2017 Jeep Cherokee: problems, recalls and reliability
6 recalls and 1,335 owner complaints on record; the weakest area is power train (48% of complaints); the 2018 model year looks more trouble-free.
Data updated weekly · 5 new complaints in the last 90 days · latest recall Apr 2025
All counts are reports filed with NHTSA in the United States - US market only, not worldwide totals.
Common problems
Computed from 1,335 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for this exact model year.
“I was stopped at a red light. When the light turned green, I took my foot off the brake and pressed the accelerator. bI heard a loud cracking/crushing noise coming from underneath the vehicle. When I tried to accelerate, the Jeep would not shift properly into gear. The engine revved, but the vehicle did not accelerate normally / did not move as it should. The Jeep was essentially no longer able to transmit power normally, so I stopped driving it. The important sequence is: red light-green light-released brake-pressed accelerator-loud cracking/crushing noise underneath-Jeep wouldn't properly engage/shift- engine revved- vehicle accelerated normally.”Owner report · Engine · Sep 2026
“PTU failed on my 2017 Cherokee Jeep. It should be involved in a recall BUT it is not and I'm paying out of pocket to this repair.”Owner report · Power Train · Sep 2026
“I'm trying to get my car fixed the diagnostic result was that I need a new transfer case as a right now the the waiting time for that part is 8 months and over 700 on backup orders the more I dig in to this part it seems that is an issue with this model, probably should have been a recall on this. Please help me out to see if jeep can help with this problem Thank you [XXX] [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Jul 2026
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“The vehicle unprompted shifted into 4wd and lost all propulsion. Revved high, but didn't move. There is a recall that outlines the exact issues I experienced, but my VIN is not covered for a free fix. The recall is NHTSA Recall Campain 25V-011 (jeep campaing 01C) I have a child and the fact that my car broke down with her in it is terrifying. I purchased 4 new tires because I was told it was the tread on the tires was uneven. That wasn't it. Took it to a transmission shop and they couldn't find the issues please we really need help with this and it is not right that it isn't covered. We purchase this vehicle only last year.”Owner report · Power Train · Jun 2026
“2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk suffered a Power Transfer Unit failure leading to sudden motive power. Vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road with a narrow shoulder. Exiting the vehicle put driver at risk of being struck by traffic. Driver had to exit the vehicle via the passenger side leading to neck injury. Note Failure of have could have resulted in crash if it had happened earlier. PTU failure confirmed by dealership. Vehicle was under FCA recall O1C NHTSA 25V-011. It should be noted that even though this is a safety issue owners were not told not to drive vehicle, plus the remedy doesn't prevent PTU failure, which can happen without warning in certain conditions.”Owner report · Power Train · Jun 2026
“I am having a issue with my ptu on my vehicle unfortunately it's not under the recall but I reach out to jeep customer service they were no help to get this issue and concern resolved I paid for a diagnostic from a jeep dealership and have it stating the ptu is malfunctioning and called back jeep and they said their nothing they can do I will have to pay for it to get repaired since it not under the recall which is not fair due to they knowing their this issue with these vehicles my truck only have about 57,000 miles on it”Owner report · Power Train · Jun 2026
“An authorized dealership performed the federal safety (Safety Recall 01C) software update on my 2017 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. Two days and 160 miles later, the vehicle suffered a dangerous highway loss of propulsion. This software update failed to protect the physical drivetrain components from catastrophic failure.”Owner report · Power Train · May 2026
“The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, a service 4x4 warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed the the PTU was bad and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure was associated with a common unknown recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a complaint was filed. The failure mileage as approximately 65,000.”Owner report · Power Train · May 2026
“Service Shifter message has been persistent. Has been checked at multiple independent locations for diagnostic check. Each location has said that it should be a lifetime product and in no need of replacement per Jeep standards. I have therefore been unable to get the service shifter diagnosed and fixed.”Owner report · Unknown Or Other · Apr 2026
“PER DIAGNOSTICS, PTU HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. I was driving on the highway and the car started to shake and make a loud, grinding noise and seemed to be stuck in gear. When I stopped it wouldn't go into park or go into drive.”Owner report · Power Train · Apr 2026
When filing, owners marked a crash in 24 of these complaints and injuries in 27 - self-reported to NHTSA, not verified accident statistics.
Recalls - 6 campaigns
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 13, 2016, to October 17, 2016. Improper welds on the driver's knee air bag inflator may prevent the air bag from properly inflating.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's knee air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S84.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.
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.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a two-speed Power Transfer Unit (PTU). Relative movement in the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) between the differential input splines and the transmission output shaft may cause some input spline teeth to wear off, which may eventually cause a loss of engagement between the transmission and the differential inside the PTU. If this occurs, power cannot be transferred between the front wheels and the transmission which results in a loss of drive while the vehicle is in motion and a loss of the Park function while stationary.
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.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The tire and rim size information required to be on the Certification label was omitted during manufacturing, which may result in an incorrect tire and rim combination being installed on the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners and will provide a corrected certification label, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T53.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power and/or loss of park function.
Remedy: Dealers will update the drivetrain control module and PTU software and replace the PTU, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning February 19, 2026. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 01C.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power or loss of park function.
Remedy: FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 11, 2023. Owners may contact FCA USA LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 45A. This recall expands previous recall number 20V-343.
Trouble codes owners mention
OBD-II codes that appear in NHTSA complaints about this car.
Specifications
Factory options offered for the 2017 model year, decoded from the NHTSA vPIC database. Individual vehicles have one of each.
How other years compare
Counts are not adjusted for time on the road here - see all Cherokee years ranked fairly for the age-adjusted comparison.
Check your exact Cherokee by VIN
Recalls and equipment differ between individual vehicles. Decode your VIN to see what applies to yours.
Open VIN decoderFrequently asked questions
Is the 2017 Jeep Cherokee reliable?
NHTSA has 1,335 owner complaints and 6 recall campaigns on record for the 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The most complained-about area is power train (48% of complaints).
At what mileage do 2017 Jeep Cherokee problems usually appear?
Half of the complaints that mention mileage were filed at 41,500 miles or less.
Does the 2017 Jeep Cherokee have open recalls?
6 recall campaigns have been issued, the latest concerning air bags. Check your specific vehicle by VIN - recall repairs are free at franchised dealers.
Source: NHTSA recall campaigns and owner complaints (public domain). Counts reflect reports on file and are not a defect rate.