Jeep Grand Cherokee years to avoid: 2014 tops NHTSA complaints

At a glance

• Most complaints

  2,380

  Model year: 2014

  complaints to NHTSA [29]

• Fewest complaints

  118

  Model year: 2010

  complaints to NHTSA [29]

• Most recall campaigns

  24

  Model year: 2022

  recall campaigns [29]

The highest value in each column is marked in amber. Raw counts, not adjusted for sales.

Grand Cherokee complaints and crash reports by year

Each row below is one Grand Cherokee model year, 2005 to 2024, as NHTSA's public API listed it on Oct. 12, 2026. It has four columns: complaints, recall campaigns, complaints marked crash or fire, and complaints filed since Oct. 12, 2024.

The 2014 leads the crash-or-fire column with 189, ahead of the 2015 (150) and the 2012 (149). The 2012's total is driven by fire: its 105 fire-flagged complaints are the most of any year. Together, the 2014 and 2015 hold 279 of the 794 crash-flagged complaints in the 20 model years, 35.1 percent.

The last column shows where reports still arrive: apart from the 2022-2024, the 2019 drew the most since Oct. 12, 2024, 174, ahead of the 2018 (168) and the 2015 (157). The 2015's figure tops the 2014's 127, while the six 2005-2010 models drew 36 between them. Complaints report seven deaths across all 20 years: two each on the 2006 and 2011 and one each on the 2013, 2023 and 2024.

2014 and 2015: the shifter, crashes and injuries

Of the 2014's 151 crash-flagged complaints, 69 list the power train, and 53 have a description that mentions the vehicle rolling away, not being in Park, or the shifter. On the 2015 the figures are 78 and 55 of 128.

The 2014's 2,380 complaints most often list the electrical system (484), the power train (475) and the engine (408). The 2015's 1,364 most often list the power train (352) and seats (315). One complaint can list several components, so these counts overlap. Across all their complaints, 225 of the 2014's and 219 of the 2015's descriptions mention rolling away, Park or the shifter; no other year has more than 52. A mention count shows only that the words appear in a filer's account; it confirms nothing.

In recall 16V-240, NHTSA's consequence statement concerns drivers who think the transmission is in Park. They may be struck by the vehicle and injured if they get out while the engine is running and the parking brake is not engaged. The remedy is a free software update from the dealer to reduce the risk of rollaway; Chrysler's number for the recall is S27. On Oct. 19, 2016, Chrysler found that some repaired vehicles had not received the complete update and said those owners would be notified again for a second one. The record's 811,290 potentially affected vehicles include 2012-2014 Dodge Chargers and Chrysler 300s, not only Grand Cherokees.

Seats are the component listed most often on both years' injury complaints, in 39 each, ahead of the power train and air bags. Only 14 of the 2014's 117 injury complaints mention rolling away, Park or the shifter, and 14 of the 2015's 87. Of the 2014's 19 recall campaigns, four apply only to the 3.0-liter diesel. One more, 17E-061, is a recall of aftermarket superchargers, not of the vehicle.

Headrest complaints on the 2014 and 2015

Complaints whose description mentions a headrest or head restraint number 391 on the 2014 and 363 on the 2015, against 67 on the 2013 and no more than 35 on any other year. Of those, 344 on the 2014 and 310 on the 2015 also use a word such as deploy, popped or fired (full pattern in the method section).

Seats are the component listed second most often on the 2015, in 315 complaints, and they appear in 338 on the 2014. In NHTSA's recall lists for 2005 to 2024, the only Grand Cherokee campaigns that mention a head restraint are on the 2023 and 2024 models, so the 2013-2015 complaints have no recall behind them.

NHTSA's investigation PE19014 looked at front Active Head Rests that deploy without a rear impact, on 2011-2020 Grand Cherokees and other FCA models. It focused on the 2012-2015 Grand Cherokee, the FCA model NHTSA's investigators found had the highest failure rate, and found 2,839 alleged failures among its 710,890 vehicles. NHTSA says it could not obtain evidence to substantiate or validate any injury that needed medical treatment. It closed on Feb. 25, 2026, with FCA's extended warranty, which covers unintended deployment for ten years with unlimited mileage from the vehicle's in-service date.

