Power Train Problems of Jeep Cherokee - part 2

My 2022 Jeep Cherokee lux is currently at the dealership after they diagnosed a failed ptu. This came to my attention due to the messages the vehicle gave me, warning if loss of 4wd capability and a serv 4 wd light. Jeep has recalled over 61000 other Cherokees for the exact same problem. We are currently waiting for approval to repair from an extended warranty company (portfolio) which is delaying things, plus the dealership has already said part if backordered, they say approximately 15 days, though no guarantee, and I have heard wait has been much longer in many cases.

See all problems of the 2022 Jeep Cherokee 🔎.

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal became inoperable while depressed. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was shifted into park, however, the vehicle failed to turn off. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The ignition coil was disconnected, the gearbox removed, and then shifted to neutral(n) to tow the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000.

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The power transfer unit (transfer case) went out as I was driving. I wasn't able to drive it and had to towed it to a mechanic. We found that later, the transfer case actuator and seals also needed replaced. Because this went out on a whim while I was driving, I had to continue through stop lights and traffic through downtown without a way to fully stop, control my speed, and was starting and restarting my car to get to where I needed to be. From what I've found, there are recalls on these parts, however not on my specific vehicle as of now. There weren't any other symptoms or warning signs before these went out. The parts have been inspected by a mechanic and are currently being replaced. Even without a recall, if I'm able to be reimbursed for any of this, it would be appreciated.

See all problems of the 2015 Jeep Cherokee 🔎.

The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was an abnormally loud roaring sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed with power transfer unit failure. The contact was informed that the power transfer unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the parts were on back order. The contact was informed that the failure was a known failure with similar vehicles. The contact referenced an unknown recall; however, the VIN was not associated with a recall related to the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.

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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.

See all problems of the 2020 Jeep Cherokee 🔎.

My 2019 Jeep Cherokee limited suffered a complete loss of power while driving down the highway and now has a service 4wd light on as well.

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 30 mph and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle failed to respond as needed, and the vehicle shut off unexpectedly. The contact pulled over to the right side of the road, turned off, restarted the vehicle, and the vehicle operated as intended. No warning light was illuminated. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where it was diagnosed, and determined that the power transfer unit needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact associated the failure with NHTSA campaign number: 25v011000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 144,131.

See all problems of the 2017 Jeep Cherokee 🔎.

4wd service light turning on and off intermittently, one incident where a grinding noise was noted, car was parked and when looked into further the noise was gone. Contined driving, but 4wd service light stayed on. Took to dealer and they informed me the ptu requires replacement due to failure, diagnostic code shared was c14a797. After further research I discovered safety recall 40d / 26v290000 for 2019 - 2023 Jeep Cherokee vehicles, both dealer and stellantis/Jeep customer service have stated the vehicle is not included in the recall.

1. First ptu recall repair (February 27 – March 3, 2026) Jeep to dealership for recall 01c ptu replacement. I reported no drivability concerns, brake noises, vibrations, or drivetrain issues. The repair order contains no documentation of any problems with the driveshaft, cv axle, brakes, or related drivetrain components. 2. Ptu failure and second ptu replacement (may 1 – may 25, 2026) after recall repair, ptu failed, multiple warning lights appeared. Returned vehicle to dealership. I again did not report any squeaking brakes, vibrations, clunking noises, or drivetrain symptoms. Second ptu replacement done. The technician documented on the repair order: “vehicle is now working as design. ” 3. New symptoms immediately following second ptu replacement (June 4 – June 13, 2026). Immediately after picking up the vehicle on may 25, 2026, I noticed several new symptoms that had not existed before the ptu replacement: • clicking noises • clunking noises when applying the brakes • vibrations throughout the vehicle while in reverse with the brake pedal applied • abnormal driveline behavior. Returned vehicle to the dealership on June 4, 2026 for evaluation. I was informed that the vehicle required: • front brake replacement • rear driveshaft replacement. Repair order : “upon inspection, the technician found excessive play in the drive shaft. Also noticed front brakes squeaking. ” no explanation was provided as to how these conditions developed immediately after the ptu replacement or why no such conditions had been documented during either prior repair. 4. Immediately took car to independent mechanic for evaluation. Report: "right front axle inner joint not completely installed into the transmission/ptu assembly • hanger cut and missing • rear driveshaft not fully seated, with splines visibly exposed • ptu replacement unit marked “lkg” • all brake components inspected and found to be operating normally". 5. The vehicle is now mechanically compromised and unsafe to drive.

Ptu going out. Service 4 wheel drive light on. Car wasn’t in an accident. Four-wheel-drive will not activate any longer. Very costly repair for a part that just went out with not even being used.

