2020 Jeep GRAND CHEROKEE problems and owner complaints
Explore the records behind recurring owner reports.
Key facts
236 owner complaints analyzed
3 distinct recall campaigns
13,100 mi median reported failure mileage
Scope: 2020 model year. Data snapshot: . 65 complaints include usable failure mileage.
Most common problems
Electrical System is the most frequently named component, appearing in 68 of 236 complaints (28.8%). A complaint can name multiple components.
| Topic | Matching reports | Share of complaints |
|---|---|---|
| Transmission and shifting | 32 | 13.6% |
| Electrical and battery issues | 29 | 12.3% |
| Braking behavior | 22 | 9.3% |
| Steering behavior | 20 | 8.5% |
| Engine operation | 17 | 7.2% |
| Fuel system concerns | 11 | 4.7% |
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 |
|---|---|
| Electrical System | 68 |
| Unknown Or Other | 63 |
| Engine | 50 |
| Power Train | 39 |
| Air Bags | 17 |
| Fuel/Propulsion System | 17 |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 15 |
| Steering | 13 |
Electrical System: 68; Unknown Or Other: 63; Engine: 50; Power Train: 39; Air Bags: 17; Fuel/Propulsion System: 17; Vehicle Speed Control: 15; Steering: 13
Reported problems by failure mileage
Complaint counts in mileage bands. These are not failure rates per vehicle or mile.
| Category | Count |
|---|---|
| Under 25,000 | 41 |
| 25,000 to 49,999 | 8 |
| 50,000 to 74,999 | 9 |
| 75,000 to 99,999 | 3 |
| 100,000 to 149,999 | 3 |
| 150,000 and above | 1 |
Under 25,000: 41; 25,000 to 49,999: 8; 50,000 to 74,999: 9; 75,000 to 99,999: 3; 100,000 to 149,999: 3; 150,000 and above: 1
Under 25,000 miles has the most reports with usable mileage (41). 171 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 |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 1 |
| 2020 | 26 |
| 2021 | 21 |
| 2022 | 16 |
| 2023 | 32 |
| 2024 | 34 |
| 2025 | 65 |
| 2026 | 41 |
2019: 1; 2020: 26; 2021: 21; 2022: 16; 2023: 32; 2024: 34; 2025: 65; 2026: 41
Pattern summary
Electrical System leads the component reports. Transmission and shifting appears in 32 complaint narratives. Electrical and battery issues appears in 29 complaint narratives. Braking behavior appears in 22 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 11321276 · 2020-04-15 (April 15, 2020)
WHILE I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE ROAD THE TRANSMISSION FAILED AND I HAD TO HAVE THE VEHICLE TOWED AND THE TRANSMISSION REPLACED. THE VEHICLE ONLY HAD 460 MILES TOTAL AT THAT TIME. THE VEHICLE NOW HAS 940 TOTAL MILES AND I AM BEGINNING TO FEEL HARD SHIFTING AND SLIPPING WHILE DRIVING, THAT SEEMS TO ME THAT THE NEW TRANSMISSION THEY PUT IN THE VEHICLE IS GOING BAD ALREADY. I WILL BE TAKING IT BACK TO THE DEALER TO HAVE THEM LOOK AT IT. I WAS ON A CITY STREET GOING STRAIGHT AT APPROXIMATELY 30MPH. *TR
Owner-reported narrative. 460 miles reported. Look up ODI 11321276 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11338533 · 2020-07-10 (July 10, 2020)
AFTER ONLY 350 MILES MY ENGINE STARTED SPUTTERING AND HAD TO PULL OVER. BY THE TIME WE STOPPED THE CAR THE SPUTTERING WAS VIOLENTLY SHAKING THE VEHICLE. WE HAD TO GET IT TOWED ONLY FOR THE DEALER SHIP TO TAKE SEVERAL HOURS TO REPLACE A SPARK PLUG. - AT ALMOST ALL TIME THERE THE AIR CONDITIONER NEVER SEEMS TO GET TO THE DESIRED TEMPERATURE FOR MORE THAN 20 SECONDS. WHEN AT A STOP, THE A/C IS NON EXISTENCE AND TEMPS DROP SIGNIFICANTLY. UNLESS YOU HAVE IT SET TO MAX A/C IT WILL NEVER FEEL COLD/HOT. - THE TRANSMISSION IS EXTREMELY ROUGH AT ALL …
Owner-reported narrative. 350 miles reported. Look up ODI 11338533 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11320757 · 2020-04-10 (April 10, 2020)
THE CAR WAS PARKED ON A CITY STREET, AND THE ENGINE OFF OVER NIGHT SOMETIME EARLY IN THE MORNING WITH THE CAR STILL OFF AND PARKED AN ELECTRICAL FIRE STARTED ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE.
