2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Power Train
Owner-reported problems and safety issues filed with NHTSA. Review common failures, severity levels, and complaint trends over time.
Complaint Timeline
Chronological view of owner reports
VERY JERKY/LUNGING SHIFTING FROM 1ST TO 2ND GEAR AND DOWNSHIFTING FROM 4TH TO 3RD. THE DEALERSHIP HAS ALREADY DONE THE UPDATE BUT IT DID NOT CORRECT OR HELP THE PROBLEM AT ALL. IT SOMETIMES LUNGES ME FORWARDED AS IF I'VE BEEN REAR ENDED. IT MOSTLY HAPPENS WHEN THE ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION ARE COLD, BUT I'VE NEVER OWNED A VEHICLE THAT HAS SUCH TERRIBLE SHIFTING.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON AN INCLINE, THE VEHICLE ROLLED AWAY. THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RE-ENTER THE VEHICLE AND STOP THE VEHICLE SAFELY BEFORE A CRASH OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,847.
WHEN ACCELERATING FROM A STOP AT ABOUT 20MPH ON A CITY STREET AND ONCE ENTERING A FREEWAY ENTRANCE, CAR WOULD STOP ACCELERATING, THE RPM TACHOMETER WOULD SPIKE HIGH BUT CAR DOES NOT MOVE FOR A COUPLE OF SECONDS THEN ABRUPTLY TRANSMISSION ENGAGES THEN VIOLENTLY JUMPS AND ACCELERATES. ALMOST HAD ANOTHER CAR HIT ME FROM BEHIND TWICE. HAD THE CAR ABOUT CLOSE TO A MONTH NOW AND ITS HAS HAPPENED 4 SEPARATE OCCASIONS.
I WAS DRIVING STRAIGHT DOWN THE HIGHWAY DURING RUSH HOUR AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED AND MY VEHICLE SHUT DOWN. TRAFFIC WAS BUMPER TO BUMPER AND I WAS ONLY TRAVELLING AT ABOUT 15 MPH. I HEARD A DING AND A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASH DISPLAY THAT SAID "PLACE IN P THEN SHIFT TO DESIRED GEAR". I ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE WHEEL TO COAST TO THE SHOULDER AND MY STEERING WHEEL LOCKED UP. I WAS ABLE TO GET OVER TO THE SHOULDER AND TURN MY HAZARD LIGHTS ON. I PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK, RESTARTED AND LET IDLE FOR A MINUTE. I PROCEEDED TO DRIVE HOME WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
SHIFTER IS LOCKED IN PARKING UNABLE TO MOVE AND ALSO WILL LOCK IN NEUTRAL HAS HAPPEND SINCE TRUCK WAS RIGHT OUT OF DEALERSHIP AND I CONTINUE TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM , STATIONARY AND IN MOTION IN THE CITY
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING ON A THREE LANE HIGHWAY, THE VEHICLE INDEPENDENTLY SHIFTED FROM DRIVE TO NEUTRAL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT HAD TO CAUTIOUSLY COAST THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, APPLIED FORCE TO SHIFT GEARS INTO PARK, AND APPLIED THE EMERGENCY BRAKE. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF AND RESTARTED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR DIAGNOSTIC TESTING. THE VIN WAS NOT AVAILABLE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 2,000.
WHILE DRIVING, MESSAGE CAME UP ON INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TO SHIFT TO P AND THEN SHIFT TO DESIRED GEAR. I ALMOST GOT REAR ENDED BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT ACCELERATE. I HAD TO PUT IT IN PARK, SHIFT, AND THEN WAS ABLE TO GO. INCREDIBLY DANGEROUS!
