2014 Jeep Cherokee Problems: Transmission / driveline (2,648 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2014 Jeep Cherokee is Transmission / driveline (45% of 2,648 owner reports). There are 13 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Transmission / driveline — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-10-16 2,648 complaints · 13 recalls
What problems show up on the 2014 Jeep Cherokee?
1,197 of 2,648 filings named Transmission / driveline (45% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Engine (233 reports).
There are 13 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Automatic braking / collision warning, Suspension, Airbags, Body / frame, Glass / wipers / cameras, Transmission / driveline, and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The previous year is not published here. Use the year list to jump around.
What owners reported
System named most often: Transmission / driveline 1,197 complaints · 45.2% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 56
- Fires 16
- Injuries 39
- Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 1,197 | 45.2% | 13 crashes · 3 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 233 | 8.8% | 5 crashes · 2 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 162 | 6.1% | 1 crashes · 4 fires |
| Cruise / speed control (VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL) | 137 | 5.2% | 5 crashes · 0 fires |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 129 | 4.9% | 0 crashes · 1 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 91 | 3.4% | 4 crashes · 0 fires |
| Steering (STEERING) | 85 | 3.2% | 5 crashes · 1 fires |
| Body / frame (STRUCTURE) | 71 | 2.7% | 1 crashes · 1 fires |
| Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) | 67 | 2.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 400 | 15.1% | 11 crashes · 3 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-10-16 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 14V392000 was reported 33 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 15V041000 was reported 279 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 15V393000 was reported 370 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 15V461000 was reported 446 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 15V509000 was reported 454 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 16V529000 was reported 901 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 18V332000 was reported 1,506 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 19V447000 was reported 1,967 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 20V343000 was reported 2,331 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 23V338000 was reported 3,326 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014-Q1 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2014-Q2 | Owner reports | 39 | |
| 2014-Q3 | Owner reports | 91 | |
| 2014-Q4 | Owner reports | 79 | |
| 2015-Q1 | Owner reports | 81 | |
| 2015-Q2 | Owner reports | 90 | |
| 2015-Q3 | Owner reports | 100 | |
| 2015-Q4 | Owner reports | 111 | |
| 2016-Q1 | Owner reports | 72 | |
| 2016-Q2 | Owner reports | 89 | |
| 2016-Q3 | Owner reports | 126 | |
| 2016-Q4 | Owner reports | 111 | |
| 2017-Q1 | Owner reports | 67 | |
| 2017-Q2 | Owner reports | 38 | |
| 2017-Q3 | Owner reports | 55 | |
| 2017-Q4 | Owner reports | 53 | |
| 2018-Q1 | Owner reports | 55 | |
| 2018-Q2 | Owner reports | 41 | |
| 2018-Q3 | Owner reports | 45 | |
| 2018-Q4 | Owner reports | 62 | |
| 2019-Q1 | Owner reports | 45 | |
| 2019-Q2 | Owner reports | 49 | |
| 2019-Q3 | Owner reports | 109 | |
| 2019-Q4 | Owner reports | 94 | |
| 2020-Q1 | Owner reports | 76 | |
| 2020-Q2 | Owner reports | 44 | |
| 2020-Q3 | Owner reports | 76 | |
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 46 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 64 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 28 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 36 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 32 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 33 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 34 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 33 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 31 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 37 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 33 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 51 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 33 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 42 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 23 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 20 | |
| 2025-Q1 | Owner reports | 38 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 25 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 21 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 20 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2026-Q4 | Owner reports | 3 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V293000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 14V392000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V041000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V393000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V461000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 15V509000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 16V529000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 16V590000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 17V824000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 18V332000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 19V447000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 20V343000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 23V338000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | RQ15004 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA21002 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE22009 |
Safety Recalls (13)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Automatic braking / collision warning, Suspension, Airbags, Body / frame, Glass / wipers / cameras, Transmission / driveline, and Electrical.
-
Recall campaign 14V293000
Automatic braking / collision warning
- Report date
- Component:
- Automatic braking / collision warning (FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE)
- Consequence:
- The unintended continued acceleration may increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will re-flash the Driver Assistance System Module (DASM), free of charge. The recall began in June 2014. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P31.
