general problems of the 2020 Jeep Cherokee - part 2

I dropped my car for a service appointment on October 25, 2025 because the car was running loud at highway speeds and felt as though something was grinding. I was told that the recommendation is to replace the ptu. I was unfamiliar with the term and guessed, "power takeoff unit" and the service technician agreed with me. He then informed me that there was an issue with the part and it would be 45-days before the part would be available. He told me that other shops were contacted and there was no shop in the area that was willing to part with the ptu, and I would need to wait 45-days for the repair. I asked if it was safe to drive the vehicle until the repair and he informed me it was. He appeared to be a new team member, so I clarified again, "I just want to be clear it is safe to drive the car". He responded it was, and then said he would check with his manager. After checking with the manager, he came back and said it was okay to drive the car but it may lead to further damage. Following the call I googled ptu and learned that there was a recall on Jeep Cherokee's, due to defective ptus which could cause a loss of power when the vehicle is in motion - leading to a crash, prevent the driver from putting the vehicle in park, or causing the vehicle to come out of park. Given the large number of vehicles involved in the recall, 660k + it is not surprising that the part is on back-order. It is frustrating that this is a voluntary recall, and that the scope of the recall has grown from 2016/2017 to now include 2017/2019 but not yet 2020. Please consider including the cars manufactured in 2020, and changing this from a voluntary recall.

While driving, the car began making a rattling noise and felt unstable. Shortly after, the “service 4wd” warning light came on. I took the vehicle to the dealership, and they diagnosed a power transfer unit (ptu) failure that requires replacement. This is a serious safety concern, as the vehicle could lose the ability to drive, especially in certain road or weather conditions. After researching the issue, I discovered that ptu failures appear to be a widespread problem in Jeep Cherokees, yet there has been no effective recall or permanent fix. Owners are being put at risk due to potential loss of power while driving.

My transmission quit working and my parking brake turned on while driving!!!!! this is the same problem that was recalled on Jeep Cherokee years from 2017-2019, but my 2020 is not covered in the recall and my neighbor has the same exact car and year and has had to replace his put twice!!!!!! my model year should be included!!!!!!!.

My service fwd light came on so I took it to the shop to get it looked at. Upon diagnosing this issue, I was informed it is a faulty power transfer unit and was informed of the dangers of driving with this issue. I have a newborn son so I immediately stopped driving my car and left it at the shop to be fixed. It has been there since October 6th. . It is now December 1st and the part is still not in stock to fix. This same part is recalled for the same reason in Jeep models 2017-2019. However mine is 2020, no recall yet, but is having the same issue and is now on backorder. I have been paying for insurance, etc. . On my car to just be sitting there rusting away and Jeep cannot give a timeframe on when the part will be in. I am out on a car and struggling to find transportation to and from work and a safe way to transport my newborn child.

Hello, the widespread issue of defective the ptu (power transfer unit) is far beyond the recall 25v011. We have 2 Jeep Cherokees in my family and both have a bad ptu and they both aren’t under the recall. Thank you.

After having the issue diagnosed by an authorized service center, it has been confirmed that my ptu has failed and needs to be replaced. Upon further research, I discovered that the ptu part is recalled for vehicles manufactured between 2017 and 2019. However, as my vehicle is a 2020 model, it unfortunately falls outside of the recall window. Despite this, it appears that similar ptu failures are still occurring in vehicles manufactured in 2020 and beyond, indicating that the issue may not have been fully resolved in later models. I am deeply concerned about the safety implications of this issue, particularly the risk of losing power to the wheels while driving. This could lead to a serious accident, especially in adverse weather conditions or on the highway. As a result, I am requesting that you take immediate action to address this problem. I believe this issue is a design flaw or a defective part that has not been fully resolved, and it is in the best interest of both customer safety and brand reputation to address this matter promptly.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 mph, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from under the floorboards. The contact stated that the "service 4-wd" warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle started losing motive power and the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The contact was able to continue driving to the destination. The failure was intermittent but was a recurring failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and 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 by the mechanic that the failure was possibly related to NHTSA campaign number: 25v011000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

The ptu and ptu actuator have failed. The repair is estimated to be app $3000 at a local independent repair shop. The parts are unavailable to do a timely repair. We still have to drive it because it cannot be repaired until parts are available, we were told it could be months because there are so many Jeeps failing from the same thing. ( "a similar repair was done today after waiting for 3 months for parts"- bob from donelinger in cohasset, mn) we may be in danger every time we use the Jeep but have no choice with it being needed for our transportation. The 4wd service lights are on or blink all the time. We only have 85,000 miles on this Jeep we have had since we purchased it new. Please help speed up parts availability and a recall on these Jeeps.