11/10/16 I WAS ON A CITY STREET, DRIVING IN TRAFFIC 10 MPH , STOPPED IN TRAFFIC, WAITING TO GET ON THE HIGHWAY FOR AFTERWORK COMMUTE HOME. TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE TO PUT ON GAS PEDAL AS TRAFFIC WAS BEGINNING TO MOVE, CAR WOULD NOT DRIVE, PUT CAR IN NEUTRAL THEN BACK IN DRIVE, CAR WOULD NOT MOVE IN DRIVE,, NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON THE DASHBOARD, NO LIGHTS ILUMINATED. THE VEHICLE HAD TO BE PUSHED INTO A WAREHOUSE PARKING LOT , I CALLED THE DEALER , THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED BACK TO THE DEALER ON 11/10/16, BY ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, I WAS INFORMED BY THE DEALER ON 11/11/16, THE TRANSMISSION WENT. THIS IS A LEASE 2016 GRAND JEEP CHEROKEE THAT I HAD FOR 6 WEEKS, WITH 2000 MILES ON IT. CALL TO JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE 11/14/16, THIS IS A SERIOUS SAFETY ISSUE, IN 5 MINUTES I WOULD HAVE BEEN MERGING ONTO A MAJOR HIGHWAY, THE TRANSMISSION JUST WENT, NO WARNING . JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE GAVE ME A CASE #, CALLED JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE AGAIN, 11/16/16, WAS TOLD I WOULD HEAR BACK IN 2 BUSINESS DAYS, 11/18/16, 2 CALLS AGAIN TO JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE NO RESPONSE. THE VEHICLE IS STILL AT THE DEALER , I WAS TOLD THE CLUTCH IN THE TRANSMISSION BROKE, AND THE TRANSMISSION IS BEING REPLACED. I WANT THIS VEHICLE REPLACED WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE SAME TYPE, THIS IS A MAJOR SAFETY HAZARD FOR A TRANSMISSION TO JUST LET GO WITHOUT WARNING, IN A 6 WEEK OLD CAR
SAFETY CONCERN: THE ISSUE WITH THE 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE I LEASED IS THAT IT SLIPS OUT OF DRIVE AND INTO NEUTRAL WHILE THE CAR IS IN MOTION! THIS HAPPENS ON ITS OWN, WITHOUT MY TOUCHING THE GEAR SHIFT. WHEN IT SLIPS INTO NEUTRAL, THE GEAR SHIFT SAYS ITS STILL IN DRIVE. THREE TIMES I HAVE TAKEN MY CAR IN TO BE SERVICED FOR THIS PROBLEM TO THE DEALER SHIP I LEASED IT FROM AND EACH TIME THEY HAVE TOLD ME THAT THEIR DIAGNOSTIC TEST SHOWS THAT THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH IT, YET IT CONTINUES SLIPPING OUT OF DRIVE AND INTO NEUTRAL. I MOST RECENTLY TOOK THE CAR TO A DIFFERENT JEEP DEALERSHIP AND THEY ARE TELLING ME THE SAME THING. I HAVE CALLED FIAT CHRYSLER CORPORATION AND SPOKEN WITH GINA LEWIS FROM THEIR "JEEP RESOLUTION TEAM" AND THEY ARE NOT INTERESTED IN FIXING OR GETTING THE CAR OFF THE ROAD. THEY ONLY TELL ME THAT BECAUSE THEIR DIAGNOSTIC TESTS DON'T SHOW THAT THERE IS A PROBLEM, IT IS UNDOCUMENTED, THEREFORE I SHOULD PICK UP THE CAR AND DRIVE IT. I UNDERSTAND THE LEMON LAWS AND THAT PROBLEMS NEED TO BE DOCUMENTED BUT THIS IS POTENTIALLY A LIFE THREATENING SAFETY ISSUE AND I AM NOT WILLING TO DRIVE THE CAR AND WAIT FOR SOMETHING TERRIBLE TO HAPPEN BEFORE THEY ACKNOWLEDGE THAT THERE IS A MAJOR TRANSMISSION ISSUE. AT THIS POINT I AM PROFOUNDLY FRUSTRATED WITH THE UNWILLINGNESS OF THE DEALER SHIPS AND FIAT CHRYSLER CORPORATION TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS DANGEROUS CAR. IT SHOULD ALSO BE NOTED THAT THERE WAS A RECALL FOR SHIFT INTERLOCK SOLENOID IN THE BEGINNING OF 2016. I AM TERRIFIED TO DRIVE MY CAR AND TRULY FEAR FOR MYSELF AND OTHERS UNTIL THIS CAR IS TAKEN BACK BY CHRYSLER.
