Jeep Cherokee Complaints (2016)

1,413 consumer complaints on file.

#11497000December 12, 2022
POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
The PTU failed in my 2016 Jeep Cherokee. This was diagnosed when the SVC 4WD light came on in September. The problem code is C14A7-97. From my online research I know this is a persistent problem with Jeeps with model year 2014-2017 resulting in multiple recalls because the problem has resulted in vehicles being disabled and multiple crashes. However, my VIN number was not included in those recalled by Chrysler. I ordered a replacement in early October and was told the part would be ready in 4-6 weeks. It is now two months later and the part is still not available. I’m told that at this point the part won’t be available until January. The vehicle transmission began making noises over the weekend related to the PTU. This is clearly a persistent and extensive safety issue that Chrysler is negligent in addressing. I have also been told by the service department at the dealer that there are 389 other Jeep drivers waiting for this part.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11496729December 9, 2022
POWER TRAIN
Vehicle experienced a catastrophic failure of the 4X4 transfer case (PTU) while driving, this went from a faint sound to a complete failure of the drive system in less than 5 miles. Vehicle was rendered completely UN-drivable almost immediately. If I had been on the highway I think this could have been a very serious incident that may have locked up the drive wheels. Fortunately, I was on a side road going only 25 MPH at the time. Dealer has no repair parts available, manufacturer claims no responsibility, although I have read in forums on line about many similar type failures.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11495040November 27, 2022
VISIBILITY/WIPER
The right side visor came loose, not being able to hold any position, hanging to be a distraction and impeding view. The issue seems to be a plastic component of the swivel joint broke just above where it's reinforced by metal. I assume both sides have similar construction/design, at risk of this mode of failure. A quick internet search leads me to believe this is common, with others indicating the breaking at the same place. Although this may be considered a convenience item, the function of shading sun, and its place within the field of view, makes it a safety concern.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11494909November 25, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
In December of 2021, we had an issue where the car braking system locked up while driving at a slow pace. Brakes seized without as if parking brake was on and we were unable to drive the vehicle. It was locked in place. Could not put in neutral, or drive or release any brake. We towed it to the closest auto service who ran diagnostics and determined it to be a faulty brake system. They replaced the Antilock Braking System module and reprogrammed it, and also replaced the brake sensor and brake booster. All for $2400. The car seemed fine until July 2022 when the brakes seized again while my daughter was driving it. We had to again have it towed and naturally went back to the place where it was originally fixed. They said the brake booster and brake switch were defective. They replaced both. Now on Monday 11/21 my son was driving the car in Philadelphia and the brakes would NOT work while he was approaching an intersection. He was slamming on the brakes to avoid hitting car in front and luckily he stopped just short of hitting car. The brakes completely seized, unable to put the car in park or drive and had to be towed to a service center. We then had it towed from PA to MD to Ourisman Jeep Service Center. They are saying that we need to now replace the vacuum pressure sensor and pressure line and possibly the brake booster again but they won't know for sure until the pressure sensor and line is changed. This is getting to be ridiculous and very pricey but most importantly-SO SO SO DANGEROUS!!! This is 3 times the brake have failed (without warning) in less than a year while driving. Jeep needs to do something about this or there will be major lawsuits on their hands. I did a search and it seems that this has been a repeated problem with this make, year and model car. Why has this not been taken care of? This is a huge liability. I will upload receipts for 1st 2 repairs but for this 3rd instance the jeep is at the jeep service and hasnt been repaired yet
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11494116November 18, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
When I went to leave work yesterday on my dash a "P" with a circle around it was illuminated on my dash is orange. I also was unable to drive in reverse as my cars parking brake was on. I tried many things to get it to release with no luck. It took about 20 minutes of turning on and off the car, googling, depressing the break and many other items. I don't know how but i finally was able to find the right combination of knobs break petal and excel ration it dropped into reverse. Late that evening I attempted to leave my home again it would not allow me to back up. I was unable to use my car and was forced to Uber. I have since unhooked my batterie, did a combination of break petal, seat belt, brake release and gas to allow the care to reverse 5/10 times. This I hear is a continued issue with a Jeep and I should file this issue with NHTSA.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11493115November 10, 2022
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the transmission warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the transfer case and power train unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V343000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was contacted but no additional assistance was provided. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11492879November 9, 2022
SERVICE BRAKES, ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE: AUTOMATIC EMERGENCY BRAKING
Electronic system failure purchase car in 2018 it is a 2016 jeep Cherokee electronic brake booster system failure in 2019 again in 2022 driving on the expressway at the second occurrence very dangerous brakes failed due to recurring issue brake booster basically has a three-year lifespan when hazards fatalities lives lost is when recall will be processed? What does it take?
