general problems of the 2020 Jeep Cherokee - part 1

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v290000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and a case was filed.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving, the transmission slipped. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and stated that there were no open recalls associated with the failure. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer, where it was diagnosed that the power take-off (pto) unit and actuator had failed, causing the failure of the power transfer unit (ptu). The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 26v290000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The failure mileage was 105,511.

My Jeep was diagnosed with a ptu failure. Jeep has only 51,293 miles. This is a well documented recall on 2019-2023 Jeep Cherokee brand. My VIN is not included yet.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at 65 mph, the 4wd warning light unexpectedly illuminated. The contact stated that a "4wd needs service" warning message also displayed. The vehicle was taken to a service center where it was diagnosed that the power transfer unit had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact also stated that the vehicle was inspected by a second service center. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.

Power transfer unit failed similar to recall on other 2020 Jeep Cherokees, though our Jeep was not covered under the existing recall.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification for NHTSA campaign number: 26v290000 (power train); however, the part to complete the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact's mother-in-law owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 35 mph, the “service 4wd” warning light illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was diagnosed with ptu failure. The contact was informed that the ptu needed to be replaced. In addition, the contact was informed that the vehicle was safe to drive. The vehicle was not repaired, and the failure reoccurred. The failure was persistent, and the check engine warning light was illuminated. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The contact was informed that the repair was not covered under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. The contact became aware of an abnormally loud sound. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred at a busy intersection. The contact attempted to shift the gear shifter into park; however, the vehicle rolled backwards. The contact enabled the parking brake. The police were called to assist with traffic. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed with ptu failure. The contact was informed that the ptu needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed of an unrepaired recall. The contact was advised to contact the dealer. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that parts were unavailable. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v290000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The contact was informed that the repair could be paid for out of pocket and reimbursed when parts became available. The contact was advised to contact the NHTSA hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 140,000.

On [xxx], our 2020 Jeep Cherokee with approximately 62,562 miles experienced a sudden loss of motive power while traveling at highway speed on [xxx] out of dayton, wyoming. There was a clunk, the engine rpm increased, and the vehicle would no longer engage drive or park. The vehicle became inoperable and had to be towed to sheridan motors in sheridan, wyoming, where it remains. Sheridan motors diagnosed an internal power transfer unit (ptu) failure and recommended replacement of the ptu followed by additional testing. The vehicle’s VIN is included in fca recall 40d / NHTSA recall 26v-290, which identifies internal ptu failure as a condition that may cause an unexpected and unrecoverable loss of motive power. We live in bozeman, montana, and had to obtain a rental vehicle to return home. On September 2, 2026, fca recall assistance advised us that no approved repair or interim remedy is currently available. Fca would not authorize a repair or alternate transportation and stated that we must pay for a ptu replacement ourselves and later submit a reimbursement request, with no assurance that reimbursement will be approved. The vehicle has experienced the exact safety failure identified by the recall but cannot presently receive the recall remedy. Please record this as an actual field failure of the recalled ptu and review the absence of an available remedy for an inoperable vehicle. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while reversing at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormal sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The message "4wd service" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and was diagnosed and determined that the power transfer unit motor needed to be replaced. The contact researched and was made aware of an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,500.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 25 mph, an abnormal swooshing sound occurred. No warning lights illuminated. The contact noticed an oil odor coming from the vehicle after the failure. Following a yearly inspection, the contact was referred to a service center for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the service center, where it was diagnosed that the power transfer unit, rear driveshaft, rear differential, and rear cv axle failed and required replacement. The service center informed the contact that the dealer stated the parts were on backorder. The manufacturer was notified of the failure by telephone. The failure mileage was approximately 121,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "service 4wd" was intermittently displayed, and the vehicle only operated in front-wheel drive. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 26v290000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall repair. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and the failure was associated with the recall repair. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 49,000.

