2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems
NHTSA has received 992 complaints about the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 48% of them involve electrical system. Next are engine (15%) and drivetrain & axles (7%).
At a glance
- Complaints
- 992 filed with NHTSA
- Most reported
- Electrical system 48% of complaints
- Crashes and fires
- 35 and 10
- Injuries and deaths
- 13 and 0
- Typical mileage
- 76,000 miles 731 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 | 76 |
| 20k to 40k miles | 74 |
| 40k to 60k miles | 109 |
| 60k to 80k miles | 143 |
| 80k to 100k miles | 136 |
| 100k to 120k miles | 75 |
| 120k to 140k miles | 56 |
| 140k to 160k miles | 31 |
| 160k to 180k miles | 17 |
| 180k to 200k miles | 1 |
| 200k+ miles | 13 |
What the data shows
Of the 731 complaints that include odometer readings, half describe a problem before roughly 76,000 miles. For electrical system specifically, the median reported mileage is about 78,000 miles (287 complaints with mileage).
Safety-related details: 35 complaints mention a crash; 10 complaints mention a fire; 13 injuries reported. Its complaints are less severe on average than those of 82% 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 2008 ranks 28th most-complained-about out of 34 model years of the Jeep Grand Cherokee with enough data (331 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.
While stuck on ice in our driveway, my wife was concerned about backing down the driveway to retry getting to the house, she had the 2008 jeep grand cherokee in park, I went to assist in backing down the driveway, she hopped over the console and hit the gearshift with her leg or foot the jeep gearshift then went from park, into reverse without the brake being depressed as is the design, the jeep rapidly went backwards the open door "scooping me toward the underside of the jeep, I was able to roll away from the…
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep grand cherokee 4x4. The contact stated that while driving approximately 25 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed followed by a delayed response with the activation of the ABS system. The contact then crashed into another vehicle. The contact sustained injuries to the left wrist, shoulder, knee and ankle and face. A police report was filed of the incident. The vehicle was destroyed and towed to a salvage center. The manufacturer was notified of the defect.
Tl*the contact owns a 2008 jeep grand cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 20 MPH, the vehicle stalled. The contact also stated that she lost control of the vehicle, the power steering failed, and the brakes failed. As a result, the contact crashed into another vehicle that was parked in a driveway and the air bags deployed. The contact sustained chest and neck injuries that required medical attention. A police was not filed.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep grand cherokee. The contact stated that when the ignition key was turned to the on position, the vehicle failed to start. The contact discovered that an unknown wire related to the ignition switch was corroded and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. In addition, while driving at various speeds, the air bag warning light illuminated intermittently. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 80,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep grand cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65-70 MPH, the steering wheel failed to move and the vehicle stalled. The tire pressure warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The contact was informed by an independent mechanic that the engine needed to be replaced. The battery, starter, and engine oil were replaced however, the vehicle failed to restart. The local dealer was not contacted.