2005 Jeep GRAND CHEROKEE: complaints, problems and recalls

DRIVER'S KNEE WOULD HIT THE IGNITION SWITCH WHILE DRIVING,THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHUT OFF. CONTACTED THE DEALER FOR THIS PROBLEM. DEALER INFORMED CONSUMER NO COMPLAINT ON THIS PROBLEM WAS RECORDED. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10101116 at NHTSA ↗

LET ME START BY SAYING THAT I DO NOT OWN THIS VEHICLE BUY WAS FOLLOWING ONE LAST EVENING. IT WAS DARK, I WAS TRAVELING EAST ON RT 55 NEAR FRONT ROYAL, VA. A NEW (04 / 05) JEEP CHEROKEE STYLE VEHICLE WAS STOPPED MAKING A LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC. THE BRAKE LIGHTS WERE PLAINLY VISABLE BUT I COMMENTED TO MYSELF THAT THE DRIVER SHOULD USE TURN SIGNALS WHEN MAKING THIS MANUVER, ESPECIALLY ON THE WELL TRAVELED ROAD. AS I GOT CLOSER TO THE STOPPED VEHICLE, TO MY SURPRISE, THE TURN SIGNALS WERE ON AND WORKING....PROBLEM IS ...FROM 100 FEET BEHIND, THE …

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10102420 at NHTSA ↗

CONSUMER CONTACTED THE DEALER ABOUT AN IGNITION PROBLEM. MECHANIC STATED THAT A CAUSE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED. CONSUMER INFORMED THE MECHANIC. WHEN DRIVER ENTERED INTO THE VEHICLE AND STARTED IT UP, AND WHILE DRIVING DRIVER'S KNEES HIT AGAINST THE IGNITION. THIS CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO SHUT DOWN INTERMITTENTLY, BUT DRIVER WAS ABLE TO RESTART IT. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10103300 at NHTSA ↗

FROM THE FIRST DAY TOOK DELIVER OF 2005 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE LTD. 5.7 LT HEMI ENGINE, FIRST IN WHEN PRESSING ACCELERATOR IN LOW RPM, THEN WHEN REACHED 80 MPH. ON FLAT FREEWAY (WITH 400 MILES ON THE ODOMETER), ECESSIVE GROAN AND NOISE FROM THE ENGINE. SAME NOISE WAS NOT PRESENT ON IDENTICALLY EQUIPED TEST-DRIVE VEHICLE. APPARENT HIGH FREQUENCY VIBARTION, ESPECIALLY IN LOW CRUISING SPPEDS ON PERFECTLY FLAT PAVEMENT. VIBRATION STRENGTH INCREASING IN HIGHER RPM. HESITANT ENGINE IN LOW RPM AND WHILE ACCELERATING. APPARENT UNDERPOWERED OPERATION, COMP…

Owner-reported narrative. 10 miles reported. Look up ODI 10104131 at NHTSA ↗

2005 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS, NO ESCAPE THROUGH WINDOWS IN COLD WEATHER. A LL 4 ELECTRIC WINDOWS WILL NOT OPEN IN COLD WEATHER IF MINIMAL AMOUNT OF WATER HAS SEEPED PASSED OUTSIDE WINDOW SEAL. THIS POSSES AN EXTREMELY DANGEROUS SITUATION IF EVACUATION FROM THE VEHICLE IS NECESSARY AND THE DOORS ARE NOT ACCESSIBLE. THIS HAPPENS TO ME EVERY DAY AND I JUST PURCHASED THE VEHICLE ONE MONTH AGO, AND LIVING IN THE NORTHEAST WHERE THE OUTSIDE TEMPS ARE BELOW FREEZING EVERY DAY. *AK

Owner-reported narrative. Look up ODI 10104470 at NHTSA ↗

BOUGHT A 2005 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE IN LATE OCTOBER. HAVE HAD NUMEROUS INSTANCES ON ENGINE SHUTTING DOWN WHILE DRIVING, INCLUDING ON A BUSY EXPRESSWAY. NEITHER CHRYSLER NOR THE DEALER WAS ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM (THE DEALER'S SERVICE DEPARTMENT WAS IN CONTACT WITH CHRYSLER TECHICAL SUPPORT WHEN TRYING TO REPAIR). THEY TRIED A COUPLE OF REPAIRS SUGGESTED BY CHRYSLER THAT DID NOT RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. FINALLY REALIZED I WAS GENTLY BUMPING THE IGNITIION KEY OR ATTACHED KEYS WHEN GOING FROM THE ACCELERATOR TO THE BRAKE AND THE SWITCH WAS MOVING…