The power transfer unit on my 2020 vehicle is not working. I bought this car specifically to have four wheel drive. In the buffalo NY brutal winter I count on 4 wheel drive to get me through the snow. Now, I have a serious safety issue. I wanted to fix the car but not only is it expensive, but the parts are on back order with 2700 in the backlog waiting for parts. This is a known issue and there was a recall for a number of years including 2018 and 2019. They haven't issued it for 2020. I am being forced to sell the car at a loss! I can't drive something that is unsafe. Jeep should make us whole! I shouldn't lose money because of known safety fault. Plus, I can't keep it because I do a lot of driving and can't risk my life with no 4 wheel drive.

Service 4wd warning appeared 9/2025 on my 2020 Jeep Cherokee limited with 37500 miles. Took it to my local mechanic. They suspected the ptu was the problem and advised to take it Jeep dealer as it should be covered under warrantee. However the car was put into service in 2019 so warrantee has expired. Dealer advised ptu repair ~$3000 but part is back ordered. I see a lot of complaints on this site for this same issue. This was a recall up to year 2019 Jeeps.

The check 4 wheel drive light lit up on my dash. Shortly after, there was aloud noise coming from the front passenger side tire area. I replaced the front hub assembly as was the code it was throwing. 1 week ater, noise returned and I took it into elkhorn automotive in waterloo, ne. They said it was throwing a code of c14a7-97. . . Power transfer unit. Dealership said there are no active recalls for my 2020 Jeep. Looks like Jeep has had issues with this ptu. What can I do to get my vehicle fixed.

Received "svc fwd" light on the dash. Four wheel drive stopped working. I was able to continue driving with front wheel drive only. Jeep had 13,000 when it happened. Took it to the dealership for inspection in September 2025. They diagnosed it as a bad ptu and needed replaced. They were going to call me when the new part came in. It's been over 5 months and I never heard from them.

“service 4wd” warning light came on. Took vehicle to mechanic who said error code indicates power transfer unit failure. Car is clearly unsafe to drive.

While driving my 2020 Jeep Cherokee, my four-wheel-drive light came on and the car felt like somebody had rear-ended me after checking the code that came on. It says it was a ptu failure. It is a known issue with Jeep, but no resolution has been made the same issue has been recalled for other VIN numbers, but not mine. This is a safety issue because when the car did this, if someone was behind me, they would’ve actually hit me in the rear end because the car like actually stops.

The transfer case failed at 30,000 miles. There is a 3 month backlog on the part, so the vehicle is off the road until at least December 10. This part was recalled on the 2017-2019 models.

The power transfer unit failed, needing repair. It is available for inspection upon request. My safety, and other's safety on the road, was put at risk because now the power can shut off while driving. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer, as we took it in when a warning light appeared. They confirmed it was a power transfer unit failure. They first appeared about a month ago, and today's date is 9/19/25.

A light appeared on the dash that said awd failure. After 2 weeks of being at the dealership, I was told it was a complete ptu failure. Other vins have been recalled but not mine. This was after I had already taken the car because it just stopped while driving and wouldn’t start. I was told then it was the starter needed to be replaced. I am just happy it wasn’t my [xxx] that was driving. I believe it was the ptu the whole time. The car also will not start after stopping at a stop light unless I turn the automatic setting off. Dealership says ptu is on back order with eta of 45-60 days. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

Ptu failure at 65,000 miles. Unknown timeline for the replacement part.

Ptu unit has went out. 4wd light on shows needs service. Currently with dealership and told ptu needs replaced, but told there's only 112 available in the nation with over 1200 orders for one currently. It looks that this has been an ongoing problem with Jeep Cherokees with under 100,000 miles. Mine only has 88. 000. Other year models have been recalled in fact up to Feb. 2019 for manufactured Cherokees. I missed it by a year. With this increasing problem, it sure looks as though they should recall since the odds are becoming greater for failure and people are out thousands of dollars and still making payments on it in this economy for not being able to have confidence in a vehicle and company. Thank you for your attention and action!.

Ptu failure. Car was manufactured in 08/2019, mopar recalled Jeep’s manufactured until 02/2019. Please extend recall.

