2021 Jeep Cherokee: engine and transmission complaints
VERY HIGH COMPLAINT SIGNAL
74%
109 of 148 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system
74% of relevant owner complaints filed with NHTSA on the 2021 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 94% of the 1,230 model years we track (2010–2023).
Excludes 9 airbag, lighting and seat-belt recall complaints that would otherwise mask the signal (unadjusted: 69%).
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 TRAIN07/27/20261 INJURED
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 40 MPH, the vehicle's wheels locked up. The contact sustained injuries to the neck and whiplash and pain. The service 4WD warning light was illuminated after the failure. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number…
POWER TRAIN09/09/2026
Driving to work, stopped at a stop light, upon resumption of driving there was a loud bang and my vehicle would not move. I had to have the vehicle towed and the PTU replaced. This was on May 8, 2026 just prior to the official recall notification. The repair was completed at AAMCO. On May 18, 2026 I became aware of the…
POWER TRAIN09/03/2026
The PTU is bad the vehicle can roll when in park.
Three of 109 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 (4)
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLER/RADIATOR:HOSES AND FITTINGS
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The transmission oil cooler hose may have been incorrectly cured, allowing transmission fluid to …
SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Cherokee Latitude and Jeep Cherokee Limited vehicles. One or both of the front lower control arms may fracture while…
AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. An improperly secured connector for the right-side curtain air bag may prevent the air bag …
This does not say whether a particular car has an open, unrepaired recall. That depends on the VIN.
Before you buy a 2021 Jeep Cherokee
Ask the seller whether the transmission has ever been repaired or replaced, and whether the car has shown shuddering, slipping, delayed or harsh shifts, or a whine at speed.
Drive it from a cold start and long enough to warm up. Many transmission faults hide once the car is warm.
Get an independent pre-purchase inspection from a mechanic you choose, and tell them to focus on the transmission.
4 recall campaigns on this model year. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on the VIN; the report checks that.
Ask for service records. A transmission already replaced under warranty is a different car from one that was not.
Have the VIN?Paste it and get the full report for that car. First report free, then a 30-day pass covers a whole car search.
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.