ON 3 SEPARATE OCCASIONS (SO FAR), OCCURRING WHEN THE VEHICLE HAD AROUND 200, 300, AND 900 MILES ON IT, I TRIED TO ACCELERATE AFTER A STOP BUT THE VEHICLE STRUGGLED TO MOVE BEYOND MAYBE 15-20 MPH. EACH TIME, THE ENGINE LOUDLY ROARED AND REVVED, AND, UPON GLANCING AT THE DASHBOARD, I SAW VERY HIGH RPM, NEAR THE REDLINE. EACH TIME, I WAS IN TRAFFIC WITH VEHICLES BEHIND ME, BUT FORTUNATELY (WITH USE OF MY EMERGENCY FLASHERS) I AVOIDED A COLLISION. IN THE 2ND EPISODE, I WAS ON THE ON RAMP TO AN EXPRESSWAY IN DOWNTOWN SEATTLE. IN TWO OF THE EPISODES, I PULLED OFF THE ROAD TO DROP THE RPM TO IDLE, JIGGLED THE SHIFTER, AND WHEN I MOVED FORWARD AGAIN, THE TRANSMISSION SEEMED TO FUNCTION NORMALLY. IN THE ABOVE EXPRESSWAY EPISODE, I LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL AND DID THE SAME WITH THE SHIFTER (ON THE FLY) AND SOMEHOW THE RPM DROPPED AND THE TRANSMISSION BEGAN TO RESPOND AGAIN. AFTER THE 1ST EPISODE OCCURRED, I HAVE BEEN EXTRA CAREFUL TO MAKE SURE THE SHIFTER IS SEATED IN DRIVE WHEN I BEGIN TO MOVE FORWARD, PLUS I DON'T TOUCH IT WHILE DRIVING, SO I DON'T BELIEVE THE SHIFTER POSITION IS THE PROBLEM. I HAVE SPECULATED THAT THE TRANSMISSION TOGGLES BETWEEN DRIVE AND NEUTRAL, BUT I THINK IT'S MORE LIKELY THAT THE TRANSMISSION GETS STUCK IN 1ST GEAR, WITH INABILITY TO PROGRESS TO HIGHER GEARS. IN AT LEAST THE LAST INCIDENT, THE VEHICLE HAD JUST RESTARTED DUE TO ACTIVATION OF THE ELECTRONIC STOP-START SYSTEM (ESS), SO IT'S POSSIBLE THAT IS INVOLVED. I TALKED WITH JEEP CUSTOMER SERVICE AND WILL BRING THE VEHICLE IN FOR SERVICE ASAP, BUT DECIDED TO REPORT HERE, AS WELL, SINCE I FEEL I WAS IN DANGER WHEN THIS OCCURRED.
I WAS TRYING TO PARK AND MY VEHICLE WOULD NOT GO INTO PARK. A SERVICE TRANSMISSION MESSAGE CAME ACROSS MY DASH BOARD. MY VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY HOWEVER IT WOULD NOT PARK NOR CUT OFF.
TAKATA RECALL BRAND NEW WITH ONLY 800 MILES. DAY ONE, SHIFTING SEEMED ODD. THOUGHT IT NEEDED BREAK IN TIME. STOPPED, THE VEHICLE WILL ALMOST LUNGE, MAKING IT FEEL LIKE SOMEONE REAR ENDED YOU. SHIFTS HARD UP OR DOWN SHIFTING - AROUND 3RD GEAR. TODAY, 20MPH WAS RUNNING 3000 RPMS AND WOULDN'T SHIFT. I PULLED INTO PARKING LOT AND SHUT VEHICLE OFF AND RESTARTED. THE TRANNY LIGHT WAS ON AND DID NOT GO OFF BUT THE SHIFTING WAS NORMAL - WHICH IS NOT NORMAL. AFRAID THAT I WILL BE STUCK IN STOP MODE AND GET REAR ENDED OR THE VEHICLE WON'T SHIFT GOING ON THE HIGHWAY AND WILL CAUSE AN ACCIDENT. DOESN'T MATTER WHAT THE TEMP IS OUTSIDE OR TEMP OF VEHICLE. SHIFTING IS A JERKY MOTION. HAVEN'T MADE THE FIRST PAYMENT AND ALREADY HEADED TO DEALER. I SPOKE WITH SALESMAN AND HE SAID HE IS HAVING SAME ISSUES WITH HIS NEW JEEP. IT SHOULD BE UNDER WARRANTY BUT I AM NOT HAPPY THAT I HAVE A BRAND NEW VEHICLE AND PAID THIS MUCH MONEY FOR IT AND IT ALREADY HAS ISSUES - MAJOR IF IT IS TRANSMISSION.