2011 to 2013: the power module and stalling recalls

The electrical system is the component listed most often on the 2011, 2012 and 2013, in 780, 837 and 376 complaints. Descriptions that mention the TIPM, the integrated power module or the fuel pump relay number 360 on the 2011, 199 on the 2012 and 95 on the 2013; no other year has more than 10. Stalling comes up in 376 of the 2011's complaints and 297 of the 2012's, the two highest counts.

Recall 14V-530 covered 2011 Grand Cherokees with the 3.6L or 5.7L engine built from Jan. 5, 2010, to July 20, 2011; dealers moved the fuel pump relay outside the TIPM (Chrysler recall P54). Recall 15V-115 extended the fix to 2012-2013 models with the 3.6, 5.7 or 6.4 liter engine (Chrysler recall R09). Recall 19V-813 then covered 2011-2013 vehicles previously recalled under either campaign: dealers replace the relay and the related wire harness (Chrysler recall V62), and owner notification letters were mailed Dec. 10, 2020.

The 2012's 105 fire-flagged complaints include 94 that list the electrical system and 56 whose description mentions the alternator. Two alternator recalls cover 2012-2014 Grand Cherokees, and a third, 17V-741, covers the 2014. In 14V-634, for 3.6L engines with a 160 amp alternator, the alternator may suddenly fail and the vehicle may stall. In 17V-435, which covers models with electro-hydraulic power steering, NHTSA adds that the alternator may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire. NHTSA lists 435,081 potentially affected vehicles for 14V-634 across every model it covers, including Chargers, Challengers, 300s and Durangos.

Service brakes rank third on the 2011 and 2012, in 323 and 278 complaints. Recall 14V-154 covers 2011-2014 models whose brake booster shell may corrode and let in water that can freeze and limit braking.

2005 to 2010: ignition switch, transfer case and door handles

The 2005 has 2,051 complaints, the second-highest count, and 927 of them list the electrical system. Descriptions mention the ignition in 218 of its complaints, and in 158 to 183 on each of the 2006-2008 models.

Recall 14V-438 covers 2005-2007 Grand Cherokees built from Feb. 11, 2004, to July 5, 2007, in which the driver's knee can knock the ignition key out of the run position and turn off the engine. That shuts off key safety systems, including the air bags, power steering and power brakes. Dealers replace the ignition switch free of charge (Chrysler recall P41).

Recall 13V-175 covers 2005-2010 models in which a transfer case electrical failure may shift the transfer case into neutral, and NHTSA says the vehicle may then roll away. The fix is new software for the final drive controller (Chrysler recall N23).

Structure is the 2005's second most-listed component, in 405 complaints, and 414 of its descriptions mention a door handle, as do 106 on the 2006; no other year has more than five. Few of these older complaints are new: four, nine and seven were filed since Oct. 12, 2024, on the 2005, 2006 and 2007.

Diesel and 4xe recalls to check

In 20V-699, for 2014-2019 Grand Cherokees with the 3.0L EcoDiesel, the exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) cooler may crack and let vaporized coolant combust inside the intake manifold, increasing the risk of a fire. Dealers replace the EGR cooler and inspect the intake manifold (Chrysler recall W79); the record counts 28,884 vehicles.

In 22V-406, for 2014-2020 diesels, a high-pressure fuel pump failure can starve the engine of fuel and cut drive power; dealers replace the pump (Chrysler recall Z46). In 23V-411, for 2014-2020 diesels, the crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may come apart and stall the engine. It expands the earlier recall 20V-475, and the fix is a powertrain control module software update (Chrysler recall 66A). Descriptions mention diesel in 107 complaints on the 2014 and 75 on the 2015.

For the 2022-2024 plug-in hybrid 4xe, recall 25V-741 says the high-voltage battery may fail internally and cause a fire while parked or driving. Until the remedy is done, owners are told to park outside, away from structures, and not to charge the vehicle. Dealers update the battery software and replace the battery as necessary (Chrysler recall 68C), and vehicles previously recalled for the same issue under 24V-720 and 23V-787 need the new remedy too. The campaign's 320,068 vehicles include 2020-2025 Wrangler 4xe models. Descriptions mentioning the 4xe, a plug-in or a hybrid make up 100 of the 2022's complaints, 92 of the 2023's and 80 of the 2024's.

