Due to its versatile nature, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is can be dubbed the jack of all trades, however, a master of none. It entices you with its chunky American styling. After a brief fall in sales volume, the SUV has recovered significantly but its reliability aspect still remains questionable. For the 2015 model year, the SUV sees 946 complaints along with 8 recalls. The SUV also has an open investigation against it regarding the airbag inflator rupture issue. The current model of the SUV has seen reports from owners for its powertrain issues, faulty head restraints, electronic failures, airbag failures, steering issues, and issues with its wheels. Jeep did issue several recalls to fix the problems with the powertrains, infotainment system vulnerabilities, and suspension defects. The 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee competes with the Nissan Pathfinder, the Toyota 4Runner, and the Volvo XC60.
Jeep Grand Cherokee user complaints and problems
Engine problems
- Sudden accelerations: Several models of the 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee are hit by this issue. All the affected owners report that under various scenarios while driving, their vehicles lunged forward or faced unintended accelerations despite not pressing the gas pedal.
- Transmission failure: Some complaints are there regarding transmission failures. The owners complain that the transmissions of their vehicles failed without any warning and prematurely as well.
- Hard shifting from transmission: Apart from the transmission failures and the lunging issues, several owners also report hard shifting from the transmissions of their Grand Cherokees. For some of the owners, the issue cropped up after they took in their vehicles for the recall regarding the transmission itself. In many cases, the transmissions shifted to a lower gear independently or refused to shift to a higher gear while driving.
Electrical problems
- Ignition system malfunction: Several owners have complaints regarding the faulty ignition system. The reports mention that after the owners shut down their vehicles after parking and went somewhere else, the ignition system turned on the vehicles independently and the transmission shifted to drive mode, resulting in the vehicles rolling away.
- Keyless ignition system malfunction: A faulty keyless ignition system resulted in the affected vehicles not recognizing the keyfobs. Several owners faced inconveniences while driving since the vehicles were unable to detect the keyfobs or detected the keyfobs even though they were not present near the vehicles.
Safety problems
- Airbag failure: A lot of complaints are there against the 2015 Grand Cherokee regarding the faulty airbag modules. Almost all the complaints mention that the airbags of the affected vehicles failed to deploy in cases of crashes.
- Faulty active headrest: Apart from the airbag issue, the 2015 Grand Cherokee faced issues with its active head restraints as well. All the affected users report that while driving, the active head restraints were deployed unnecessarily and caused injuries in some cases.
2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee recalls
|
S.No. |
Recall Date |
NHTSA Campaign ID |
Issues noticed |
Additional remarks |
Remedy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
1 |
July 23, 2015 |
15V461000 |
Radio Software Security Vulnerabilities |
Exploitation of the software vulnerability may result in unauthorized remote modification and control of certain vehicle systems, increasing the risk of a crash. |
Chrysler will notify and mail affected owners a USB drive that includes a software update that eliminates the vulnerability, free of charge. Optionally, owners may take their vehicle to a Chrysler dealer for immediate installation. In an effort to mitigate the effects of this security vulnerability, Chrysler has had the wireless service provider close the open cellular connection to the vehicle that provided unauthorized access to the vehicle network. This measure may not have been implemented on all vehicles and does not address access by other means that will be remedied by the software update. The recall began on August 25, 2015. |
|
2 |
July 27, 2015 |
15V469000 |
Incorrectly Heat Treated Rear Lower Control Arms |
If the rear lower control arm fractures it may result in a change in ride height, loss of rear end stability, and reduced braking capabilities, increasing the risk of a crash. |
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and if necessary replace the lower control arms, free of charge. The recall began on July 29, 2015. |
|
3 |
March 23, 2016 |
16V168000 |
Front Left Brake Caliper May Break |
A cracked brake caliper may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle and increase the risk of a crash. |
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front left brake caliper and, depending on its casting date, replace it, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin on May 12, 2016. |
|
4 |
April 25, 2016 |
16V240000 |
Driver may Exit Vehicle when it is not in PARK |
Drivers thinking that their vehicle's transmission is in the PARK position may be struck by the vehicle and injured if they attempt to get out of the vehicle while the engine is running and the parking brake is not engaged. |
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software to mitigate the risk of vehicle rollaway, free of charge. The recall began on June 24, 2016. On October 19, 2016, Chrysler identified some previously repaired vehicles that did not receive the complete software updates. Chrysler will renotify the affected owners, and dealers will update the software again. |
|
5 |
October 19, 2017 |
17E061000 |
Supercharger Bracket may Damage ABS Line |
A brake fluid leak may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash. |
ATI will notify owners and will replace the supercharger brackets, free of charge. The recall began on December 12, 2017. |
|
6 |
May 17, 2018 |
18V332000 |
Cruise Control cannot be Canceled |
If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash. |
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began on June 4, 2018. |
|
7 |
August 13, 2020 |
20V475000 |
Crank Position Sensor Tone Wheel may Delaminate |
An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash. |
FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion by reading the camshaft position signal in the event that the crankshaft position signal is lost, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 13, 2021. |
|
8 |
November 12, 2020 |
20V699000 |
EGR Cooler May Crack Internally |
Combustion in the intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire. |
FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EGR cooler, free of charge. Dealers will also inspect and, as necessary, replace the intake manifold. Parts are not currently available. Owners were mailed an interim notification on December 21, 2021. A second notification will be mailed when parts are available, currently expected to be around March 11, 2021. The recall began on March 11, 2021. |
Should you buy a used Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The Jeep Grand Cherokee can take care of almost everything you can think about such as fulfilling your daily driving needs and tackling some rough terrains. Furthermore, the SUV offers a comfortable cabin and a pleasant ride too. However, your outlook changes the moment you start looking at its reliability side. In recent years, the SUV has been subjected to several recalls along with facing a plethora of complaints as well. We would recommend the Volvo XC60 over the Grand Cherokee since it’s a better option in terms of safety and reliability.