THE ELECTRONIC GEAR SHIFTER IN THIS VEHICLE WENT FROM PARK TO ROLLING DOWN A HILL. I WAS PARKED AND PROCEEDED TO EXIT THE VEHICLE WHEN IT STARTED ROLLING BACKWARDS. I JUMPED BACK INTO THE VEHICLE AND HIT MY RIGHT KNEE ON THE STEERING WHEEL AND DASH BOARD. TO AVOID HITTING THE PEDESTRIANS BEHIND MY VEHICLE AND HITTING THE VEHICLE DIRECTLY BEHIND ME. NO WARNING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PARKED WHEN THE DRIVERS DOOR WAS OPEN. I CONTACTED CHRYSLER REGARDING THIS FAULTY DESIGN AND WAS ISSUED A CASE.....UPDATED 06/15/16 *BF *JS
WE PURCHASED A 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE ON JULY 25TH AT CROWN CHRYSLER OF DUBLIN, OHIO. DURING THE TEST DRIVE, THE CAR FAILED TO PUSH START. AFTER IT STARTED THE SALESPERSON ADVISED HE'D HAVE IT LOOKED AT, DIAGNOSED, AND FIXED BEFORE PURCHASE.TWO DAYS LATER THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT BEGAN APPEARING. AFTER 3 CYCLES OF STARTING AND STOPPING THE VEHICLE THE LIGHT DID NOT GO OFF. I STOPPED INTO THE DEALERSHIP ON SATURDAY MORNING AND AFTER WAITING FOR 47 MINUTES THE SERVICE MANAGER WAS ABLE TO PLUG IN A COMPUTER AND DETERMINE THERE WAS AN EMISSIONS LEAK.THE EARLIEST APPT WAS THE FOLLOWING FRIDAY. ON SUNDAY, AFTER FILLING THE TANK WITH GAS, IT FAILED TO PUSH START AFTER 11 ATTEMPTS WHICH INDICATES THAT THE SALESPERSON FAILED TO HAVE IT LOOKED AT, DIAGNOSED, AND FIXED AS PROMISED PRIOR TO THE SALE. I WAS GIVEN A LOANER ON MONDAY AND FOUND THIS WEBSITE, PLUGGED IN THE VIN AND NOTICED THERE WAS A RECALL (S28) FOR IT! I ADVISED THE DEALER TO HAVE IT FIXED. THE DEALER STATED "YOUR VEHICLE WASN'T MADE WITHIN THE TIME FRAME FOR THAT RECALL SO IT ISN'T NECESSARY" I CALLED CHRYSLER CUST SERVICE AND THEY ADVISED THAT IT MOST CERTAINLY WAS AND IS MANDATED TO BE REPAIRED. THIS ENTIRE SITUATION IS UNSETTLING TO SAY THE LEAST. WE'VE HAD THIS VEHICLE FOR LESS THAN 10 DAYS AND THERE IS LITTLE FAITH IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THIS BRAND NEW VEHICLE AND ZERO TRUST THAT THE DEALERSHIP WILL DO THE NEEDFUL IN DIAGNOSING, FIXING, AND AT THE VERY LEAST COMPLETING A MANDATED RECALL (S28) I FEAR THAT THIS VEHICLE IS A LEMON. ESPECIALLY AFTER READING THE HORROR STORIES REGARDING TRANSMISSIONS, GEAR ISSUES, AND UNRESOLVED ISSUES FROM OTHER COMPLAINTS. I WILL POST AN UPDATE WHEN WE ARE TO BE PICKING UP THE VEHICLE BUT FOR NOW WE ARE NOT SATISFIED WITH THE VEHICLE OR CROWN DEALERSHIP OF DUBLIN, OHIO.
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Quick Summary
The 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee has 39 Power Train complaints on file. 2 crashes have been reported. Review the timeline above for detailed owner experiences.