Warning light svc 4wd and dashboard message 4wd system unavailable service required. Jeep dealer found diagnostic code c14a7. Dealer checked power transfer unit (ptu) operation and ptu fails to acuate. Needs to be replaced and part ordered. Time for repair could not be determined. I was told at least two months, possibly longer. In researching this issue I found there is a safety recall for ptu on 2020 Jeep Cherokees, but my VIN is not included in the recall. Nhtsa campaign number 26v290000. I am concerned continuing to drive my vehicle and hopefully not experience a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway. Also concerned about further damage to car, I. E. Transmission, if I continue to drive. Dealer told me if vehicle leaks fluids, hear grinding noises, and/or it feels like gears slipping to bring vehicle back in.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was a loud grinding sound coming from the vehicle, and the message “4wd unavailable - service required" was displayed. The sound became louder and more frequent over time. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic and was diagnosed with power transfer unit failure. The contact was informed that the ptu needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that the VIN was not under recall. The failure mileage was approximately 72,000.

Fwd service light is on and my Jeep keeps jerking and at times acts like it doesn’t want to go.

The power transfer unit (ptu) failed on my 2020 Jeep Cherokee. Started hearing grinding and roaring noises coming from the front wheels and was having trouble stopping. There is a recall already going for the same make and model but for other specific VIN numbers, mine not included. The problem was inspected and confirmed by the dealer previously bought from the original warning light was ‘svc 4wd’ and came on 7/29/2026 and within a couple minutes the noice and issue started. When I called the Jeep recall and warranty specialists they said they wouldn’t do anything until “the car is in an accident or myself, my one year old daughter or someone else is seriously injured or dies before they open an investigation”.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 15 mph, the steering wheel suddenly turned to the right and the vehicle became difficult to steer. There was an abnormal roaring sound coming from underneath the vehicle. The contact waited until the vehicle decelerated before stopping the vehicle. The contact waited for a while before being able to continue driving and coasting into a parking space. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed the vehicle with ptu failure. The vehicle was not repaired because parts were on backorder for 2 months. The dealer suggested that the contact not drive the vehicle until the vehicle was repaired to avoid further damage. The contact referenced NHTSA campaign number: 26v290000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was 111,299.

My 2020 Jeep Cherokee car made a sound and seemed to lose some power a warning came on serv 4wd took to mechanic was told ptu is causing error I put my VIN in and it says no recalls I have contacted Jeep corporate who said they do not have a fix for this at this time and would email me. My husband has the same year make, and model and also has this error. I did call Jeep corporate and spoke to a mia who said she had no information on the issue and gave me a case #.

On July 21st while making a left turn the ptu of the Jeep failed. Vehicle was towed to a dealership and is now waiting for repairs.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v290000 (power train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. There was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with powertrain unit failure. The contact was informed that the powertrain unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 93,173.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 55 mph, the message "service 4wd" was displayed. The contact stated that the failure recurred while driving at 65 mph on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with ptu failure. The contact was informed that the ptu needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 26v290000 (power train); and declined to pay for the repair fee. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and offered partial assistance in covering the cost of the repair. The failure mileage was approximately 63,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 26v290000 (power train). The contact called several local dealers. The vehicle was towed to an unknown dealer. The manufacturer was contacted, and the contact was referred to the dealer for assistance. The contact had not experienced a failure.

Vehicle suffered complete failure of the power transfer unit (ptu) / drivetrain system, resulting in vehicle lockup, failure to engage drive gears, and automatic parking brake lockout when placed in park. ?the vehicle experienced its first documented ptu failure and replacement (part #68333285ae) under warranty at 47,577 miles in November 2022. The ptu failed while we were driving 70 mph plus going down the highway. It sounded like the gas pedal was pushed to the floor even thought it wasn't then numerous dash lights came on and the vehicle came to a stop and wouldn't move. It took almost 2 months to get our vehicle back and that was only after contacting Chrysler customer care to start a care case and try to get parts expedited. The ptu failed again in April 2026. It was sounding like grinding gears when backing up and it was automatically putting the parking brake for no reason on when vehicle was put into park. After being retained by an authorized Chrysler Dodge Jeep ram franchise dealership ([xxx]) for nearly two months for warranty repair, the vehicle was released on xxx. They replaced the actuator instead of the entire ptu per Chrysler techs recommendation. We got it back and it was still automatically putting on the parking brake. ?four days later, on xxx (after driving approximately 100 miles), the drivetrain suffered an identical breakdown, causing system faults, numerous dash lights and rendering the vehicle completely inoperable. The vehicle has remained inoperable at the dealership for over 100 cumulative day and remains there to this day. Xxx ?this failure directly mirrors NHTSA recall campaign 26v290 (fca recall 40d) for 2019–2023 Jeep Cherokees with two-speed ptus. Dealer states no factory remedy is available from the manufacturer, leaving the safety risk uncured. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. In addition, the contact stated there were recurring failures with rear wheels. The dealer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with ptu failure. The contact was informed that the ptu needed to be replaced. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not under recall. The manufacturer was contacted by phone and made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

