2016 Jeep Cherokee Exterior lighting Problems

I was driving mid day today and I noticed my display on the dash had gone dim as if the headlights had turned on and the dash lights dimmed expecting it to be dark inside. I then got a ding about the auto shutoff when stopped feature not working (this has been dinging for a few years and hasn’t worked since shortly after I got the vehicle in 2018, however it’s been working the last few weeks). I was pulling into a grocery store looking for a spot when all of a sudden the car died. I lost brakes and power steering but luckily was going slow. I turned off the key, put it in park, and it turned right back on. I pulled into a spot and then noticed the engine light on. I’ve read countless forums about this exact issue. Other owners have experienced this since their Jeep was brand new. I’ve had this for 5 years without issues until lately. Prior to the is event, my car was experiencing the same issue with the display dimming. A week prior to the stall today, I was driving around 70 mph when the dash dimmed and I think went completely dark for a bit. I got a ding about the auto shutoff and another stating that 4wd was not available. I tried to turn my headlights on and off but there was nothing. I didn’t have any blinkers either. I pulled over, turned it off and back on and all was fine the rest of the hour-long drive home. I am extremely concerned about it stalling, especially if I’m turning in front of traffic at an intersection. This is not uncommon and other owners are concerned for their safety as well.

NHTSA ID

11528591

Incident

Jun 23, 2023

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED WHILE DRIVING DURING NIGHT TIME, WHEN MAKING A LEFT OR RIGHT TURN, THE HEADLIGHTS INDEPENDENTLY TURNED OFF. THE CONTACT STATED NO WARNING LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LOCAL DEALER MALL OF GEORGIA CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP (4345 BUFORD DR, BUFORD, GA 30518, (770)945-0839) WHERE THE MECHANIC WAS UNABLE TO DUPLICATE THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED SHE CONTINUED TO EXPERIENCE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER HAD BEEN INFORMED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 30.

NHTSA ID

11394445

Incident

Mar 1, 2016

Mileage

30 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT NIGHT, THE HIGH BEAMS FAILED TO OPERATE AS INTENDED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE LIA CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM COLONIE AUTO REPAIR & SERVICE CENTER DEALER, LOCATED AT 2116 CENTRAL AVE, SCHENECTADY, NY 12304, WHERE IT WAS STATED THAT THE VEHICLE PERFORMED AS DESIGNED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 21,000. *DT*JB

NHTSA ID

11308990

Incident

Aug 27, 2019

Mileage

21,000 mi

THE SERVICE SHIFTER LIGHT KEEPS COMING ON AND ALL THE LIGHTS ON THE SHIFTER L LIGHTS UP RED. SOMETIME THE EMERGENCY BREAK SETS ITSELF WHEN THIS HAPPENS. I TOOK IT TO THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED IT AND THEY TELL ME THE SHIFTER BEZEL AND WIRING HARNESS FAULT REPAIR IS NEEDED WHICH IS ALMOST $300 AND NOT COVERED UNDER WARRANTY. MY CAR HAS LESS THAN 36,000 MILES AND HAS BEEN DOING THIS FOR SEVERAL MONTHS NOW; IT SEEMS TO BE GETTING WORSE. WHILE RESEARCHING I'VE NOTICED MANY JEEP OWNERS ARE HAVING TO SAME ISSUE AND THAT'S HOW I DISCOVERED TO WRITE UP THIS CLAIM. I FEEL IT COULD BE A SAFETY ISSUE IF IT HAPPENS WHILE DRIVING AND LOCKS UP. I HAVEN'T HAD IT REPAIRED BECAUSE I CAN'T AFFORD A RENTAL WHILE IT'S BEING REPAIR AT THIS TIME; I NEED TO MAKE ARRANGEMENTS TO BE DROPPED OFF BY FAMILY AND FRIENDS TO HAVE IT FIXED. IT HAS HAPPENED WHILE SITTING STATIONARY, IN MOTION ON CITY STREETS AND INTERSTATE ROADS AND WHEN FIRST GEARING AFTER STARTING AND REVERSE. (THIS HAS HAPPENED MULTIPLE TIMES SINCE I PURCHASED THE VEHICLE LAST YEAR IN MAY; IT'S JUST MORE FREQUENTLY NOW).