Owner-reported narrative. 87 miles reported. Look up ODI 10106060 at NHTSA ↗

OUR 2005 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE 5.7L LIMITED HAS NOW ON TWO OCCASIONS WHEN STOPPED AND IN GEAR WITH BRAKE ON , RAPIDLY ACCELERATED. ONCE IN REVERSE, AND ONCE IN FORWARD. THE FIRST TIME WAS ON JAN 14TH WHEN I WAS BEHIND THE WHEEL WAITING FOR MY WIFE TO GET IN AFTER JUST BACKING OUT OF THE GARAGE AND RESTING MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL. FORTUNATELY, JUST BEFORE SHE STEPPED INTO THE OPEN DOOR THE CAR ACCELERATED RAPIDLY BACKWARD AT FULL THROTTLE UNTIL I COULD HIT THE BREAKS HARD. THE CAR WENT APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET. AGAIN YESTERDAY AS MY WIFE STOPPED …

Owner-reported narrative. 3,000 miles reported. Look up ODI 10108218 at NHTSA ↗

WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY 70 MPH AND WHEN SLOWING DOWN TO TAKE AN EXIT THE VEHICLE SHUT DOWN, THERE WAS NO POWER AT ALL. CONSUMER WAS ABLE TO PULL OVER AND RESTART THE VEHICLE. CONSUMER DROVE THE NEXT DAY TO THE DEALERSHIP AND LEFT THE VEHICLE. DEALER COULD FIND NOTHING WRONG AFTER THREE DAYS. AFTER PICKING THE VEHICLE UP FROM THE DEALER IT SHUT DOWN WHILE AT A STOP LIGHT. CONSUMER TOOK IT BACK TO THE DEALER. NO DEFECTS COULD BE FOUND. CONSUMER WENT ON A TRIP, AND THE VEHICLE STOPPED WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN. AGAIN THE DEALER COULD …

Owner-reported narrative. 2,300 miles reported. Look up ODI 10108942 at NHTSA ↗

Reported: 2005-09-14 (September 14, 2005)

ON CERTAIN SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES EQUIPPED WITH 3.7L ENGINES AND NAG1 AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSIONS, THE AIR CONDITIONER EVAPORATOR CONDENSATE WATER MAY ENTER THE TRANSMISSION AT THE FILL TUBE GROMMET SEAL. THIS CAN RESULT IN SHUDDER DURING TORQUE CONVERTER CLUTCH ENGAGEMENT.

Consequence: IT CAN LEAD TO INCREASED TRANSMISSION OPERATING TEMPERATURES, BOILING OF THE WATER, AND A SUBSEQUENT PURGING OF TRANSMISSION FLUID INTO THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT POTENTIALLY RESULTING IN AN UNDERHOOD FIRE.

Remedy: DEALERS WILL INSPECT THE TRANSMISSION FOR LEAKAGE AT THE FILL TUBE GROMMET SEAL. IF NO LEAK IS DETECTED, A NEW FILL TUBE GROMMET SEAL AND WATER DEFLECTOR SHIELD WILL BE INSTALLED, AND PROPER ALIGNMENT OF THE FILL TUBE VERIFIED. IF THE PRESENCE OF A LEAK IS DETECTED, THE VEHICLE WILL BE EVALUATED FOR SHUDDER DURING TORQUE CONVERTER ENGAGEMENT. IF NO SHUDDER IS DETECTED, THE TRANSMISSION WILL BE TRIPLE FLUSHED, AND NEW FILL TUBE GROMMET SEAL AND WATER DEFLECTOR WILL BE INSTALLED AND PROPER ALIGNMENT OF THE FILL TUBE VERIFIED. IF SHUDDER IS DETECTED, THE TORQUE CONVERTER WILL BE REPLACED, A NEW FILL TUBE GROMMET SEAL AND WATER DEFLECTOR WILL BE INSTALLED, AND PROPER ALIGNMENT OF THE FILL TUBE VERIFIED. THE RECALL BEGAN ON OCTOBER 31, 2005. OWNERS MAY CONTACT DAIMLERCHRYSLER AT 1-800-853-1403.

Reported: 2013-05-07 (May 7, 2013)

Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, through March 9, 2010; and 2006-2010 Jeep Commander vehicles manufactured January 31, 2005, through March 10, 2010. A transfer case electrical failure may result in an unintentional shifting of the transfer case into the neutral position.

Consequence: If the vehicle shifts into neutral, it may roll away increasing the risk of a crash or personal injury.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the final drive controller which governs the transfer case, with new software, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N23.

Reported: 2014-07-21 (July 21, 2014)

This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, drivers should adjust their seat to allow clearance between the driver's knee and the ignition key, and remove all items from their key ring, leaving only the vehicle key. Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to July 5, 2007, and 2006-2007 Jeep Commander vehicles manufactured January 31, 2005, to July 5, 2007. In the affected vehicles, the driver may accidentally hit the ignition key with their knee, unintentionally knocking the key out of the run position, turning off the engine.

Consequence: If the ignition key inadvertently moves into the OFF or ACCESSORY position, the engine will turn off, which will then depower various key safety systems including but not limited to air bags, power steering, and power braking. Loss of functionality of these systems may increase the risk of crash and/or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. Chrysler sent interim notifications to owners in September 2014. The recall began on October 9, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P41.