general problems of the 2020 Jeep Cherokee - part 1

Engine caught fire while parked.

On September 23, 2026, my wife was driving our 2020 Jeep Cherokee trailhawk on I-65 south at mile marker 105. 1 when the vehicle lost drive power and could no longer be driven. She became stranded on the side of the highway, and I had to pick her up. The vehicle also rolled while the gear selector was in park. We had it towed to tom o’brien Jeep dealership in greenwood. Our vehicle is included in open safety recall 40d, NHTSA campaign 26v-290, involving the power transfer unit (ptu). The loss of drive power and rolling in park match the failure symptoms described in that recall. The specific mechanical cause still needs to be confirmed by the dealership. The mopar recall lookup shows the recall is incomplete, the remedy is under development, and repair parts are not available. The vehicle is currently at the dealership. I am reporting an actual highway loss-of-propulsion incident and the vehicle rolling while in park. I am concerned about the risk of a crash or injury and the lack of an available recall remedy. Please document this incident under the existing recall and review the manufacturer’s response to vehicles that have already experienced these failures.

While driving my 2020 Jeep Cherokee latitude plus (2. 0l turbo engine), the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle began misfiring with a severe loss of power and abnormal engine noise. A compression test confirmed lost compression in one or more cylinders. The dealer inspected the engine and diagnosed internal piston damage, consistent with piston ring land failure. Research shows this is a known failure pattern in 2019-2023 Jeep Cherokee turbo engines, including a pending class action investigation (sauder schelkopf) for premature engine failure caused by lost cylinder compression, misfire codes, and dealerships declining coverage. Reports describe melted pistons and collapsed ring lands, often in cylinder #2, possibly related to low-speed pre-ignition or the pcm incorrectly detecting fuel octane and over-advancing ignition timing. The failed engine components are available for inspection upon request. This failure occurred at highway speed with no prior warning beyond the check engine light, creating a safety hazard from sudden power loss. The engine is a 2. 0l turbo gme (hurricane) engine. Please investigate this defect pattern for a potential safety recall.

I have a Cherokee that isn't on the current recall list or anything. But I have the service 4wd light. Its a 2020 Jeep Cherokee limited v6 3. 2 4x4.

I was driving on the interstate and lost my engine power.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact was informed that there was an oil leak underneath the vehicle. The contact was unsure if the oil was coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to the residence and parked, and the contact observed puddles of oil underneath the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer stated that the radiator, engine, turbo, thermostat, torque converter, and other unknown parts needed to be replaced, and that the engine control valve was possibly stuck, resulting in oil and coolant contamination. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 115,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle intermittently lost automotive power and there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle independently accelerated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the residence. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 330,000.

Sometimes when I am driving and stop, the automatic engine does not turn back on. This has caused my car to stop and need to be restarted in the middle of the road and the amount of times this happens has been increasing.

Verified concern, found vehicle to run very rough and does not idle cleanly. Performed misfire monitor and noted no misfires at this time. Inspect spark plugs, coils and cylinder bores for concern, noted low compression on cyl #2 (150, 105, 145, 150). Inspect cyl bore with camera, noted excessive scouring and damage to cylinder walls causing misfire. Advise longblock or complete assembly replacement required. Open investigation: [xxx] information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

The engine started making clunking sounds when driving. Brought it in and they said piston 2 has low psi, damage to cylinder, oil in cylinder, and the vehicle has roughly 47,500 miles on it. It has had on time oil changes and maintenance. I am told it needs a new engine.

Oil filter housing 3. 2 motor. Plastic housing leaking with oil smell while driving. Could cause fire in engine bay.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while accelerating from a stop, the vehicle stalled. The transmission message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, and there were metal particles in the transmission fluid. The vehicle was not repaired. The mechanic called an unknown local dealer and confirmed that parts were on backorder. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

When I attempted to turn left onto the highway from a complete stop on an incline, I pressed the accelerator and the car made a loud grinding noise. The vehicle would not move forward or reverse. The parking brake engaged on its own and would not disengage. After exiting the vehicle, I found a loose bearing behind the car. The vehicle had to be towed to a mechanic. I was informed by the mechanic that the failure was caused by the ptu (power transfer unit), and the repair cost me $2,600. I was later told that the initial failure had also stripped another component, which required an additional $100 repair. I was not given the specific name or details of that additional part.

In November 2024, while driving, my Jeep began to lose power. Accelerator was not working and pulled over. It turned on but would unexpectedly turn off whenever I would drive it. It was in the shop 4 months. Last week, Nov 2025, while at a stop light it completely stopped working. When I tried to accelerate it wasn’t working. Break pedal was hard and I could not turn it back on. Dash lights were on and tank had gas. Had to get it towed. Was told engine was in good shape. Still looking at starter issues.

The vehicle piston failed which led to complete engine failure. This has been diagnosed by a service center.

My 2020 Jeep Cherokee was in for a multi-point inspection and oil change on 9/10/2025. On 10/15/2025, the service 4wd, awd system service required light turned on as I was driving. I called the same dealership immediately and was able to get it in for diagnosis on 10/21/2025 (the soonest appointment available). They called me on 10/27/2025 to inform me that they diagnosed a faulty ptu part #68333254ai. They sent me a quote of $3,129. 81 for the part, labor, and fluid. My Jeep has remained at the dealership since it was diagnosed. I was told that there could be a loss of power to the wheels that could result in loss of control and a potential crash. I was also told that it may be an extended period of time before they can get the part. The dealership has stated that this would not be covered under my warranty because the warranty ended on 10/17/2025. The warning light actually came on before this date. I understand that there was safety recall/class action lawsuit for this issue on the 2017-2019 years but not the 2020. I feel that this is a known safety issue and believe that it should be covered by my warranty or the manufacturer. My vehicle's mileage is 43,230 miles.

Parking break engages when car comes to a stop engine light is on them goes off.

Engine warning light came on. Bloomington Chrysler Jeep repair shop said the active grill shutter connector wasn't working. This can cause engine overheating and damage and possibly a fire. I did not have this happen, as I caught it early.

The message/warning light keeps coming stop/start unavailable - service stop/start system. This feature is suppose to help reduce the amount of harmful emissions released into the air! some times this causes the engine/transmission to clunk. Seems to maybe a common issue with the Jeeps. Save fuel from burning while the car is stationary. Such a great feature and is doesn't work!.

The engine light comes on randomly. And causes the transmission to bog down and unable to accelerate. We have to pull over and shut the vehicle off and cycle it a few times to get the engine light to come off and then it drives fine. Has happened multiple times and has happened on the highway while driving. I’ve also had the vehicle completely shut off while driving. I’ve taken it to 2 dealerships and was told there is nothing wrong with it. I’m afraid it will cause a bad accident and I’m gonna get hurt if this issue isn’t resolved soon. The dealership I bought it from tim witt Chevrolet in crivitz WI. And they took it to riverside Jeep dealership in marinette WI.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the check engine warning light illuminated. The contact stated that on several occasions, after driving for several miles, the temperature gauge remained at hot(h). The vehicle was steered to the side of the road each time and turned off for 10 minutes before restarting. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed that there was a malfunction in the active grill system that needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that there was oil underneath the front end of the vehicle. The oil pressure warning light was illuminated. The contact noticed oil leaking from the top of the oil canister. The contact looked online and found a recall related to the failure experienced; however, the contact could not recall the NHTSA campaign number. The vehicle had not been taken to the dealer and was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.

My Jeep keeps going into limp mode and not will completely shut off while I come to a complete stop at a stop light. And while I’m driving the engine light comes on. I can cycle it through to get the engine light off. Then it runs fine. This has been happening since after I bought it. I’ve taken back to the dealership I got it from and they couldn’t find anything wrong with it, so they took it to a Jeep dealership and got the same answer. Clearly there is something wrong with it. And could cause me to get into an accident. This is my only vehicle for transportation. The code that shows up is p0934.

Ags system failed at 26,000 miles causing the check engine light to turn on. Cannot use auto start or get car inspection while light is on.

Upon driving at approx 20mph in traffic on the highway, there was a sudden loss of power in acceleration. Smoke was seen around the vehicle. Multiple lights flashed on the dashboard and then quickly went blank. As I was pulling to the side of the road I noticed flames coming from the front right side of the vehicle. The brakes no longer worked. I got out of the vehicle as smoke was seeping into the cabin. I was able to retrieve my phone and bag. Approx. 30 seconds after exiting the vehicle and moving away there was a small explosion. Over the course of the next few minutes there were multiple other explosions. Emergency services were called immediately. The vehicle burnt to the ground completely.

Vehicle popped an engine as the vehicle was in motion. After taking it to a mechanic, they ran diagnostics and said that the active grill shudder (ags) had stopped responding to the cars computer. The problematic part was ~$600 and happened 11 months after purchasing the car. The dealer refused a reimbursement stating that they couldn’t help as I brought it to a local mechanic. The fact the engine light popped up while the car was in motion could be a safety issue. No warning happened before the issue presented itself. The car started fine with no engine light.

