2021 Jeep Cherokee problems
Owners have filed 245 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Jeep Cherokee. Drivetrain & axles is the most reported problem area, at 42% of complaints. Next are engine (12%) and electrical system (9%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 245 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Drivetrain & axles 42% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 16 and 8
- Injuries and deaths
- 11 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 43,000 miles 44 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 | 14 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 5 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 7 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 6 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 5 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 2 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 3 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 0 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 1 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 0 |
What the data shows
Of the 44 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 43,000 miles. For drivetrain & axles specifically, the median reported mileage is about 67,000 miles (20 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 16 complaints mention a crash; 8 complaints mention a fire; 11 injuries reported.
Looking only at complaints filed within five years of the model year (so older and newer years are comparable), the 2021 ranks 16th most-complained-about out of 21 model years of the Jeep Cherokee with enough data (245 complaints in that window). It is also covered by 4 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.
The contact rented a 2021 Jeep Cherokee Latitude. The contact stated while driving approximately 70mph when the contact lost control of the vehicle and experienced a head-on collision to the front end of the vehicle. While the contact was attempting to leave the vehicle post-accident, the driver-side interior door handle would not function and open the driver-side door. Which resulted in the contact having to open the door via the exterior door handle. All airbags deployed minus driver-side airbags.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 mph and crossing an intersection, he crashed into another vehicle head-on. The contact stated the air bags did not deploy and the driver-side seat belt did not retract. The contact sustained injuries on his chest due to hitting the steering wheel and had bruises/swelling on his right foot. The contact sought medical attention at a nearby hospital.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving on a ramp at 40-45 MPH, there was an abnormally loud grinding sound coming from underneath the vehicle, and the vehicle lost drive power. No warning light was illuminated. The electronic parking brake engaged automatically. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the “4WD Service” warning light illuminated, and while depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, and the contact was informed that the power transfer unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired.