2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Problems
Owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA, grouped by component
Data refreshed
What this page shows
Everything below is an owner-reported complaint submitted to NHTSA about the 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee, grouped by the component NHTSA recorded on the report. These are not confirmed defects, and they are not recalls. NHTSA does not verify most reports before publishing them, and a category with more reports in it is not evidence that a part is defective.
Complaints are reports submitted by owners and drivers to NHTSA. They are not verified and do not establish that a defect exists.
Reports by component
Ranked by how many owner reports name each component category
- Electrical48215.6%
- Powertrain (other)46815.1%
- Engine44614.4%
- Interior & seats32410.5%
- Brakes2588.3%
- Airbags2096.8%
- Seat belts2096.8%
- Fuel system1795.8%
- Driver assistance1625.2%
- Steering812.6%
- Body & structure632.0%
- Exterior lighting541.7%
- Suspension511.6%
- Visibility491.6%
- Other / unspecified471.5%
- Tires & wheels40.1%
- Transmission40.1%
- Heating & air conditioning10.0%
Percentages are of component mentions. A single complaint can name more than one component, so these do not sum to the total complaint count.
Each component in detail
What the reports in each category say, in the owners' own words
Electrical
Reports naming the electrical system — wiring, battery, charging, control modules, infotainment and electrical accessories.
From owner reports, verbatim
The vehicle has a severe, life-threatening safety defect where it randomly drops into neutral while driving at speed, physically locks the shifter, and actively engages the electronic braking system on its own, stranding me in active traffic. I brought the vehicle to a certified Jeep dealership to resolve this exact symptom. They misdiagnosed the vehicle and charged me nearly $3,000 to replace the valve body and connectors. The dangerous symptom remains completely unchanged, meaning the vehicle is unsafe to operate and the manufacturer-certified repair facility has failed to remedy a critical safety defect. The issue hasn’t been fixed and it has been 5-6 months.
My 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee suddenly developed a no-start condition after previously operating normally. The vehicle would crank but would not start. The battery and fuel injectors were checked and replaced as needed, but the problem persisted. Based on the symptoms and known issues affecting 2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokees, the internal fuel pump relay/TIPM is suspected. This defect has been the subject of previous safety recalls because it can cause engine stalling or a no-start condition. Although my vehicle is not currently included in an open recall, it is experiencing the same type of failure. A failure of the fuel pump relay can leave a vehicle stranded or cause the engine to stall unexpectedly, creating a serious safety hazard if it occurs while driving. I believe this issue should be investigated to determine whether additional vehicles should be covered by the recall.
Powertrain (other)
Powertrain reports that are not specifically the engine or transmission — driveshafts, axles, transfer cases and differentials.
From owner reports, verbatim
The vehicle has a severe, life-threatening safety defect where it randomly drops into neutral while driving at speed, physically locks the shifter, and actively engages the electronic braking system on its own, stranding me in active traffic. I brought the vehicle to a certified Jeep dealership to resolve this exact symptom. They misdiagnosed the vehicle and charged me nearly $3,000 to replace the valve body and connectors. The dangerous symptom remains completely unchanged, meaning the vehicle is unsafe to operate and the manufacturer-certified repair facility has failed to remedy a critical safety defect. The issue hasn’t been fixed and it has been 5-6 months.
See attached document for complaint.
Engine
Reports naming the engine itself — including stalling, misfires, oil consumption, cooling and internal engine components.
From owner reports, verbatim
engine transmission motor mount backup camera fuel pump headlights dash cluster radio mirrors inside mirrors tailgate latch seat belt climate control engine light transmission shifter
My 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee suffered a total intake manifold failure directly resulting from a secondary breakdown of Safety Recall W79 (NHTSA Campaign 20V-699). Physical teardown at an independent facility exposed a 70% engine runner restriction and seized glow plugs due to volatile exhaust sulfur, creating an active fire risk. On July 9, 2026, LaFontaine Fenton was presented with clear mechanical photos and a continuous 2023 dealer repair loop under Customer ID [XXX], but formally refused to open a corporate STAR Case or dispatch flatbed transport to remedy this active safety defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Interior & seats
Reports naming seats, latches, locks, linkages and interior fittings.
