Service Brakes, Electrical and Transmission issues among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
For people looking to find a reliable and durable family SUV, it makes sense that they buy a 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee. After all, it has been a top-rated model for many years, mainly due to the American build and reputation. This model boasts of “Raising the Bar,” but is evident that the quality is only going downhill. From defective powertrains to faulty electrical systems and malfunctioning service brakes, there are many examples of how low the bar truly is.
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This SUVs powertrain is meant to be strong and rugged. Even though this is a family vehicle, it also claims to handle off-road travel for additional adventure. With that in mind, the components must be able to withstand a lot of abuse, but that’s not most owners’ experience.
Even on Edmunds, you can find real customers complaining about the defects. “This car started shifting hard and rough less than one week after I bought it with less than 1,000 miles on it. It has spent more time at the dealership to get fixed than it has in my driveway. Dealership cannot fix the issues and they are getting worse with the car refusing to shift, park or turn off now.”
Out of only three service bulletins that the automaker provides, one of them (18-044-19) is for the powertrain. It appears that some owners experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp (MIL) illumination along with several Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs). These are either related to the Engine Restart Performance, Engine Stop/Start (ESS) or the Intake Air Temperature Sensor 1 Performance. To fix any of these, the PCM requires an update from the dealer. In the meantime, transmissions everywhere are misbehaving and owners can’t figure out why. What makes it worse is when the dealer acts like they don’t know what the problem is – leaving customers to feel insane.
ON STARTUP WHEN COLD. TRANSMISSION IS WEIRD HARD SHIFTS. SEEMS TO NOT KNOW WHAT GEAR TO BE IN. SUDDEN STOP IN TRANSMISSION BETWEEN 1ST. AND 2ND. GEAR.VEHICLE AT 1300 MILES TOOK TO DEALER THEY TEST DROVE ONE MILE (1) ADVISED ME OF TSB REPORT FROM JEEP IN MOTION WITH TRANSMISSION. ADJUSTMENT TO CONTROL SHIFT IS EVEN WORSE THAN BEFORE. JERKY AND ALMOST DEAD DROP IN TRANSMISSION ON BRAND NEW VEHICLE IS HARD TO BELIEVE. LIKE TO SEE TSB REPORT. 20 PLUS YEARS AUTO MECHANIC MYSELF.DEALER DID EXPERIENCE THE TROUBLE I HAVE WITH VEHICLE.
TRANSMISSION SHIFTS HARD AND ROUGH. MAINLY SHUTTERS THE ENTIRE CAR WHEN THE AUTOMATIC TRANS DOWNSHIFTS FROM 3-2-1 GEARS. VERY NOTICABLE FROM 2-1 GEAR. WILL ALMOST SURGE/JUMP THE CAR FROM THESE TWO GEARS. THIS CAN BE A HAZARD AS IF I WAS TO STOP FAST IT WILL JERK THE ENTIRE CAR AND ALMOST LUNGES THE CAR FORWARD WHEN DOING SO. THIS CAR WAS BOUGHT JULY 27TH, 2019, WITH 2K MILES ON IT. TOOK IT INTO THE DEALER AND OF COARSE THEY DENY ANY ISSUE AS THEY WOULD BE OUT THOUSANDS OF LABOR DOLLARS IF THEY WERE TO FIX 1 CAR. SO IT’S TOO EASY FOR THEM TO PASS OFF THAT IT’S FINE.
CAR STALLS WHEN DECELERATING. HAPPENED ON RESIDENTIAL STREETS ONLY AS WE REFUSED TO TAKE THE HIGHWAY FOR FEAR OF AN ACCIDENT.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | |
| Unknown Or Other | |
| Engine | |
| Power Train | |
| Service Brakes | |
| Steering | |
| Air Bags | |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | |
| Exterior Lighting | |
| Vehicle Speed Control |
Along with the powertrain, the electrical system appears to be just as much of a problem. As with the last issue, we see a similar problem.
One NHTSA review says, “Stop/Start System Warning Light. When the car was stationary at a traffic light, the car turns off at the stop light and does not restart as it is supposed to when the accelerator is pushed. All items on the shift indicator begin to flash. Car must be turned off and restarted. The stop/start system warning light stays on. This has happened three times and is extremely dangerous.”
We see this same problem addressed in the last Service Bulletin. Jeep hasn’t chosen to release many communications, probably with the hopes that they can cover up the problems. After all, how would the company “Raise the Bar” if their vehicle is riddled with issues? They must not be aware that most people take to the Internet these days to do their research and have found countless other owners complaining about the same things. Sorry Jeep, but your “nothing to see here, move along” mentality doesn’t work in this day and age.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2019 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 5 MPH, A WARNING INDICATOR APPEARED, NOTIFYING THE CONTACT TO PULL OVER WITHIN THE NEXT FIFTY MINUTES. THE VEHICLE STALLED AND WAS UNABLE TO RESTART. ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE WAS CONTACTED AND THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO DEALERSHIP. THE DEALER STATED THAT THE BATTERY WAS SEVERELY DISCHARGED. THE BATTERY WAS REPLACED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,321.