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11492366November 5, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, POWER TRAIN
Vehicle frequently has issues with the touch screen for the radio as well as the mechanical controls for the radio stop responding causing me to be unable to control the volume, power, tuning, using touch screen to control whether I am using the am/fm radio, bluetooth or other media options. When this happens the screen turns completely black as if there is no power going to the radio appearing and acting as if I have not started the vehicle at all. The radio also frequently switches itself from both Bluetooth and FM options to the same AM channel by itself. I actually had to take my vehicle in to the dealership and pay out of my own pocket after I was driving on a busy freeway and my vehicle suddenly stopped responding to me pressing the accelerator and the dash began flashing . The vehicle then turned completely off forcing me to shift into neutral and restart the vehicle again while actively slowing down on the freeway without any warning. When I restarted my vehicle and I put it back into drive I could then only accelerate to 25mph . When I took the vehicle in I had to pay for them to reprogram my computer and after researching I discovered that this was already a problem that caused a recall but upon bringing this up to the dealership as well as calling Chrysler directly I was informed that even though the problem was the same as the recall they issued my vin number was not a part of the recall so they couldn’t and would not do anything for me. The date this occurred may be different from what I put below but with the maintenance records from the dealership I took the vehicle to an exact date can be determined.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11492369November 5, 2022
SUSPENSION, WHEELS, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
I’ve had this vehicle for a few years now and at the time of purchase the vehicle had 16,000-18,000 miles on it. It’s a 2016 and I believe I purchased the vehicle in 2019 so I’ve had it for about three years now. I didn’t really start to pay any attention to the shaking/shimmy/wobble that the vehicle has until about a year after I purchased it because at first it wasn’t nearly as noticeable as it is today and I had just upgraded from a cheap little Chevy cobalt that was a beater and the jeep was a huge upgrade and improvement from that vehicle causing me to gloss over the problem initially. The problem seems to get worse over time and regardless of me getting new tires, getting them balanced and alignments the same shaking/wobbling/shimmying persists. No issues can be determined that would cause the problem and I am told that the shaking is normal upon reaching higher speeds or that the complaint cannot be replicated. The shaking starts anytime I begin to reach speeds around 45 mph and higher and then seem to stop once reaching speeds around 65 mph . To test further I’ve reached speeds of around 80 mph and again the shaking starts once you get around 70 mph but does not stop shaking when letting off of the accelerator as it does at speeds of 65 mph and lower but instead continues to shake while both pressing the accelerator and letting off of the accelerator becoming worse if you apply the brakes. The shake seems to come from only the front wheels and is violent enough of a shake that it can be visibly witnessed and also felt by looking at the steering wheel and holding onto the steering wheel. Issue persist and has not been resolved. Tires also show uneven and irregular wear on the tread of both front wheels. Front tires need to be replaced more frequently than the rear tires. Rear tires always seem to look almost new while the front tires look as if they weren’t changed at the same time as the rear tires. Not consistent with what would be considered normal
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11491792November 1, 2022
POWER TRAIN
During driving the SVS 4WD light appeared on the display. About the same time the Larger display flashed 4 wheel drive not available along with an audible bell. The jeep was taken to one dealer and the repair estimate was $6900. Took to another dealer who charged $134. for diagnosis and said the PTU was defective and the cost would be $3600 but the units were on back order and it could be 2 to 6 months to get a PTU unit. I was told I could continue driving the vehicle but would have no 4 wheel drive. I am driving the vehicle and the Bell sounds at interval saying to service 4 wheel drive and that it is not available. FCA has not offered any assistance on parts or labor and has said out of warrantee. Dealer said that it is a common problem that FCA should have addressed.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11491385October 28, 2022
POWER TRAIN