NHTSA ID

11241988

Incident

Jul 18, 2019

Mileage

35,000 mi

ON JULY 18, 2018 I WENT OUTSIDE TO GET AN ITEM OUT OF BACK OF MY VEHICLE WHICH WAS STATIONARY AND I COULDN'T GET LIFTGATE TO LIFT AND I NOTICED THERE WAS SMOKE IN MY CAR, I OPENED THE DRIVERS SIDE DOOR AND SMOKE BILLOWED OUT. AFTER A FEW MINUTES, I GOT IN THE VEHICLE AND MOVED IT BACK AWAY FROM MY HOUSE AND NOTICED I HAD NO A/C, RADIO OR ANYTHING WORKING ON DASHBOARD. I LOOKED IN BACK OF VEHICLE AND IT WAS BURNT IN THE BACK LEFT CORNER OF LIFT GATE. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY HAD IT TOWED TO MIKE SMITH AUTO GROUP IN BEAUMONT. THE SMELL IN THE VEHICLE WAS AWFUL, A COMBINATION OF BURNT RUBBER AND PLASTIC. THERE WAS A RECALL ON THIS VEHICLE FOR BACK LEFT LIFTGATE IN 2015 OF WHICH I TOOK IT IN AND SUPPOSEDLY IT WAS REPAIRED. I ALSO IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE DEALERSHIP OF WHICH THEY WERE NO HELP AT ALL AND VERY UNCONCERNED. I TALKED TO MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THEY SAID IF IT WAS DUE TO A RECALL I SHOULD CALL CHRYSLER CORPORATION OF WHICH I DID DAILY WITH NO RESULTS. THEY WOULD NOT LET ME TALK TO ANYONE, THEY FINALLY SENT AN INSPECTOR OF WHICH HE JUST LOOKED AT THE INSIDE OF CAR, DID NOT TAKE THE PANELS OFF OR ANYTHING AND SENT TO THE CORPORATION AND THEY SENT ME A LETTER STATING IT WAS NOT DUE TO RECALL. MY INSURANCE COMPANY SENT AN ENGINEER WHO TOOK THE PANEL OFF AND SEARCHED IT THOROUGHLY AND DETERMINED IT WAS DUE TO THE RECALL. I CANNOT GET ANY HELP ON THIS WHICH IS NOT MY FAULT. *BF *TR *TT*JB

NHTSA ID

11124233

Incident

Jul 18, 2018

Mileage

39,000 mi

DEFECTIVE HEADLAMPS CAUSING PREMATURE LOW BEAM BURN OUT. REPLACED THE LEFT HEADLAMP 3/8/2018 AND THE RIGHT 5/9/2018. THE LEFT LOW BEAM HEADLAMP HAS NURNED OUT AGAIN AFTER ONLY 5 MONTHS AND REQUIRES REPLACEMENT. THIS IS HIGHLY IRREGULAR.

NHTSA ID

11123948

Incident

Aug 30, 2018

ON 4 SEPARATE OCCASSIONS, WHILE IN MOTION, THE CAR COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN. ON EACH STALL, EVERYTHING SHUT OFF COMPLETELY INCLUDING ALL LIGHTS DASHBOARD ETC. WHEN I ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE CAR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ROAD (ONCE ON THE HIGHWAY) OBSTRUCTING TRAFFIC, THE CAR WOULD NOT RESTART. ONLY AFTER WAITING 3 -5 MINUTES DID THE CAR EVENTUALLY START. TWICE I WAS ALMOST REAR ENDED.

NHTSA ID

11111987

Incident

Jun 15, 2018

Mileage

52,000 mi

THE HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY DIM SINCE PURCHASE. HAVE CHANGED TO DIFFERENT BULBS WITHOUT ANY EFFECT. THE BULBS ON THIS VEHICLE ARE HALOGEN HEADLAMPS. THE FOG LIGHTS ARE ALWAYS BRIGHTER THAN THE REGULAR BULBS. DEALER UNABLE TO DO ANYTHING.