CONTINUALLY GETTING LOW VOLTAGE ISSUES DESPITE HAVING IT “FIXED” AT THE DEALER. PARKING BRAKE WON’T TURN OFF.
STOP/START SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT. WHEN THE CAR WAS STATIONARY AT A TRAFFIC LIGHT THE CAR TURNS OFF AT STOP LIGHT AND DOES NOT RESTART AS IT IS SUPPOSED TO WHEN THE ACCELERATOR IS PUSHED. ALL ITEMS ON THE SHIFT INDICATOR BEGIN TO FLASH. CAR MUST BE TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE STOP/START SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT STAYS ON. THIS HAS HAPPENED THREE TIMES AND IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.
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With all the powertrain and electrical trouble, one could only hope that the brakes work correctly. Otherwise, collisions are imminent. Sadly, that’s not a part that can be depended on with this SUV.
Just look at this NHTSA review. “We leased a new 2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee LTD on February 1, 2019. Around the beginning of April, we noticed that the brake pedal had to be depressed further than when it was new to stop the vehicle. Each week it was getting worse to the point where now it goes all the way to the floor and does not stop with confidence. We have stopped driving it before it fails completely. Waiting for service appointment with the dealer.”
What’s interesting about the brake problems is what’s found in Service Bulletin #9004028, or more importantly, what’s not found in the communication. It appears that Jeep is replacing a lot of master cylinders, but we wouldn’t know why because they don’t outline the trouble. Instead, they tell all technicians to call two main people at Chrysler to discuss the repair prior to doing this. There are only two reasons for this. 1. They are replacing so many that the higher-ups want more control over it, or 2. They are trying to hide something. Either way, this isn’t good news for owners. The larger red flag is how hush-hush everything is with the company. They sure seem to be Raising the Bar, but only in the sense of becoming the shadiest automaker yet.
TL* THE CONTACT LEASES A 2019 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE THE CONTACT WAS ACCELERATING FROM A STOP, THE PRECEDING VEHICLE STOPPED SUDDENLY. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL, BUT THE BRAKES FAILED TO ENGAGE. AS A RESULT, THE CONTACT REAR ENDED THE PRECEDING VEHICLE. A POLICE REPORT WAS FILED AND THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO BAYSIDE CHRYSLER JEEP WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE BRAKES PERFORMED NORMALLY AND NO FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 23,000.
Think you have a lemon? Sit back and let the experts work out your lemon case at no cost to you. The law makes Jeep pay legal fees. You may be able to get your lemon out of your life. Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners like you.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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I purchased a 2019 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk and purchased the extended warranty. December 26 2022 my Uconnect went out. I made appointment which took forever to get in. Also had a brake problem. I dropped vehicle off where I purchased. They had for couple days and said it needed to go to their sister company a Jeep dealership. I dropped off January 19th and they still have the vehicle. I feel I have been getting the runaround and think this is unacceptable service. I am paying dearly for a vehicle that I have not been able to drive for the past 2-months.
HVAC musky stink first Vegas summer, repaired bad coil seal drain , Can’t cool intermittently blows hot then cold, 2 dealers failed to resolve, one reported pressure to low the next pressure to high,
water pump leak, replaced with Mopar OEM part leaking again less the 1000 miles @JeepCares total bs company all PR no action.
I have a 2019 jeep grand Cherokee. In upstate NY and while warming car up with both front and rear window defrosters on went to car 10 minutes later and banggg. Rear window emploded. $500 later, not under my deductible replaced by Safelite. Is this a occurrence that people have experienced?
Car is a lemon. It’s been serviced 6 times and is currently at the dealership AGAIN. It’s a fairly new Suv. Technicians continue to fail me and Managers continue to disappoint as they make you fight for help that should be given due to their lack of ability to fix it once and for all!
My jeep jerks like someone hit me from behind .I have taken it to the dealer shop 5 time .the problem was fixed once it stopped for a few weeks then returned. Now this is happening 3 to.4xa week.
The technician at the Jeep Dealership in Tampa told me when I asked him about the tire pressure light being on for months now but the tires are inflated right. I asked if he could Turn OFF that diagnostic. And, he said it was against the law to do so. Is it? And, my key was in the ignition a week ago I shut the door and the door locked! A guy at the car wash had an instrument that opened it. But, I asked the Technician can he make sure it does not do that again. Well, he said he would need to run a diagnostic! Another $130 along with the $130 for the tire pressure! lol
My 2019 grand Cherokee has been at the dealership since December 31 waiting for a new transmission. It is now Jan 26 and they still have not received it. What are my options