Hi, I own a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. Requesting that my vehicle VIN number be included in the active recalls associated with the 2019 Jeep Cherokee, specifically related to the power transfer unit failure. The two active recalls that apply to my vehicle are: 40d and 01c. Recently, my vehicle displayed a "svc 4wd" warning message. I took the vehicle to an authorized Jeep dealership for diagnosis and paid a diagnostic fee of approximately $200. The dealership determined that the power transfer unit (ptu) needs to be replaced and provided a repair estimate of approximately $3,200. After receiving the vehicle diagnosis from the dealership and reading the possible life-threatening ramifications listed in the active recalls, which are very similar, if not the same as what the dealer diagnosed in my vehicle, I decided not to drive it. That has been very distressing for me because I don't have another vehicle, I don't have the money to repair the vehicle, and the dealer refused to repair it under the recall because my VIN is not listed on the ordered recall. My understanding is that your office has the authority to issue recalls for vehicle with defects that threaten public safety, and my situation described above is certainly dangerous to myself and others. At the time the warning message was displayed on the dashboard, (early June), my vehicle odometer displayed 71,876 miles. Based on publicly available information, ptu-related failures and others have been identified in Jeep Cherokee vehicles, and the symptoms affecting my vehicle are similar to those associated with known ptu issues. The vehicle has been consistently maintained through the Jeep dealership service department at 120 w mckinley Ave, mishawaka, indiana, 46545, united states. Please add my VIN number to the Jeep Cherokee ptu-related active recall so that the dealer can repair my vehicle under the recall and I can drive my car again. Sincerely, a very concerned and affected Jeep Cherokee driver.

While coasting/foot off gas transmission will suddenly shift out of gear and a "shift to park" message will appear on dash. I must stop and shift to park then back into gear to re-engage the transmission. Driving will proceed normally at that point. This has occured unexpectedly and sporadically over the last year-3+ times. No error code is noted by the Jeep technician. Tech installed new shifter and bezel-seemed to work but then happened again. This is extremely hazardous while in traffic and on freeway (occurred once when coasting when on freeway off-ramp). When looking on-line it appears that there are many incidents of this same or similar issue happening with the 2022 Jeep Cherokee limited. It is very concerning to note that this is allowed to continue with no issued recall for what appears to be a known safety problem-.

There has been multiple issues with the ptus on these Jeeps. Mine does not fall under the recall if there was one. I’m battling with the place I bought the Jeep from for warranty and they are not covering it. I’ve talked to hundreds of people about it and they said this Jeep should have been recalled for this ptu issue but it’s not. Not sure what to do or where to go from here.

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle jerked abnormally with the message "service 4wd" displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the ptu had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the VIN was not included in NHTSA campaign number: 23v302000 (power train). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The contact was informed that the parts to repair the vehicle were currently on backorder. The failure mileage was 86,000.

See all problems of the 2016 Jeep Cherokee 🔎.

My vehicle has 81000 miles and the ptu/transmission went out. After doing some research about this issue I discovered that it is a very common problem with Jeeps from 2014 to 2024. To get it repaired is $3,000. Seems like Jeep was installing bad transmissions. They should recall these and cover the coast for repair.

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.

My rear differential, transfer case, and ptu all went out. There were no warning signals. This is after I had the rear differential serviced in 2024. My particular VIN does not qualify for a recall, but other similar makes and model of cars have qualified for a recall. I feel like this is unfair and unsafe.

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "service 4wd" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and the failure was associated with NHTSA campaign: 25v011000 (power train). The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was taken to another local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the ptu needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

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.

Delayed response to gas pedal, stalling, delayed shifting. Stalling when suppose to accelerate. No response from transmission for a few seconds when accelerating.

The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "service 4wd" displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the power take-off unit experienced internal damage and the ptu needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 26v290000 (power train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the NHTSA hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.

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.

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.

I took my vehicle to a Jeep dealership and they inspected my car. They said the ptu is failing and had to get a new part. They said my car was unsafe to drive due to causing further issues with the transmission. There is a recall for this in other years of the Jeep Cherokee but not for mine. This has cost me $2,500. I first noticed the issue when my 4 wheel drive light came on. Then it was making a grinding noise.

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.

The car will randomly display that the start/stop function is disabled. It will also just randomly stall out for no reason. Sometimes multiple times in a row. Restarting the car may cause it to stop. Have had it looked at many time and because the start/stop error may not be happening at the time or the engine will not stall all of the shops have stated there is nothing wrong with the car. It seems to do it more when the temperature outside is above 80 degrees. This happened for many months. It will typically stall out while at stop lights, to date it has not stopped while actively moving.

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.