NHTSA ID

11099170

Incident

Jun 1, 2018

Mileage

15,000 mi

HEADLIGHTS ARE INADEQUATE, VERY BAD LIGHTING FOR NIGHT DRIVING, NOT INCIDENTS BUT RELUCTANT TO DRIVE AT NIGHT

NHTSA ID

11072273

Incident

Oct 25, 2017

THE HEADLIGHTS ARE TO DIM TO DRIVE THE VEHICLE AT NIGHT. I HAVE READ SEVERAL POST OF TTHE SAME ISSUE WITH THIS VEHICLE. DIM HEADLIGHTS NOT ABLE TO SEE ON COMING LANES.

NHTSA ID

11056288

Incident

Jul 1, 2017

THE HEADLIGHTS ARE EXTREMELY IN ADEQUATE FOR NIGHT DRIVING. TURNING CORNERS ARE BLIND SPOTS AND CONCERN WITH HITTING SOMETHING UNSEEN. GIVES THE IMPRESSION OF OVER DRIVING YOR LIGHTS GIVING CONCERN WITH NOT BEING ABLE TO STOP IN TIME IF SOMETHING SHUD APPEAR IN HEADLIGHTS. SEEMS TO BE A "LINE" OF ILLUMINATION THAT DOES NOT ILLUMINATE ABOVE. THIS IS ALL THE TIME

NHTSA ID

11020471

Incident

Aug 7, 2017

Mileage

5,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE LOW BEAM AND HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO ILLUMINATE PROPERLY WITH LOW VISIBILITY. THE DEALER WAS CONTACTED (PERCY'S AUTO SALES INC, 40 HOULTON RD, PRESQUE ISLE, ME 04769, (207) 764-4493), BUT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

11012494

Incident

Jul 10, 2017

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING AT VARIOUS TIMES, THE PROJECTION HEADLIGHTS FAILED TO PROJECT FAR ENOUGH TO SEE AHEAD WITHOUT WARNING. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, BUT THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE A REMEDY FOR THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THERE WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFAULT IN THE DESIGN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 1,000.

NHTSA ID

10928571

Incident

Sep 17, 2016

Mileage

1,000 mi

THE FIRST TIME I DROVE MY 2016 JEEP CHEROKEE AT NIGHT I COULD NOT SEE AS WELL AS WITH MY OTHER CARS ,I THOUGHT SOMETHING WAS WRONG WIYH MY HEADLIGHTS SO I STARTED LOOKING ON LINE AND FOUND LOTS OF OTHER PEOPLE WITH THE SAME PROBLEM.I TALKED TO THE SERVICE DEPT.AND THEY TOLD ME THERE ISNT ANY RECALLS ON THIS PROBLEM.I THINK JEEP SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS BEFORE SOMTHING SERIOUS HAPPENS.

NHTSA ID

10919969

Incident

Jun 14, 2016

Mileage

500 mi

THE HEADLIGHTS ON THIS CAR ARE EXTREMELY DIM AND MAKE DRIVING AT NIGHT, IN THE RAIN OR SNOW VERY HAZARDOUS. I TOOK THE CAR TO MY DEALERSHIP AND THEY AGREE THEY ARE DIM BUT SAID THAT THEY ARE IN WORKING ORDER. THEY GET THIS COMPLAINT FREQUENTLY. SO NO FIX OR UPGRADE AVAILABLE. NO MY EYES ARE NOT THE PROBLEM. CHRYSLER MADE STANDARD VERY BRIGHT LIGHTS ON ALL OF THE 2017 MODELS. NOT A COINCIDENCE. THIS IS A DANGEROUS SITUATION. I DRIVE ON DARK BACK ROADS IN THE HILLS FREQUENTLY. IT ISN'T JUST A NUISANCE BUT A TRULY DANGEROUS SITUATION. CHRYSLER NEEDS TO ADDRESS THIS IMMEDIATELY.

NHTSA ID

10916193

Incident

Sep 15, 2016

Mileage

45 mi

THE DEALER SOLD THE JEEP PATRIOT 2016 WITH THE BRAKE LIGHT ABOVE THE REAR HATCH NOT WORKING. THE LATER INSPECTION CONDUCTED FOR WHAT WAS THOUGHT TO BE A BAD LIGHT BULB, TURNED INTO A DISCOVERY THAT THE BRAKE FIXTURE WIRING HAD BEEN CUT WITH A RECOMMENDATION TO CHANGE THE HARNESS ($600).