-
Recall campaign 14V392000
Suspension
- Report date
- Component:
- Suspension (SUSPENSION)
- Consequence:
- Damage to the tire or reduced braking increases the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the rear shocks and replace any affected ones, free of charge. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P37.
-
Recall campaign 15V041000
Airbags
- Report date
- Component:
- Airbags (AIR BAGS)
- Consequence:
- If the air bags deploy unexpectedly during vehicle operation, it can increase the risk of personal injury and increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will re-flash the occupant restraint control module software, free of charge. The recall began on March 4, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R05.
-
Recall campaign 15V393000
Body / frame
- Report date
- Component:
- Body / frame (STRUCTURE)
- Consequence:
- A short circuit in the liftgate control module may result in a fire.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the power liftgate control module and connectors for corrosion, substitute a bolt for the threaded grommet installed to seal an attachment point used in non-power liftgate vehicles and cover the power liftgate control module in a foam water shield, free of charge. The recall began on October 26, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R27. This recall is superseded by NHTSA recall 23V-338.
-
Recall campaign 15V461000
Safety recall 15V461000
- Report date
- Component:
- Unclassified NHTSA leftover
- Consequence:
- Exploitation of the software vulnerability may result in unauthorized remote modification and control of certain vehicle systems, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- 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 download the update to their own USB drive from http://www.driveuconnect.com/software-update/ or 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. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R40.
-
Recall campaign 15V509000
Glass / wipers / cameras
- Report date
- Component:
- Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY)
- Consequence:
- BCM damage may result in the failure of the windshield wipers, impairing the driver's vision and increasing the risk of a vehicle crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install a ground strap to protect the BCM from damage, free of charge. Owners were notified of the recall on October 7, 2015. The recall began on December 15, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is R39.
-
Recall campaign 16V529000
Transmission / driveline
- Report date
- Component:
- Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
- Consequence:
- If the vehicle unexpectedly shifts to neutral, there is an increased risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, dealers will reprogram the Powertrain Control Module and the Transmission Control Module and if necessary replace the transaxle range sensor wire harness, free of charge. The recall began on November 7, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S55.
-
Recall campaign 16V590000
Safety recall 16V590000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- Loose fasteners may allow the seats to move, increasing the risk of injury to the seat occupants in the event of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seats or seat sets, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during September 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall S63.
-
Recall campaign 17V824000
Safety recall 17V824000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- If the fire extinguisher does not function properly, it can increase the risk of injury in the event of a fire.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403 or Kidde customer service service toll-free at 1-855-262-3540, or online at www.kidde.com and click on "Product Safety Recall" for more information. Chrysler's number for this recall is T82.
-
Recall campaign 18V332000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- 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 June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.
-
Recall campaign 19V447000
Transmission / driveline
- Report date
- Component:
- Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
- Consequence:
- An unexpected shift to neutral would result in a loss of drive, increasing the risk of crash.
- Remedy:
- Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the transmission software, free of charge. The recall began August 8, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V69.
-
Recall campaign 20V343000
Transmission / driveline
- Report date
- Component:
- Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
- Consequence:
- A loss of drive can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning. A loss of the Park function can cause unintended vehicle rollaway which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
- Remedy:
- FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update that will maintain vehicle propulsion by engaging rear wheel drive and prevent rolling in Park by activating the electronic parking brake if a failed input spline occurs. This recall began July 14, 2020. Owners may contact FCA USA LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is W47.