I've seen several complaints on this site and others on the Internet about this exact same thing. A "Service Shifter" warning has appeared 3-4 times. It lights up every light on the shift lever / gear control assembly and an alert permanently appears in the driver information display - making it impossible to see how fast I am driving (the mph display is usually there). Every single time, once the car was turned off and restarted - the warning disappeared and did not return for a long period of time. That said - anytime this happens - I have to pull over, turn the car off, then turn it on again. There are never any apparent symptoms before nor during the appearance of the warning. I took it to a mechanic, who was unable to determine what the problem could be. Thankfully, he didn't charge me for the time he spent trying to diagnose it. It's bad enough the car generates a frightening warning that takes over the speedometer display and severely distracts - but especially when it's apparently an undiagnosable problem. It's clear from the volume of complaints this is a major problem with 2016 Jeep Cherokees that the manufacturer should address.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11491010October 26, 2022
ENGINE, POWER TRAIN, VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL
When Driving car if you began to go down hill the car will race motor and run away by its self It is very dangerous in curvy and hilly areas. This cay be caused on a daily bases
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11489831October 18, 2022
POWER TRAIN
2016 Jeep Latitude. 3.2 v6 service 4wd light comes on at 63,000 miles. 3,000 past power train warranty. Dealer said PTU is bad. $4,000. For repair. These are defective. A mechanic on you tube shows that the oil in the component leaks into the electronics in the actuator. Gears are fine. It seems that oil in the electronics could start a fire.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11489613October 17, 2022
POWER TRAIN
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 68-70 MPH, the vehicle was shifting hard and the vehicle lost motive power. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the power transfer unit (PTU) needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 92,000.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11489435October 16, 2022
POWER TRAIN
My daughter had the 4 x 4 transmission would not engage warning light went on. We took the vehicle in for a check. The dealership said she needed a PTO unit/PTU assembly since it has failed. This repair was quoted just under $3,000. This is our first jeep. I had a hard time understanding why a transmission part like this would fail in a 2016 vehicle. I did my own research online and articles stated that this EXACT same part was recalled in jeeps from 2014 to 2017 which included over 68,000 jeeps. Also over 2,700 jeeps already had the part replaced and were being reimbursed for charges. This is a part that if fails could cause injury or death. When mentioning this recall to the dealership and jeep customer service they said that our jeep was not PART of the recall based on our vehicle number. I am so upset by this, as it is a 2016 Jeep and it is the exact same part. I also called the NHTSA and the request inquiry is 565252.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11489111October 13, 2022
POWER TRAIN, UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Shortly after I purchased my vehicle in 2020 I had a service shifter come on the dash with all the lights illuminated on bezel. I took it to the dealership and it was giving codes to suggest the the shifter bezel and wiring needed to be replaced this was done approximately 07/2021. Since then I have had no other issues with it until this morning it came back on. I have looked this up and a lot of Jeep owners experience this issue. It is apparent that there is a manufacture issues or issue that I feel Jeep is responsible for and needs to fix. With this involving the shifter/transmission there is an obvious safety concern. Thank you.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11488543October 9, 2022
POWER TRAIN
Since I purchased this vehicle it has had issues with the 9-speed transmission. The transmission at times, shifts so hard, it feels like you have been rear-ended. The transmission shifts very hard at times and feels as if it's confused. In addition, there is a dangerous delay from when you hit the gas pedal to when the transmission actually engages. There have been times when I hit the gas to get through an intersection and the car has lost power and the transmission was delayed at least 2-5 seconds engaging; almost resulting in multiple accidents.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11488368October 7, 2022
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that he noticed the ESC 4-WD warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed. The mechanic stated that the powertrain transfer unit (PTU) assembly had failed with code: (C14A7-97) and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 157,715.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11487927October 4, 2022
POWER TRAIN
Service shifter warning comes on and locks so you can't see your display possible transmission emergency if car shifts while at high speeds
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0
#11487218September 30, 2022
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Car would not start I bought a battery and 2 days later car was completely dead. No power would not charge. Took it to a shop it had no starter or alternator issues. The car will just turn off at anytime even will driving. There is no power and then just open hood and it will start back up sometimes.
Crash:
No
Fire:
No
Injuries:
0
Deaths:
0

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