Owner-reported narrative. 115 miles reported. Look up ODI 11320757 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11350315 · 2020-08-19 (August 19, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT LEASED A 2020 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT, THE VEHICLE FAILED TO SHIFT INTO GEAR AND STALLED. THE "AUTO PARK ON ,PLACE VEHICLE IN PARK' MESSAGE WAS DISPLAYED. IN ADDITION, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE CONTACTED ATTEMPTED TO RESTART VEHICLE SEVERAL TIMES. THERE WAS AN ABNORMAL BURNING SMELL DETECTED AND SMOKE EMERGING FROM VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO BROWN'S JEEP CHRYSLER DODGE RAM (483 NY-112, PATCHOGUE, NY 11772[phone removed]) BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE MANUFA…
Owner-reported narrative. 3,800 miles reported. Look up ODI 11350315 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11287558 · 2019-12-06 (December 6, 2019)
I WAS SLOWLY BACKING INTO A DRIVEWAY WHEN THE JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE SUDDENLY ACCELERATED ON ITS OWN. I REPEATEDLY HIT THE BRAKE PEDAL BUT THE JEEP WOULDN'T STOP; INSTEAD IT KEPT GOING FASTER. IT SMASHED INTO THE GARAGE DOOR AND THE BRICK WALL OF THE GARAGE, DEMOLISHING THEM. THE JEEP WAS BRAND NEW WITH ONLY 500 MILES DRIVEN, AND IT WAS EQUIPPED WITH A COMPLETE SAFETY PACKAGE THAT SHOULD HAVE AUTOMATICALLY STOPPED IT BEFORE AN IMPENDING IMPACT BUT IT DID NOT DO SO. THIS WAS AN EXTREMELY TERRIFYING EXPERIENCE AND IT FELT LIKE A NIGHTMARE.
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11287558 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11319721 · 2020-03-30 (March 30, 2020)
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS SPEEDS WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL ACTIVATED, THE VEHICLE RAPIDLY ACCELERATED AFTER TAPPING THE PLUS SIGN BUTTON ON THE STEERING WHEEL WITHOUT WARNING. THE CONTACT DEPRESSED THE BRAKE PEDAL TO DEACTIVATE THE CRUISE CONTROL. DAN WELLE CHEVROLET BUICK, CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM LOCATED AT (1505 MAIN ST S, SAUK CENTRE, MN 56378) AND JUETTNER MOTORS LOCATED AT (1900 BROADWAY ST, ALEXANDRIA, MN 56308) WERE CONTACTED AND THE CONTACT WAS INFORMED THAT THE CRUIS…
Owner-reported narrative. 1,100 miles reported. Look up ODI 11319721 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11338712 · 2020-07-10 (July 10, 2020)
TRAVELING AT 50 MPH DEER JUMPED INTO CENTER OF THE ROAD I HIT THE BREAKS SWERVING RIGHT, THE FRONT DRIVER SIDE BREAK LOCKED AND DIDN'T RELEASE. VERY HARD PULL TO THE LEFT ON THE STEERING WHEEL AS ANOTHER DEER CAME I TRIED VEERING RIGHT THAT TIRE WAS LOCKED THREW MY BACK PASSENGER TIRE INTO THE CURB BOUNCED THE VEHICLE REAR TO THE LEFT FRONT TIRE STILL LOCKED UP MADE THE VEHICLE SPIN EVENTUALLY ROLLING TWO OR THREE TIMES .
Owner-reported narrative. 5,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 11338712 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11349166 · 2020-08-14 (August 14, 2020)
I WAS AT A RED IGHT, ON A BUSY ROAD. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I WAS THE FIRST CAR STOPPED IN THE TURNING LANE. THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN,AND AS I TURNED, THE CAR INTO THE LANE, IT ROLLED FOWARD FOR A SECOND WHEN I TOOK MY FOOT OFF THE BRAKE, THEN IT LEPT FORWARD, STALLED, THEN SAID ON THE DISPLAY THAT THE CAR NEEDED TO BE PUT IN PARK BEFORE STARTING THE ENGINE. I WAS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE INTERSECTION GOING ACROSS ONCOMING TRAFFIC.
Owner-reported narrative. 8,246 miles reported. Look up ODI 11349166 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11329112 · 2020-06-16 (June 16, 2020)
LEASED MY GRAND CHEROKEE 2020. DROVE THE CAR TWICE. IT WASN'T EVEN 24 HRS SINCE I HAD THE CAR, MY CAR BROKE DOWN THE 2ND TIME I DROVE IT (ON A FRIDAY). I WAS WAITING ON LINE FOR MY SONS GRADUATION. IT WAS A DRIVE THROUGH GRADUATION BECAUSE OF COVID-19. I WAS THE 1ST ON LINE AND HAD 50 CARS BEHIND ME. WHEN I WAS ASKED TO PROCEED MY GEAR DIDN'T SHIFT. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND TRIED RESTARTING IT AND IT DIDN'T START. HAD TO GET THE CAR TOWED TO A DEALER. I WAS TOLD ID HAVE TO WAIT TILL MONDAY. CALLED JEEP TO COMPLAIN. I ASKED FOR A LOANER AND WAS …
Owner-reported narrative. 88 miles reported. Look up ODI 11329112 at NHTSA ↗
Owner report 11338535 · 2020-07-10 (July 10, 2020)
YOU CANNOT PROPERLY FILL YOUR GAS TANK WITHOUT HAVING TO MANIPULATE THE PUMP HANDLE THE WRONG WAYS. EVERY TIME I'VE HAD TO FILL UP I HAVE TO SIT THERE AND CONSTANTLY HAVE TO RESET THE PUMP HANDLE BECAUSE ALL THE PUMP THINK THE TANK IS FULL. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE BECAUSE I NEVER KNOW WHEN THE TANK IS ACTUALLY FULL. I'VE EVEN PUT THE AUTO FILL HANDLE ON AND WHEN IT KICKED OFF THE PUMP WENT FLYING OUT AND GAS SPILLED EVERYWHERE. I HAVE NEVER HAD A PERFECT EXPERIENCE PUTTING GAS INTO MY JEEP SINCE I'VE BOUGHT IT. I'M ALWAYS AFRAID TO PUT THE AUTO …
Owner-reported narrative. 500 miles reported. Look up ODI 11338535 at NHTSA ↗