-
Recall campaign 23V338000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- A fire while parked or driving can increase the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will relocate the power liftgate module and add a water shield. In addition, dealers will inspect for corrosion and replace the module and electrical connectors, if necessary. Repairs will be performed free of charge. Owner letters were mailed March 1, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 49A. This recall supersedes recalls 15V-393 and 15V-826. Vehicles repaired under the prior recalls will still need to have the new remedy performed.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-10-16
Showing 8 of 2,648 complaints · page 1 of 106
CrashFireInjuryDeath
High speed front end damage to vehicle with no airbag deployment. No dashboard lights were on indicating a problem with them. This is a serious safety issue.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Active Drive 2 PTU failure caused Jeep to lose power on roadway forcing me to try to get to shoulder quickly to avoid blocking traffic or being rear ended. The part is available. I haven’t sent to dealership due to financial constraints. There are numerous incidents and even a recall for similar 2 speed PTUs sold on 2014+ Jeep cherokees. Recall only covered certain VINs and not all vehicles with this same PTU. But there have been many more instances of failure from the PTUs not included in the recall or warranty extension. The svc 4wd light came on when the issue occurred. Had to have vehicle towed as it would not move under own power safely.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The transmission light went on. Car was brought into dealership two times while still under warranty. They did not have a fix and PTU was on back order for over a year in 2017. I am now resorting to pay out of pocket. I had a PTU shipped from a Jeep dealer in Louisiana. PTU from them was not new but had come off another car and was charged $2,300. I sent it back because it was used at that time I was working and was going to pay out of pocket. I was not going to pay to install a used transmission. Regardless there is as no fix. Then in May of this year the check engine light came on. This was another problem that the Jeep dealership cannot fix. Now I have a paid for car that cannot be driven because it cannot be smogged. It has the Pentastar V6 engine. There is no fix for either problem I understand and I am retired and cannot afford these repairs. I asked the manufacturer in writing to buy the car back and they said no. Can I get some help? This was going to be my last car. Jeep dealer offered $200 for the car. My all weather tires are worth more than the car. I’ve changed oil on time using synthetic oil and have otherwise taken good care of this car. I thought they would come up with a fix for the transmission is why I waited so long. Everything that is wrong is the manufacturer’s product defect. Also, I have documentation on everything I just wrote you. Please help me!!! [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
CrashFireInjuryDeath
My vehicle’s E-brake engaged and would not released. After having it towed to the dealership, I was told that a leak into my rear storage of my spare tires occurred and shorted the E-brake electrical system! There are no visible leaks coming from within the car.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stop, the transmission unexpectedly shifted into neutral(N), and the vehicle lost automotive power. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The “Service 4WD" message was displayed. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the PTU unit had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to the cost. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 40,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
This issue has occurred on several occasions. I successfully reverse but when I switch back to "drive" the vehicle enters a neutral state. When driving on the highway, the vehicle has slowed itself to 40mph and continues to slow itself until it becomes disabled. I currently see there has been a recall for this vehicle in 2019 (19V447000) which did not include my VIN. However, my vehicle is experiencing the exact symptoms described in that specific recall. The vehicle is unsafe to drive.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The PTU has failed and now my warranty claim is being denied. I drive a 2014 Jeep Cherokee and this is a COMMON issue with this car. It unfortunately has not fallen under a recall that I can see anywhere even though so many others have.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I purchesed the vehicle in April of 2024, test drove it and it drove fine, the dealership said they had to service a recall of the transfer case before I could take the car home. Once I picked the car up and drove it for a few days it was driving very weird and had low speed shuttering, I took it back to the dealership after googling that it might be related to the transfer case and they looked at it and said everything was fine, so I just dealt with the issue. Recently the "service 4wd" light came on so I took it to a friend to take a look at it and they noticed that the transfer case that was put in to service the recall was actually from a junk yard and used which is what has been causing the issues I've been having. I researched it a bit further and was told to make a complaint due to having junk yard parts put in to satisfy a recall being illegal.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2014 Jeep Cherokee?
Owners named Transmission / driveline most often — 1,197 of 2,648 reports (45%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2014 Jeep Cherokee?
NHTSA lists 13 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Automatic braking / collision warning, Suspension, Airbags, Body / frame, Glass / wipers / cameras, Transmission / driveline, and Electrical. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2014 Jeep Cherokee?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Have a shop drive it and check the transmission: hard or delayed shifts, burnt-smelling fluid, and 4WD engagement if equipped. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-10-04
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-10-16. YearTell is not a government agency.