Power tranfer unit failed and needs to be replaced. Dealer confirmed. Service 4wd light came on prior to taking it in for service. Ptu failures can cause sudden loss of propulsion, drivetrain binding, hesitation, or rollaway while parked, all of which can lead to accidents and damage. This is a known and common occurrence in 2017-2023 Jeep vehicles and somehow it still takes forever for them to get replacement parts. I have not had access to my vehicle for 2 months, causing emotional and financial strain.

I had pulled the vehicle into my garage. When I tried to shut the car off the car it would not shut off. In fact many components of the car seem to be completely out of sync. The car would not go into any gear. I could not shut the car off. No matter what I did the car just kept running. I finally more or less gave up and just let it keep running for a couple of hours. When I went back into the garage to check what was happening the car had finally stopped running. At that point I had call a towing service and arranged to have the vehicle taken to autonation Jeep Chrysler the next morning where I had purchased the vehicle. This was a newly purchased vehicle and only had a total of 78 miles on it. Surprisingly the next morning I went into the garage to check on what was happening with the vehicle and to my surprise the vehicle had stopped running. I then disconnected the 12 volt battery and left it disconnected for an hour or two. After this time I reconnected the battery. I again attempted to start the vehicle and surprisingly the vehicle started up and all functions in the car seem to be performing normally. At this point I drove the car about a mile to the autonation Jeep Chrysler dealership and had conversation with service technician. Surprisingly he told me that Jeep has had this problem with other vehicles and the solution is to disconnect the 12 volt battery for 20 or 30 minutes and then reconnect the battery. At that point the car seems to reset itself and it will run normally. End this car of mine only had 78 miles on it this is totally unacceptable. Furthermore this seems to be a problem with other Jeep vehicles. It is my opinion that Jeep needs to correct this problem so I will not be stuck with a car that's running in my garage and I can't shut it off. All in all it seems to me this is a software problem that needs to be reworked and corrected.

My 2019 Jeep Cherokee limited has a diagnosed failure of the two speed power transfer unit (ptu), which is the exact subject of active NHTSA campaign 26v290000/Jeep recall 40d. Ed martin Jeep in anderson, indiana provided me with written diagnostics confirming the failure. However, they stated “the part is on back order for 4-6 months” and even explicitly told me “the Jeep is fine to drive, nothing should happen to it”. The official NHTSA safety reports warns this failure causes an unrecoverable loss of motive power at any speed and severe park rollaway risks. Driving this vehicle for half a year presents an extreme, life threatening safety hazard, and the manufacturer/dealer is failing to provide me with alternate safe transportation while the part is on backorder.

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.

A few weeks ago, on several separate occasions while I was driving, the engine suddenly lost power; power was restored only after I restarted the engine. Subsequently, the yellow ptu warning light illuminated—a situation that is extremely dangerous. I contacted Jeep’s manufacturer for assistance, but they merely deflected the issue, directing me to visit an authorized dealership. When I went to the dealership, however, they in turn referred me back to the manufacturer. They are simply passing the buck between one another. The sudden loss of power in a Jeep while in motion constitutes an extreme safety hazard, yet the manufacturer is shirking its responsibility.

Manufacturer evading safety recall 40d (NHTSA 26v290) despite official dealer confirmation of identical ptu failure. What happened: I am filing a formal non-compliance complaint against stellantis/fca us llc regarding my 2019 Jeep Cherokee (VIN: [xxx]). On xxxx, my vehicle exhibited severe mechanical grinding/clicking noises from the chassis during acceleration and turning, with a permanent "service 4wd" lamp. On June 8, 2026, an authorized dealership, burlington cdjr (ro [xxx]), officially diagnosed the vehicle with fault code 14a7-97 and explicitly documented: "stuck shifter forks. Needs transfer case/ptu" on the invoice. Safety risk: the official diagnosis—stuck shifter forks requiring full ptu replacement—is the exact catastrophic mechanical failure addressed in Jeep's safety recall 40d (NHTSA 26v290) issued in may 2026. This defect causes an unexpected loss of motive power while driving and disables the 'park' lock, creating an imminent risk of high-speed highway crashes and vehicle rollaway. Manufacturer evaded duty: the dealer submitted this diagnostic report to Jeep corporate under my ref#xxx (case #xxx). However, Jeep corporate flatly denied recall coverage, claiming my specific VIN is "not showing an open recall. " my vehicle carries the identical component failure, identical trouble code, and identical safety risk as recalled units. Jeep is narrowing the VIN scope by arbitrary production dates to evade financial liability for early 2019 models, knowingly forcing a dangerous vehicle back onto public roads. I urgently request NHTSA to investigate stellantis/fca and legally compel them to expand recall 40d to include my VIN. Information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act (foia), 5 u. S. C. 552(b)(6).

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.

The contact stated that while driving, the vehicle experienced a loss of power. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where diagnostic code read c14a7-97. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 154,000.