2020 Jeep Cherokee Engine Problems

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.

NHTSA ID

11754914

Incident

Jul 27, 2026

Mileage

115,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11753090

Incident

Jun 27, 2026

Mileage

330,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11745998

Incident

Jun 19, 2026

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)

NHTSA ID

11737799

Incident

May 8, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11735805

Incident

May 2, 2026

Oil filter housing 3.2 motor. Plastic housing leaking with oil smell while driving. Could cause fire in engine bay.

NHTSA ID

11719637

Incident

Feb 21, 2026

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.

NHTSA ID

11716808

Incident

Dec 1, 2025

Mileage

50,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11704631

Incident

Dec 1, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID

11699847

Incident

Nov 11, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID

11696683

Incident

Oct 15, 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the parking brake engaged independently while idling at a stoplight. The contact activated the hazard lights, shifted to park, turned off and restarted the vehicle, then reversed to unlock the parking brake to shift to drive to continue driving. The message "Parking Brake Engaged" was displayed with an audible chime, and the light indicating that the parking brake was activated was illuminated. The failure occurred intermittently. The vehicle was diagnosed by a certified mechanic, and determined that the Engine Control Module (ECM) needed to be replaced. The ECM was replaced; however, the ECM could not be aligned with the vehicle and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, and another ECM was ordered; however, the ECM could not be aligned or programmed. The dealer diagnosed that the shifting console needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Approximately one month after having the vehicle repaired, the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was returned to the dealer; however, the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 87,000. The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ID

11696372

Incident

Sep 29, 2025

Mileage

87,000 mi

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

NHTSA ID

11695092

Incident

Oct 18, 2025

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

NHTSA ID

11687262

Incident

Sep 15, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID

11680850

Incident

Aug 6, 2025

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

NHTSA ID

11673210

Incident

Oct 24, 2024

The message/warning light keeps coming on: 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!

NHTSA ID

11657427

Incident

Mar 1, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID

11654771

Incident

Feb 10, 2025

Mileage

50,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11645707

Incident

Feb 28, 2025

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.

NHTSA ID

11639272

Incident

Nov 20, 2024

Mileage

84,000 mi

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.

NHTSA ID

11638111

Incident

Apr 24, 2024

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.

NHTSA ID

11636629

Incident

Aug 21, 2024

INITIAL CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE CASE #[XXX] NEW (ESCALATED TO SUPERVIOR) CHRYSLER CUSTOMER CARE #new case #[XXX] 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. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11627792

Incident

Jul 24, 2024

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

NHTSA ID

11620794

Incident

Oct 3, 2024

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.

NHTSA ID

11611494

Incident

Aug 28, 2024

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 to 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.

NHTSA ID

11595553

Incident

Jun 14, 2024

Mileage

26,900 mi