Bad ptu on 2020 Jeep Cherokee. It is out of any warranties and a know issue among this vehicle line. Current recall is for vehicles through Feb 2019, and this would be right outside that window (my specific VIN is outside of the recall).

Component: power transfer unit (ptu) the power transfer unit has failed. This appears to be a manufacturing defect identical to those listed under the recall. Left me stranded in traffic.

"service 4wd" warning light appeared unexpectedly. Code scan revealed that the ptu unit had failed, leading to a loss of 4wd capabilities. Jeep is much less safe to drive in winter here in minnesota. Took to a dealer, where it was replaced. Through research, I have come to find that this is an all-too-common failure in Jeep Cherokees and had been recalled in previous years' models.

Ptu failure at 75,325 miles as well as active grill shutter at same time. Was told the ptu is on back order and last person it took 6 months to get it. We have had vehicle since new and always dealer serviced. Super disappointed on time to fix it, meaning there is obviously a problem.

Every time I drive 20-30 my service 4wd light comes on. I got it scanned when the light was not on but it was showing no code.

The svc 4wd light came on in my 2020 Jeep Cherokee at 59000 miles. This indicated a problem with the ptu, the transfer case actuator. The warranty expired 1. 5 months ago, and Jeep is denying to fix it under warranty. This has been a recall for over 60,000 Jeep Cherokees, yet it has not been a recall for my vehicle. This clearly needs to be recalled for my specific vehicle, yet Jeep has failed to acknowledge this. The risks for the ptu failing are scary, including sudden loss of power and slipping out of park ,or drive, including while in motion.

Service 4wd light is on, diagnostic is reading code for transfer case.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "4wd unavailable" remained displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed that that the transfer case unit was faulty and needed to be replaced; however, parts were unavailable. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 25v011000 (power train). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, the message "4wd unavailable" remained displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the transfer case unit was faulty and needed to be replaced; however, there were no parts available for the repair. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 25v011000 (power train). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 70,000.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 7 mph in the driveway, the service 4wd warning light illuminated. The contact stated the failure was associated with NHTSA campaign number: 26v290000 (power train). The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the transfer unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 118,000.

No injury or incident yet. The ptu was diagnosed as failing at 46,500 miles on June 30, 2025. The vehicle is still being driven because the driver has no alternative, but no dealership has been able to confirm whether it is safe to operate in this condition. A failing ptu can result in sudden power loss, drivetrain lockup, or loss of park function—especially in awd vehicles. These symptoms match those described in NHTSA recall 25v011000 affecting Jeep Cherokees. The lack of clear safety guidance and the delay in repair have created a potentially hazardous situation. This should be investigated as part of the broader ptu defect pattern.

Replaced transmission at 20,000 miles. Now at 55,000 miles it is going again. Powertrain warranty expired by 6 months.

Hard shift 70-80 mph, lost drive power output. No response to gas pedal while engine remained on. I turned on hazards and moved to the emergency lane as the car was coasting to a stop. I caught a glimpse of 4wd or awd something and it disappeared before I could read it all. I was about to approach an off ramp from the highway emergency when at a slow speed perhaps 30 mph or so output returned and I was able to complete driving home. This is the first time it was more than just jerky clunky shifting. Vehicle has 69,858 miles.

I bought my vehicle in summer of 2020 brand new. It currently has 66k miles on it. A week ago the 4 wd service light came on. I took it in for diagnostic and it came back with code c14a7-97 pto motor operation. The motor is functioning obviously, but the trasfer case is not engaging. There is currently a recall on vehicles similar to 2020, on the same issue but none have been issued on mine yet. The ptu should be good for 100k miles but not even close to that & it’s a super pricey fix on a vehicle I still pay on monthly. Ptu input spline is the power transfer unit, so basically my 4 wheeled drive vehicle is not gonna function in 4 wheeled drive. I am hopeful as I saw similar complaints to mine here, that this is the next batch of recalls for Jeep, as I doubt I am alone.

Vehicle jerked and lost power to the gas pedal while accelerating. After about 20 seconds the gas pedal reingaged again. The vehicle coasted until that point. The service department of the dealership stated that they will not be able to diagnose the problem unless a code shows up that they can read, which none did. It appears that the issue is similar to the ptu issue of the 2017-2019 Jeep Cherokee. The vehicle was purchased in 2019 even though the model is 2020.