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2015 Jeep Cherokee: engine and transmission complaints

VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
72%
1,244 of 1,721 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

72% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2015 Jeep Cherokee are about the engine, transmission or fuel system. Well over half of everything owners reported is the drivetrain. That is a severe model-level pattern; every model year we track at this level has a documented failure behind it.

Worse than 93% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).

Excludes 64 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 70%).

NHTSA data checked September 13, 2026
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Drivetrain complaints
1,244
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
1,785
this model year
Fires reported
28
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
11
45 crashes · 32 injuries

Complaints by component

POWER TRAIN1,001 · 56%
ENGINE364 · 20%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM327 · 18%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER257 · 14%
SERVICE BRAKES127 · 7%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL120 · 7%

The years either side

2010
38%
41 of 117
2011
38%
596 of 1,638
2012
33%
525 of 1,640
2013
30%
227 of 802
2014
73%
1,868 of 2,645
2015
72%
1,244 of 1,785
2016
66%
895 of 1,406
2017
64%
836 of 1,333
2018
63%
418 of 683
2019
73%
1,148 of 1,630
2020
71%
202 of 292
2021
74%
109 of 157
2022
76%
32 of 49
2023
too few complaints

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

Cleaner alternatives

Same car, a better year

Other compact SUVs with no elevated signal in 2015

The percentage is each model year's drivetrain complaint share. No elevated signal describes the model year, not any one car; a well-kept example of a flagged model can still be the right buy, and any of these still needs an inspection.

What owners reported

POWER TRAIN,ENGINE10/22/2015CRASH2 INJURED
I WAS TRYING TO CONTINUE THROUGH A BUSY INTERSECTION, I PRESSED THE ACCELERATOR AND THE CAR ACTED LIKE IT WAS IN NEUTRAL. IT REVVED UP, BUT DID NOT ACCELERATE. I LOOKED DOWN AT MY GEAR SHIFT AND IT WAS STILL IN DRIVE, HOWEVER MY DASHBOARD SAID THAT THE JEEP WAS IN NEUTRAL. BECAUSE I COULD NOT CONTINUE THROUGH THE INTE…
POWER TRAIN06/21/20161 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 JEEP CHEROKEE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED, IT INDEPENDENTLY ROLLED BACK WITHOUT WARNING AND WAS PINNED BETWEEN THE GARAGE DOOR AND REAR OF THE VEHICLE. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED BRUISES, BUT DID NOT REQUIRE MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 16V24000…
POWER TRAIN04/25/2016CRASH1 INJURED
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE PARKED AND THE ENGINE TURNED OFF, THE VEHICLE ROLLED INDEPENDENTLY OVER A HILL AND JUMPED THE CURB AND CRASHED INTO A DITCH. THE VEHICLE WAS OCCUPIED WITH A FRONT SEAT PASSENGER, WHO SUSTAINED INJURIES TO BOTH LEGS AND NECK THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL A…

Three of 1,244 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows more, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

Recall campaigns on this model year (11)

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 …
STRUCTURE:BODY:HATCHBACK/LIFTGATE
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2014-2015 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured January 4, 2013, to February 18, 2015 and equipped with a Power Liftga…
EQUIPMENT
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of…

This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.

Before you buy a 2015 Jeep Cherokee

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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.