NHTSA ID

10905821

Incident

Sep 2, 2016

VEHICLE HAS A FRONT WOBBLE OR SHIMMY WHEN ACCELERATING FROM STOP. ON LOOSE OR SLICK PAVEMENT WOBBLE REPLICATES WHEEL SLIP AND HAS CAUSED ME TO OVER CORRECT MY STEERING AND ACCELERATION ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS. VEHICLE STEERING WHEEL IS WRAPPED IN LEATHER. THE LEATHER IS LOOSE NEAR CENTER SPOKES OF STEERING WHEEL. FINGERS HAVE SNAGGED ON THE LOOSE LEATHER ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS CAUSING A DANGEROUS CONTROL ISSUE. VEHICLE DELIVERED WITH NON FUNCTIONING BLIND SPOT MONITOR MIRROR ON PASSENGER SIDE AND NORMAL MIRROR ON DRIVER SIDE. ASSUMING THE PASSENGER SIDE WAS EQUIPPED WITH BLIND SPOT ASSISTANCE I WAS NEARLY IN AN INTERSTATE COLLISION DURING THE NIGHT DRIVE HOME IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING DELIVERY.

NHTSA ID

10895586

Incident

Aug 4, 2016

Mileage

30 mi

DROVE MY NEW JEEP FOR THE FIRST TIME AT NIGHT IN THE COUNTRY. THE HEADLIGHTS ARE DANGEROUSLY INADEQUATE. THE SHOULDER IS NOT PROPERLY ILLUMINATED, CREATING A HAZARD WHEN OBJECTS ARE ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, AS WELL AS WHEN MAKING A TURN ONTO UNLIGHTED INTERSECTION. WHEN GOING DOWN A SLIGHT GRADE, THE LIGHTS DO NOT GIVE ENOUGH DISTANCE TO REACT IN AN EMERGENCY. DEALER HAS CHECKED ALIGNMENT OF LIGHTS AND DETERMINED THEY ARE TO FACTORY SPECS. HAVE A CASE NUMBERS STARTED WITH CHRYSLER CUSTOMER SUPPORT, BUT GETTING VERY SLOW RESPONSE. PICTURES OF MY NISSAN FRONTIER WITH OEM LIGHTS AFTER 72K MILES VS JEEP WITH 500 MILES.

NHTSA ID

10891569

Incident

Jul 25, 2016

LIGHT-EMMITING-DIODE LAMP WHICH INDICATES WHEN THE PARKING-BREAK IS ENGAGED IS NOT VISIBLE IN DAYLIGHT [I.E. PEAK BRIGHT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA SUNSHINE]. AND, THE LED COLOR IS NON-OPTIMAL FOR HUMAN OBSERVATION. THE LED WHICH IS ILLUMINATED WHEN THE PARKING-BREAK IS SET IS NOT VISIBLE IN DAY LIGHT. PLEASE CONSIDER FIXING OR REPAIRING THIS PROBLEM ASAP. I ROUTINELY NEED TO COVER THE AREA WITH MY HAND AND SQUINT IN ORDER TO SEE IF THE LED IS LIGHTED. THIS IS A SERIOUS PROBLEM THAT COULD EASILY BE FIXED. PERHAPS SOMEONE DURING ASSEMBLY USED THE WRONG RESISTOR??? I HOPE THAT CHRYSLER JEEP USED PWM TO CONTROL THE LED BRIGHTNESS, SO THAT THIS ISSUE CAN BE FIXED WITH A SOFTWARE UPDATE.

NHTSA ID

10888976

Incident

Jul 20, 2016

Mileage

140 mi

WHEN DRIVING AT NIGHT WITH HALOGEN HEADLIGHTS ON LOW BEAM, THE HEADLIGHTS ARE DIM WITH INSUFFICIENT FORWARD RANGE/ILLUMINATION AND YELOW-ISH COLOR SPECTRUM. SOMETIMES IT IS DIFFICULT TO DETERMINE IF THE HEADLIGHTS ARE FUNCTIONING BECAUSE THEY ARE SO DIM. THIS SITUATION IS A SAFETY RISK FOR THE DRIVER AND OTHERS.

NHTSA ID

10816211

Incident

Nov 15, 2015

Mileage

200 mi