2016 to 2021: lighter records, with two exceptions

The 2020 has the fewest complaints of the 2011-2021 model years, 240, and three recall campaigns, two of them for the diesel only. In NHTSA's 5-Star ratings, every rated 2018 version gets four stars overall, while each other 2014-2021 model year has at least one five-star version.

The 2018 is the first exception: 855 complaints, and 404 descriptions that mention the radio, Uconnect, a display or a screen, more than any other year. Its second most-listed component is NHTSA's "unknown or other" category, in 267.

The 2021 is the second: NHTSA lists 12 recall campaigns for it, but the summaries of 11 name only the Grand Cherokee L for that year. NHTSA's record for recall 22V-284 calls the 2021 Grand Cherokee that is not the L the Grand Cherokee WK. It is the one campaign that names the 2021 WK: an exhaust gas recirculation valve on the 3.6L engine may stick open and cut drive power.

Three spans compared: 2005-2010, 2011-2021, 2022-2024

The six 2005-2010 model years hold 5,446 complaints, and the 2010 has the fewest, 118. The 2011-2021 model years hold 10,377, which is 61.6 percent of all 20 years' complaints and 70.3 percent of the crash-flagged ones.

The 2022-2024 models hold 1,030 complaints so far, and 717 of them were filed since Oct. 12, 2024, so their totals are still climbing. They also carry many campaigns: 24 for the 2022 and 23 for the 2023, the two highest counts, and 18 for the 2024. On each of those years, six campaigns mention the 4xe, a plug-in or a hybrid. The 2022's count includes 11 campaigns NHTSA files only under the Grand Cherokee 4xe name; NHTSA's own ratings record for the 2022 also counts 24 recalls. Recall 26V-328 covers 2022-2026 Grand Cherokees whose occupant restraint software may delay the side air bags in a crash; owner letters were expected from June 18, 2026.

The Grand Cherokee L's complaints are filed under its own name and are not in our complaint counts: NHTSA returns 83 L complaints for 2021, 95 for 2023 and 41 for 2024. For 2022 its query returns 223 complaints, 148 of them 4xe records already in our count, leaving 75 filed under the L name. The SRT and Trackhawk queries return only complaints already in the Grand Cherokee count, such as all 685 for the 2018 SRT.

Steps before you buy a used Grand Cherokee

1. Get the 17-character VIN and enter it in our free recall check or Jeep's own lookup. Under 49 CFR 573.15, the maker's lookup must list each safety recall not yet done on that VIN whose owner notification began within the past 15 years. It must be updated at least once every seven days.
2. On a 2014 or 2015, ask for the dealer record of recall S27 (16V-240), including the second software update some vehicles needed, and confirm in Jeep's own VIN lookup that it is not open.
3. On a 2011-2020, look at both front head restraints and ask whether either has deployed or been replaced; no recall covers them on those years. FCA's warranty for unintended deployment runs ten years from the in-service date, so ask for that date: most 2011-2015 vehicles are now past it. Ask an FCA dealer whether the extended head-restraint warranty applies to that VIN.
4. On a 2011-2013, ask for proof of the V62 repair (19V-813), which replaces the relay and its wire harness on vehicles previously recalled under 14V-530 (P54) or 15V-115 (R09).
5. On a 2011-2014, ask whether the brake booster recall P14 (14V-154) was done.
6. On a 2012-2014, check the alternator recalls: P60 (14V-634) on the 3.6L engine with a 160 amp alternator and T36 (17V-435) on models with electro-hydraulic power steering, and on a 2014, T75 (17V-741).
7. On a 2005-2007, confirm the ignition switch replacement (P41), and on any 2005-2010 the transfer case software (N23).
8. On a 2014-2020 diesel, ask for Z46 and 66A, the fuel pump and tone wheel campaigns (66A expands 20V-475), and on a 2014-2019 diesel also W79, the EGR cooler.
9. On a 2022-2024 4xe, check 25V-741 (68C) first; until it is done, the record says to park outside and not to charge.
10. Where a recall is still open, ask the seller to have it done before you pay; our recall-check guide and used-car inspection checklist cover the rest of the visit.