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2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

ELEVATED COMPLAINT SIGNAL
38%
41 of 107 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

38% of relevant owner complaints on the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. That is elevated. Worth an independent inspection before you commit to one.

Better than 56% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 11 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 35%).

NHTSA data checked October 17, 2026
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The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee have transmission problems?

More than most. The pattern is elevated rather than severe. 41 of 107 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (38%), and the largest group is filed under power train (22). For comparison, the 2011 scores 38%. On a test drive, check for shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
41
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
118
this model year
Fires reported
4
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
5
10 crashes · 4 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM47 · 40%
POWER TRAIN22 · 19%
ENGINE21 · 18%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER14 · 12%
SERVICE BRAKES12 · 10%
AIR BAGS11 · 9%

The years either side

2010
38%
41 of 118
2011
38%
596 of 1,639
2012
34%
527 of 1,644
2013
30%
229 of 804
2014
44%
894 of 2,376
2015
48%
577 of 1,361
2016
56%
163 of 311
2017
58%
195 of 364
2018
27%
216 of 854
2019
33%
110 of 368
2020
42%
91 of 239
2021
36%
152 of 487
2022
35%
147 of 444
2023
31%
143 of 481

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee

What one owner reported

ENGINE06/20/2022
Driving 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee with HEMI engine on the freeway and the car lost engine power causing it to rapidly slow. Was able to make it safely to the side of the freeway, although multiple cars had to avoid, and had the car towed to our mechanic. The mechanic stated that the car needed an entire new engine as …

One of 41 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows them, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 5 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

power train: transfer case (4-wheel drive)13V175000 · May 2013

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, through March 9, 2010; and 2006-2010 Jeep Commander vehicles manufactured January 31, 2005, through March 10, 2010. A transfer case electrical failure may result in an unintentional shifting of the transfer case into the neutral position.

Risk: If the vehicle shifts into neutral, it may roll away increasing the risk of a crash or personal injury.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the final drive controller which governs the transfer case, with new software, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at…

4 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
electrical system: ignition: module10V200000 · May 2010
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 CHRYSLER 300, DODGE CHALLENGER, CHARGER, JEEP COMMANDER, GRAND CHEROKEE AND DODGE RAM VEHICLES. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH A WIRELESS…
equipment10V085000 · Mar 2010
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING MODEL YEAR 2010 JEEP COMMANDER AND GRAND CHEROKEE VEHICLES. THEY MAY HAVE BEEN BUILT WITH AN IMPROPERLY MANUFACTURED REAR TRACK BAR.
service brakes, hydraulic10V009000 · Jan 2010
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 CHRYSLER SEBRING; DODGE AVENGER AND NITRO; JEEP LIBERTY, COMMANDER AND GRAND CHEROKEE; AND MODEL YEAR 2009-2010 DODGE RAM TRUCK. THESE VEHICLES MAY HAVE…
electrical system: instrument cluster/panel09V454000 · Nov 2009
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING CERTAIN MODEL YEAR 2010 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE PASSENGER VEHICLES MANUFACTURED FROM OCTOBER 22 THROUGH NOVEMBER 12, 2009. THE PASSENGER SIDE AIRBAG MAY NOT PROPERLY DEPLOY THROUGH…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 17, 2026.

Checking one particular 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Does the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee have transmission problems?

More than most; the pattern is elevated rather than severe. 41 of 107 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (38%). Before buying one, have an independent mechanic check the transmission and ask the seller whether it has been repaired or replaced.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Yes. NHTSA lists 1 recall campaign on the 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 5 in total: 13V175000 (power train: transfer case (4-wheel drive)). Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Jeep Grand Cherokee years are better?

Among the Jeep Grand Cherokee years we track, the 2018 (27%), the 2013 (30%) and the 2023 (31%) have a lower engine and transmission complaint share than the 2010 (38%). Manufacturers fix things mid-generation, so the year before or after can be a different car.

Should I buy a 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

That depends on the car in front of you, not just the model year. The 2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee has an elevated transmission complaint pattern, so treat it as a car that needs proof: service records showing transmission work, a cold-start test drive, and an independent pre-purchase inspection focused on the transmission. A well-kept or already-repaired example can be a fine car; an unknown one is a gamble.

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.