2018 Jeep Cherokee problems
Owners have filed 1,001 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Jeep Cherokee. Drivetrain & axles is the most reported problem area, at 30% of complaints. Next are electrical system (19%) and engine (16%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 1,001 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Drivetrain & axles 30% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 18 and 8
- Injuries and deaths
- 7 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 32,000 miles 522 complaints with mileage
Source: NHTSA owner complaints
Where the complaints are
Share of this model year's complaints by the part of the car involved. One complaint can name more than one part, so the shares can add up to more than 100%.
When problems show up
View the numbers
| Mileage | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 0k to 20k miles | 137 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 175 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 130 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 27 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 16 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 17 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 10 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 7 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 0 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 2 |
What the data shows
Of the 522 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 32,000 miles. For drivetrain & axles specifically, the median reported mileage is about 41,000 miles (145 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 18 complaints mention a crash; 8 complaints mention a fire; 7 injuries reported. Its complaints are less severe on average than those of 91% of model years in our database.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2018 ranks 6th most-complained-about out of 21 model years of the Jeep Cherokee with enough data (772 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 7 safety recall campaigns.
What owners wrote
A few complaints as filed, shortened and with personal details removed. The first ones are among the most serious reports for this model year; the rest are typical.
Tl* the contact owned a 2018 jeep cherokee. While the contact's vehicle was stopped, it was rear ended by another vehicle. The air bags did not deploy. There was no warning indicator illuminated. A police report was filed. The driver sustained back and neck injuries. The contact, who was seated in the rear driver's seat, sustained whiplash after his head struck the side window. The window broke and inflicted a cut on the contact's neck. The front passenger sustained a leg fracture.
I backed out of my garage into the driveway and stopped the car to bring in the recycling bin. I shifted into what I thought was park, released the break, and exited the car. After I had exited, the car began to move forward toward the open garage. I attempted to jump back into the car in order to stop it and sustained a serious hand injury as the jeep's door slammed into the side of the garage and closed back upon me.
I struck the back of a semi truck on the freeway at an estimated 35-40 miles per hour. I did not apply my brakes. Extensive damage to the entire front of my vehicle.
The rear brake calipers stuck on and wore the rear brake pads and rotors out in the first 50,000 miles. The front brakes barely show signs of wear.
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle and the transmission failed to shift into gear properly. The contact stated that the vehicle nearly stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with rear differential failure. The contact was informed that the rear differential needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the 4WD warning light was later illuminated.