Catastrophic ptu failure on an interstate (we had not yet received the recall notice at the time of the incident) - no power at all, going the speed limit of 65 mph - we were miraculously able to coast into a weigh station - we could have caused a crash, or been the victims of one - the car also rolled backwards, even in park, subsequent to this incident - many of these cars are still being driven by owners who have no choice, since stellantis has provided no remedy nor buyback incentives to owners - the current "fix" is to replace the ptu with a part that may also fail - since this is a known, significant safety issue, how is the NHTSA working with stellantis to get this situation remedied? thank you -.

Power transfer unit failure diagnosed by safford Dodge, Jeep dealership in fredericksburg, va. My VIN is not showing up as part of the recall. My car is still awaiting repair.

I own a 2020 Jeep Cherokee with approximately 87,000 miles. Approximately one month ago, my "service 4wd" light illuminated on the dashboard, and I heard a severe grinding noise coming from the drivetrain. A mechanic scanned the vehicle's computer and pulled active diagnostic fault code c14a7-97 (ptu motor component or system operation obstructed or blocked). The mechanic cleared the code to test the system, but the c14a7-97 code immediately returned, proving a hard mechanical or electrical failure exists. This vehicle is experiencing the onset of a power transfer unit (ptu) failure. The timing of this active malfunction perfectly coincides with the release of NHTSA recall 26v290 (fca campaign 40d), which was issued just last month for 2020 Cherokees experiencing the identical ptu defect. However, my specific VIN is currently excluded from the recall list. According to the recall documentation, this component defect poses an immediate safety hazard, including a sudden loss of drive power while moving and a park roll-away risk. Because my vehicle has the exact same active fault code (c14a7-97) as the recalled vehicles, the manufacturer must expand this safety campaign to include my VIN before a full failure and a serious accident occurs.

Ptu failure. Open recall with no fix. Jeep fixed at dealer. Plenty of time has passed since recall was opened. The only fix is to replace the non serviceable ptu. Jeep needs to stop stalling and fix the problem. I want my money back.

I started getting a warning light in my Jeep (svc 4wd). The dealer diagnosed it as an internal failure of the ptu motor, which needs replaced. I learned that the ptu motor is a recall item for Jeeps long before mine was. Manufactured, extending long past my manufacture date. For some reason, my VIN is not included, even though my ptu is failed and presents the symptoms that logically should include it. My discussion with the repair person went so far as to suggest I always use the parking brake, just in case, to prevent spontaneous roll-away. I also learned there are many other Jeep owners facing the same problem, causing at least a month's delay in obtaining a replacement ptu to fix this problem. I believe and respectfully request that this issue should be considered a part of the original recall, to include all Jeeps within the stated time frame. This submission is in reference to 2019–2023 Jeep Cherokee (NHTSA recall 26v-290 / fca recall 40d). Thank you for your attention to this matter.

Service four-wheel-drive light came on. Took vehicle to the Jeep dealer for inspection and paid $220. 94 diagnostic fee. Jeep dealer stated that the power transfer unit had an internal failure code c1487–97. Dealership quoted a repair cost of $2836. 75. Dealership stated the part was on backorder and would not be available for weeks or months or longer. Although there are three recalls specifically associated with this issue for this specific model… the VIN number to this vehicle is not included for some reason. It seems evident that if the part failed it obviously suffers the same issue as the others that are included in the recall.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle the warning message "service four wheel drive" and "four wheel drive unavailable" had displayed. Also, while operating the vehicle the parking brake had malfunctioned. The cause of the fialure was not determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified and informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA campaign number: 26v290000(power train ). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 82,000.

Service 4 wheel drive light came on. Car loses acceleration randomly. Weird winding noise. Higher than normal rpm. See there is recall for this but states mine not included. Had mechanic look at it and was told it’s the ptu. Normal issue with these. Unfortunately over 10000 on back order. Hhmmm.