical

Owners describe their Grand Cherokees stalling or refusing to start, frequently linked to alternator, fuel pump relay, or wiring problems, sometimes with smoke or burning smells. Many say dealers struggled to diagnose the issue or lacked recall parts, leaving them without a reliable repair for extended periods.

Warning signs:
Many report warning lights illuminating, whining or burning smells, smoke, dash lights flickering, wipers activating on their own, or loss of power steering/brakes just before failure.
What shops did:
Dealers often replaced alternators, batteries, fuel pump relays, or TIPM modules, though some owners say the failure recurred or parts needed for recall repairs were unavailable for months.
Mileage:
most between 35,000 and 100,000 miles, among 179 complaints that give it

“Both times it stalled without warning and I lost all power steering + power brakes”

“My jeep was started to make a whining noise after leaving a parking lot, later on there was a burning smell coming from engine”

Summaries are written with AI from the owner complaints shown on NHTSA's site and checked against them; quotes are word for word.

Recalls (9)

Check a VIN on NHTSA ›
  • NHTSA 19V813000November 2019528,594 vehicles

    Electrical system

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with a 3.6, 5.7, or 6.4 liter engine and previously recalled under NHTSA Recall 14V530 or 15V115. The fuel pump relay inside the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM-7) may fail, causing the vehicle to stall without warning.

    Risk: A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) will replace the affected fuel pump relay and related wire harness.

  • NHTSA 17V572000September 2017646,394 vehicles

    Service brakes · Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The affected vehicles had brake booster shields installed under a previous campaign to prevent water from entering the brake booster and limiting braking ability. This recall is to verify that the brake booster shield installation was performed properly.

    Risk: If the brake booster shield was not installed properly, the vehicle's braking ability may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake booster shield, correcting the installation as necessary, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 17V435000July 2017442,214 vehicles

    Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulator

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, Dodge Durango, and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The affected vehicles have electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) and are equipped with a 5.7L or a 3.6L engine and a 160, 180 or 220 amp alternator. In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail.

    Risk: If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. There is also the possibility that the alternator may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator and depending on the part number, will replace the alternator, if necessary, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 15V879000December 2015389,252 vehicles

    Interior lighting · Electrical system: wiring

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured December 3, 2009, to September 1, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the wiring for the vanity lamp in the sun visor may short circuit, after having been remedied for a prior recall for the vanity lamp wiring. This recall is also addressing certain vehicles that have not been remedied under that prior recall.

    Risk: The vanity lamp wiring may short, increasing the risk of a vehicle fire.

    Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealer will install clearance for sun visor wiring, protection from sharp edges, and replace the sun visor, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 15V115000February 2015339,525 vehicles

    Electrical system

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured September 17, 2010, to August 19, 2013, and equipped with a 3.6, 5.7 or 6.4 liter engine, and 2012-2013 Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured January 18, 2011, to August 19, 2013, and equipped with a 3.6 or 5.7 liter engine. In the affected vehicles, the fuel pump relay inside the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM-7) may fail, causing the vehicle to stall without warning.

    Risk: A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the fuel pump relay with one external to the TIPM.

  • NHTSA 14V634000October 2014435,081 vehicles

    Electrical system: alternator/generator/regulator

    Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Chrysler 300, Dodge Charger, Challenger, and Durango; and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured April 22, 2010, to January 2, 2014, and equipped with a 3.6L engine and a 160 amp alternator. In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail.

    Risk: If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will replace the alternator, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 14V391000July 2014653,562 vehicles

    Electrical system: wiring

    Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured January 5, 2010, through December 11, 2013. In the affected vehicles, the wiring for the vanity lamp in the sun visor may short circuit, after a service repair is performed.

    Risk: If the vanity lamp wiring shorts, there is an increased risk of fire.

    Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair any damaged wiring, and install a new sun visor that properly routes the wire, free of charge.

  • NHTSA 14V154000April 2014646,498 vehicles

    Service brakes · Service brakes, hydraulic: power assist: vacuum

    Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured from January 5, 2010, through September 8, 2013. The subject vehicles have a brake booster with a center shell that may corrode and allow water to get inside.

    Risk: The water inside could freeze and limit the braking ability of the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will add a water diverter shield to the booster after the booster has been tested to confirm it can hold an acceptable amount of vacuum pressure.

  • NHTSA 14V104000March 201418,780 vehicles

    Service brakes, hydraulic: antilock/traction control/electronic limited slip

    Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2012-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 11, 2011, through October 1, 2012. Under certain braking events, the Ready Alert Braking System (RAB) may result in the driver experiencing a hard brake pedal feel.

    Risk: If the driver experiences a hard brake pedal, the driver may not push the pedal as intended, lengthening the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increasing the risk of a crash.

    Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the ABS module software, free of charge.

A recall only helps if the repair was done. Enter the vehicle's 17-character VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup before you buy.

Service bulletins

Jeep sent NHTSA 291 service bulletins and other notices to dealers covering the 2013 Grand Cherokee. These are repair instructions, not recalls. Warranty extensions and bulletins about its top problem areas:

  • 105591 · June 2025 · Warranty extensionFCA Caribbean Warranty Newsletter – Volume 11, Issue 6
  • S1623000028 REV.I · May 2026Outside Power Fold Rearview Mirror Noise Or Loose At Pivot.
  • 9100226 · September 2023Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability.
  • S1117000002RevA · June 2021Air Suspension System Diagnosis
  • S2008000113 · April 2021No Start Intermittently, Vehicle Requires Multiple Keyless Push To Start Attempts To Start Vehicle, Intermittent Key Not Detected Message
  • S1723000007RevF · March 2021Air Suspension Inoperative And Or Compressor Freeze Up Or Sticking In Cold Weather.
  • 9004351 · February 2021PLATE - CLUTCH PRESSURE For 68RFE trans use selective fit pressure plates between the overdrive and reverse clutch packs and hence use all three 52119929A$, 52119930A$, 04799116A$ maintain clearance…
  • 23-001-20 REV D · October 2020Leather Instrument Panel (IP) Cover Delaminating - X81 Warranty Extension This bulletin involves replacing upper leather IP covers that have suffered delamination issues.

All 2013 Grand Cherokee bulletins on NHTSA ›

Questions owners ask

Is the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee reliable?
Owners filed 371 complaints with NHTSA about the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee in its first five years on the road, about 219 for every 100,000 sold: 1.6× the rate of a typical Grand Cherokee year. That's above average, so use caution. Ratings compare Grand Cherokee years with each other using complaints filed with NHTSA; they don't measure every problem owners have.
What are the most common 2013 Grand Cherokee problems?
Owners' complaints most often involve the electrical system (54%), the brakes (33%) and the air bags (4%). A complaint can name more than one area.
Has the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee been recalled?
Yes. NHTSA lists 9 recall campaigns for the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the most recent in November 2019 (electrical system). Enter the vehicle's VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup to see whether the repairs were done.

Sources

Owner complaints, recalls and manufacturer communications from NHTSA's public data files, as of September 24, 2026. Complaints are counted once each, over the model year's first 60 months on the road. UsedScore is not affiliated with NHTSA or Jeep. The 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee on NHTSA.gov · How we rate