Initial Chrysler customer care case #91294679 new (escalated to supervior) Chrysler customer care #new case #91467845 high idle new engine at about 50k miles when car was 3 years old new battery $270 recently svc 4wd - in July dealer told me it wasn't covered under warranty and made no mentioned of goodwill warranty, 2-year grace on warranty, nor any options. Several mechanics told me $3k to fix. Declined. Called dealer who told me to call Chrysler customer care who told me they can't do anything until dealer diagnoses the vehicle. Chrysler customer care tried various times to reach service team at sterling heights Dodge - they would not take call or call him back. He finally reached someone who told him that I need to come by and they can look at my car and then after I could see receptionist to then make appt. He said it doesn't make sense for me to go there twice. I did call and make appt and have gotten the run around since. Chrysler customer care told me I would qualify to have this fully covered since I was just over warranty (now at 65k miles since months has passed since this first occurred in July (60,250 miles) and because I was the original owner and mentioned something about a 2-year grace. However, the goodwill warranty came back only covering 70% and making me responsible for 30%. This is ridiculous - this is just a start or continuation of more costly major repairs, and I cannot afford to keep this car any longer but need to get this fixed so I can trade it in or sell it and get a new car with a different automaker. I cannot get Chrysler customer care to call me back nor is the dealership willing to help. While I don't know the ins/outs of lemon law and this probably doesn't qualify, it feels s like a lemon. See attached letter for details/history.

The contact owned a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the four- wheel drive overheated warning light illuminated. The contact reduced the speed, and the vehicle was driven to the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that a nearby driver pulled over and informed the contact that the vehicle was on fire. The nearby driver also assisted the contact out of the vehicle. The contact stated that there were several explosions. The contact stated that the vehicle was burned to the ground. The fire department and the local police arrived on the scene. There were no injuries sustained. A fire report was filed. The vehicle was towed to a local tow yard. The vehicle was condemned total loss. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and a case was filed. In addition, the case is currently under investigation. The failure mileage was approximately 26, 900.

I was driving down the road when all of a sudden I felt a loss of power, and it started smoking. Turned out that the oil filter housing was made out of plastic, and had broken, the car was only ever taken to the Jeep dealership for service as it was purchased certified pre owned, and it was replaced with an aluminum part instead of this plastic piece. They replaced the oil filter housing and the valve cover gasket with less than 40,000 miles on the clock. Thankfully I was on my way home, but if I would've kept driving, it would've resulted in a fire or accident.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 45 mph, the contact became aware that the vehicle was making abnormal sounds and had started jerking. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the residence. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 49,413.

The vehicles emergency brake engaged while driving down the highway at 70 mph on its own. This caused the vehicle to come to an immediate stop almost causing a serious wreck. We have had the vehicle in the shop for it dying and this happening when stopped or at very sloe speeds but never like this. Each time we have been told there is nothing wrong with the vehicle since no codes were thrown. Clearly this is not the case.

Our Jeep has had multiple accounts of shifting hard, hesitation while shifting, and a on and off service 4wd light. We reported these issues to the Jeep dealership it was purchased from and they said nothing was wrong after 4 scheduled maintenance visits. We brought our Jeep to a neighboring dealership who immediately found the issue and said it was a major transmission component that went bad. Fast forward to a week later and the part has been fixed but the issue is still happening!.

When coasting at low speeds the vehicle makes multiple click sounds and now there has been a clunking sound seems like when. Trying to downshift or upshift almost as it can't find a gear. When in a stoped position I put it in drive ease the gas and it will jump into gear. Has been multiple complaints about clicking and clinking with the vehicle and nothing fixing the problem unless ptu,transmission,u joint or driveshaft is replaced this is scary to spend so much on a vehicle for my family and worry about when it's going to break down.

This 2020 Jeep Cherokee altitude burns close to 3 quarts of oil. I have 26000 miles on it. I havent received any recalls or notice from Dodge/crysler dealer. This is ridiculous.

About a week ago, a faint smell of gasoline was noticed at the front of the vehicle after it was shut off. The smell became stronger and more noticeable with each passing day. Today, gasoline can be smelled coming out of the air vents as well as outside of the vehicle. Wife seems to think the smell started when she started using the air conditioning. No signs of fuel leaking. No check engine light. The vehicle has 20450 miles on it. We are trying to get it into the dealership as soon as possible, but at this point we are not driving it out of an abundance of caution.