2016 Jeep CHEROKEE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
1,406 owner complaints analyzed
9 distinct recall campaigns
43,625 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2016 model year. Data snapshot: . 872 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Power Train is the most frequently named component, appearing in 618 of 1,406 complaints (44.0%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 322 | 22.9% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 159 | 11.3% |
| Braking behavior | 154 | 11.0% |
| Engine operation | 143 | 10.2% |
| Steering behavior | 72 | 5.1% |
| Fuel system concerns | 8 | 0.6% |
Topic matches use published keyword rules. They describe mentions, including negations or comparisons, and do not confirm a diagnosis. Read the matching rules.
Component breakdown
Number of unique complaints naming each component. Top eight shown.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Power Train | 618 |
| Engine | 314 |
| Unknown Or Other | 313 |
| Electrical System | 291 |
| Service Brakes | 92 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 75 |
| Steering | 52 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 43 |
Power Train: 618; Engine: 314; Unknown Or Other: 313; Electrical System: 291; Service Brakes: 92; Vehicle Speed Control: 75; Steering: 52; Fuel/Propulsion System: 43
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 229 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 272 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 224 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 84 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 54 |
| 150,000 and above | 9 |
Under 25,000: 229; 25,000 to 49,999: 272; 50,000 to 74,999: 224; 75,000 to 99,999: 84; 100,000 to 149,999: 54; 150,000 and above: 9
25,000 to 49,999 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (272). 534 complaints have missing, zero or invalid mileage.
Complaints over time
Year the complaint was filed, not the vehicle model year or incident year. The snapshot year is partial.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| 2015 | 5 |
| 2016 | 61 |
| 2017 | 95 |
| 2018 | 145 |
| 2019 | 271 |
| 2020 | 202 |
| 2021 | 106 |
| 2022 | 94 |
| 2023 | 149 |
| 2024 | 120 |
| 2025 | 108 |
| 2026 | 50 |
2015: 5; 2016: 61; 2017: 95; 2018: 145; 2019: 271; 2020: 202; 2021: 106; 2022: 94; 2023: 149; 2024: 120; 2025: 108; 2026: 50
Pattern summary
Power Train leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 322 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 159 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 154 complaint narratives. Use these patterns to inspect individual reports and prepare questions for a mechanic.
Calculated from recorded counts. An AI narrative has not been published for this selection.
Complaint evidence
Examples provide context, not a representative sample or a verified diagnosis.
Owner report 10810021 · 2015-12-14 (December 14, 2015)
FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE WITH JUST OVER 1,300 MILES ON IT AFTER NEARLY 3 MONTHS OF USE. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION ON THE ROAD WITH A 45MPH SPEED LIMIT. THE TRANSMISSION JUST SHUT DOWN AND I WAS UNABLE TO ACCELERATE AND THE RPM SHOT UP TO A HIGH LEVEL. LUCKILY THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE NEAR ME ON THE ROAD. I WAS ABLE TO LIMP TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. THE DASHBOARD TOLD ME TO "SERVICE TRANSMISSION. RESTART VEHICLE IN PARK WITH VEHICLE AT ZERO SPEED" I DID THIS AND TRIED TO PUT THE CAR IN GEAR. THE TRANSMISSION MADE A HARD CLUNKING SO…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10810021 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10818836 · 2016-01-08 (January 8, 2016)
WE BOUGHT A 2016 JEEP CHEROKEE SPORT TWO DAYS AGO.AT A 108 MILES WHILE DRIVING UP A CITY STREET. THE CAR BECAME VERY JERKY, LUNGING FORWARD, THEN WENT IN TO NEUTRAL AND DIED. AFTER THAT THE CAR WOULDN'T START AGAIN. LUCKILY THERE WASN'T ANY DRIVERS NEAR US AND WE WEREN'T ON A HWY. THE DEALERSHIP DID TOW IT BACK TO THEIR SHOP FOR REPAIRS.AFTER RESEARCHING AND FINDING THE NUMEROUS COMPLAINTS ON THIS CAR AND TRANSMISSION OF SIMILAR COMPLAINTS FOR THE PAST THREE YEARS. MOST OF THESE COMPLAINTS HAVE STATED THAT THEY CONTINUED TO HAVE THIS PROBLEM EV…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10818836 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10871876 · 2016-06-01 (June 1, 2016)
I PURCHASED A 2016 JEEP CHEROKEE WITH AN ACTIVE DRIVE II TRANSFER CASE FOR THE SOLE PURPOSE OF FLAT TOWING IT BEHIND AN RV. ALL PRINTED AND ON-LINE BROCHURES CLEARLY STATED THAT THE VEHICLE COULD BE FLAT TOWED. I PAID A LOT OF MONEY FOR THE UPGRADED DRIVETRAIN AND WAITED 8 WEEKS FOR DELIVERY ONLY TO BE ADVISED A FEW MONTHS LATER BY FCA THAT THE VEHICLE IS NO LONGER TOWABLE AS PURCHASED. IF THE CUSTOMER DESIRES TO TOW THE VEHICLE THEN THE CUSTOMER CAN PURCHASE A NEWLY RELEASED WIRING KIT AND PAY A DEALER TO INSTALL IT. ADDITIONALLY, THE CUSTOM…
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10871876 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10876100 · 2016-06-23 (June 23, 2016)
SAFETY RECALL S28 SHIFT INTERLOCK SOLENOID ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR THE DEALER FAILS AND IS UNABLE TO REMEDY THIS DEFECT, THEY DO NOT HAVE THE PART ITS BEEN TWO MONTH PLEASE HELP!!!
Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10876100 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10788109 · 2015-11-03 (November 3, 2015)
BRAND NEW CAR WITH 2 MILES ON IT. BRAKES WERE WEAK FEELING. DEALER IS REPLACING THE ENTIRE SYSTEM, POWERBOOSTER, MASTER CYLINDER, AND LINES. HAD MY WIFE AND BABY IN IT. DEALER SAID IT IS NOT SAFE TO DRIVE.
Owner-reported narrative. 2 miles reported. Look up ODI 10788109 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10862799 · 2016-05-03 (May 3, 2016)
FIRST OF ALL, THIS IS A BRAND NEW VEHICLE. I BOUGHT IT 6 WEEKS AGO AND IT HAS LESS THAN 3000K MILES. THE VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION AND IT SHUT DOWN/ STALLED OUT. HOW CAN A NEW VEHICLE JUST LOOSE POWER? THE DASHBOARD TOLD ME SERVICE THE TRANSMISSION. THE EMERGENCY BRAKE LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE JEEP SAT IN THE MEDIAN OF A 4 LANE BUSY HIGHWAY JUST RUNNING. IT TOOK AN HOUR FOR ROADSIDE SERVICE TO HAVE A TOW TRUCK TO COME TO ME. MY BABY, PUPPY AND I WERE JUST STRANDED IN THE MIDDLE OF A BAD STORM. JEEP KNOWS OF THIS. THEY …
Owner-reported narrative. 2,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10862799 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10886186 · 2016-07-20 (July 20, 2016)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 10 MPH, THE VEHICLE STALLED WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED FOR APPROXIMATELY 20 MINUTES, THE CONTACT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE VEHICLE. ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS, THE PARKING BRAKE INDEPENDENTLY ACTIVATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER TO BE DIAGNOSED. THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THERE WAS A LOOSE WIRING HARNESS THAT NEEDED TO BE ADJUSTED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE RECURRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 400 miles reported. Look up ODI 10886186 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10891827 · 2016-07-30 (July 30, 2016)
MY DAUGHTER [XXX] WAS DRIVING ON A STRAIGHT 2 LANE ROAD WHEN THE JEEP SUDDENLY RAN OFF THE ROAD ON THE RIGHT. SHE MANAGED TO GET IT BACK ON THE ROAD BUT THEN IT FLIPPED OVER ONTO THE DRIVER SIDE AND SLID DOWN THE ROAD APPROXIMATELY 100 FT BEFORE SLIDING OFF THE ROAD AGAIN AND THEN CAME TO REST. SHE DID NOT COLLIDE WITH ANYTHING AND THE ONLY DAMAGE TO THE JEEP WAS THE DRIVER SIDE FROM THE SLIDE AND THE RIGHT FRONT SUSPENSION. THE LOWER CONTROL ARM SNAPPED AT THE LOWER BALL JOINT MOUNTING HOLE AND THE STEERING KNUCKLE BROKE IN TWO. I DO NOT KNOW …
Owner-reported narrative. 1,035 miles reported. Look up ODI 10891827 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10895586 · 2016-08-13 (August 13, 2016)
VEHICLE HAS A FRONT WOBBLE OR SHIMMY WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP. ON LOOSE OR SLICK PAVEMENT WOBBLE REPLICATES WHEEL SLIP AND HAS CAUSED ME TO OVER CORRECT MY STEERING AND ACCELERATION ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL IS WRAPPED IN LEATHER. THE LEATHER IS LOOSE NEAR CENTER SPOKES OF STEERING WHEEL. FINGERS HAVE SNAGGED ON THE LOOSE LEATHER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS CAUSING A DANGEROUS CONTROL ISSUE. VEHICLE DELIVERED WITH NON FUNCTIONING BLIND SPOT MONITOR MIRROR ON PASSENGER SIDE AND NORMAL MIRROR ON DRIVER SIDE. ASSUMING THE…
Owner-reported narrative. 30 miles reported. Look up ODI 10895586 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10888227 · 2016-07-25 (July 25, 2016)
VEHICLE HAD RUN UNATTENDED IN ENCLOSED GARAGE. VEHICLE CONSUMED ALL FUEL IN GAS TANK (ABOUT 14 GALLONS) RESULTING IN EXCESSIVE HEAT BUILD UP IN GARAGE THAT ITEMS IN GARAGE MELTED. PARTS ON THE VEHICLE MELTED. THE BATTERY WAS RUINED FROM EXCESSIVE HEAT, THE FUEL PUMP, INSIDE THE FUEL TANK, MELTED. THE FUEL TANK BECAME DISTORTED. PLASTIC WAS FOUND IN THE VALVE TRAIN AND IS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN SOURCED FROM THE MELTED FUEL PUMP. INTERIOR WAS DAMAGED AND FLAT SPOTS ON THE TIRES WERE CREATED DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT. VEHICLE WAS STATIONARY AND IN PAR…
Owner-reported narrative. 18,500 miles reported. Look up ODI 10888227 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 10980890 · 2017-04-26 (April 26, 2017)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE EXITING THE DRIVEWAY, THE CONTACT OBSERVED A FUEL SPILL UNDER THE VEHICLE NEAR THE FUEL TANK. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE FUEL PUMP FAILED AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE DEALER ALSO STATED THAT THE SAFETY LOCK VALVE ON THE VEHICLE WAS NOT INSTALLED DURING PRODUCTION, WHICH CAUSED THE FAILURE TO OCCUR. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 8,200.
Owner-reported narrative. 8,200 miles reported. Look up ODI 10980890 at NHTSA ↗