Jeep Cherokee: Owner Complaints and Recalls by Model Year
This is the Jeep Cherokee complaint and recall record by model year (1988–2021). 14,560 owner reports are on file across 22 years. 2014 has the highest count (2,647) — often because that year has had longer to collect reports, not because this page ranked it. Open a year to see what owners named, the recall list, and the filings themselves.
Jeep Cherokee filings that NHTSA splits across body-style names are combined here. Related weight classes stay separate.
Across these years, owners named Transmission / driveline more often than any other part of the truck. Unclassified leftovers from NHTSA are not a diagnosis.
In plain English
Across 22 years of the Jeep Cherokee, owners named Transmission / driveline more often than any other system. That is a pattern in the file, not a diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
2014 has the most reports (2,647). Older years collect more filings just by being around longer. Open the year you are actually buying — not the peak year unless that is the one in the listing.
Each row is a model year. The system column is what owners named most that year. Click the year for the inspect list, the recall campaigns, and the owner text.
NHTSA Consumer Complaints · Oct 14, 2026 NHTSA Safety Recalls · Oct 15, 2026
Owner reports by model year
| Model year | Owner complaints | Recall campaigns | System named most often | Compare |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1988 Jeep Cherokee | 95 | 4 | Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) · 22 (23.2%) | not reported |
| 1989 Jeep Cherokee | 190 | 6 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 79 (41.6%) | not reported |
| 1990 Jeep Cherokee | 265 | 9 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 142 (53.6%) | not reported |
| 1991 Jeep Cherokee | 233 | 9 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 152 (65.2%) | not reported |
| 1992 Jeep Cherokee | 109 | 5 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 36 (33.0%) | not reported |
| 1993 Jeep Cherokee | 413 | 7 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 112 (27.1%) | not reported |
| 1994 Jeep Cherokee | 510 | 9 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 199 (39.0%) | not reported |
| 1995 Jeep Cherokee | 604 | 11 | Body / frame (STRUCTURE) · 144 (23.8%) | not reported |
| 1996 Jeep Cherokee | 437 | 10 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 81 (18.5%) | not reported |
| 1997 Jeep Cherokee | 380 | 10 | Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) · 127 (33.4%) | not reported |
| 1998 Jeep Cherokee | 388 | 11 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 64 (16.5%) | not reported |
| 1999 Jeep Cherokee | 354 | 8 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 85 (24.0%) | not reported |
| 2000 Jeep Cherokee | 361 | 7 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 93 (25.8%) | not reported |
| 2001 Jeep Cherokee | 223 | 8 | Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) · 46 (20.6%) | not reported |
| 2014 Jeep Cherokee | 2,647 | 13 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 1,197 (45.2%) | not reported |
| 2015 Jeep Cherokee | 1,787 | 11 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 810 (45.3%) | 2014–2015 |
| 2016 Jeep Cherokee | 1,404 | 9 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 535 (38.1%) | not reported |
| 2017 Jeep Cherokee | 1,336 | 6 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 536 (40.1%) | not reported |
| 2018 Jeep Cherokee | 687 | 7 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 255 (37.1%) | not reported |
| 2019 Jeep Cherokee | 1,651 | 11 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 657 (39.8%) | not reported |
| 2020 Jeep Cherokee | 318 | 3 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 161 (50.6%) | not reported |
| 2021 Jeep Cherokee | 168 | 4 | Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) · 80 (47.6%) | not reported |
Frequently asked questions
Which Jeep Cherokee year has the most NHTSA complaints?
2014 has the highest owner-report count in this snapshot (2,647). That is not a recommendation to avoid the year.
What do Jeep Cherokee owners complain about most?
Across published years, owners named Transmission / driveline more often than any other system. Open the year you are buying for the mix, the recall list and the inspect steps.
How should I use this Jeep Cherokee page before I buy?
Open the model year in the listing — not the peak year unless that is the one you are shopping. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov, inspect the system owners named most, then read a few owner filings.
Do these counts mean the Jeep Cherokee is unreliable?
No. Counts are self-selected and not normalised for sales volume. YearTell does not publish reliability scores.
Are Jeep Cherokee body styles merged?
Where NHTSA splits the same consumer vehicle across cab or body-style names, YearTell combines those filings. Distinct weight classes stay separate.