From owner reports, verbatim
engine transmission motor mount backup camera fuel pump headlights dash cluster radio mirrors inside mirrors tailgate latch seat belt climate control engine light transmission shifter
My passenger seat headrest popped open without any incident or warning and the clip is broken. Air bag deployed from head rest. There was a warranty in place that expired in 2024 but mine just happened while I was driving. It scared me and caused me to swerve. It’s a known issue. Why no recall for safety? Dealership wants to charge 1100 to fix a defect.
Brakes
Reports naming service brakes, the antilock braking system, brake hoses, master cylinders or the parking brake.
From owner reports, verbatim
The vehicle has a severe, life-threatening safety defect where it randomly drops into neutral while driving at speed, physically locks the shifter, and actively engages the electronic braking system on its own, stranding me in active traffic. I brought the vehicle to a certified Jeep dealership to resolve this exact symptom. They misdiagnosed the vehicle and charged me nearly $3,000 to replace the valve body and connectors. The dangerous symptom remains completely unchanged, meaning the vehicle is unsafe to operate and the manufacturer-certified repair facility has failed to remedy a critical safety defect. The issue hasn’t been fixed and it has been 5-6 months.
I am reporting a safety-related issue involving a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 5.7 HEMI. Within days of purchase, the vehicle experienced transmission slipping and delayed shifting, as well as braking issues. These conditions affected drivability and raised safety concerns during normal operation. An independent mechanic found burnt transmission fluid, indicating that the transmission condition likely existed prior to purchase. Although a fluid change provided limited, temporary improvement, delayed shifting continues to occur. Because the transmission behavior and braking issues can affect the safe operation of the vehicle, I am submitting this report so the issue can be documented and evaluated for potential safety trends. This report is being submitted for safety tracking purposes.
Airbags
Reports naming the air-bag system — deployment behaviour, inflators, sensors and warning lights.
From owner reports, verbatim
Active head restraint on driver seat deployed today for no reason. No collision, just deployed on its own.
Airbags failed to deploy in head-on collision at between 40-50 mph.
Seat belts
Reports naming seat belts, buckles, retractors and pretensioners.
From owner reports, verbatim
Active head restraint on driver seat deployed today for no reason. No collision, just deployed on its own.
My passenger seat headrest popped open without any incident or warning and the clip is broken. Air bag deployed from head rest. There was a warranty in place that expired in 2024 but mine just happened while I was driving. It scared me and caused me to swerve. It’s a known issue. Why no recall for safety? Dealership wants to charge 1100 to fix a defect.
Fuel system
Reports naming fuel storage or delivery — tanks, pumps, lines, injectors and fuel leaks.
From owner reports, verbatim
My 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee suffered a total intake manifold failure directly resulting from a secondary breakdown of Safety Recall W79 (NHTSA Campaign 20V-699). Physical teardown at an independent facility exposed a 70% engine runner restriction and seized glow plugs due to volatile exhaust sulfur, creating an active fire risk. On July 9, 2026, LaFontaine Fenton was presented with clear mechanical photos and a continuous 2023 dealer repair loop under Customer ID [XXX], but formally refused to open a corporate STAR Case or dispatch flatbed transport to remedy this active safety defect. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
My 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee suddenly developed a no-start condition after previously operating normally. The vehicle would crank but would not start. The battery and fuel injectors were checked and replaced as needed, but the problem persisted. Based on the symptoms and known issues affecting 2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokees, the internal fuel pump relay/TIPM is suspected. This defect has been the subject of previous safety recalls because it can cause engine stalling or a no-start condition. Although my vehicle is not currently included in an open recall, it is experiencing the same type of failure. A failure of the fuel pump relay can leave a vehicle stranded or cause the engine to stall unexpectedly, creating a serious safety hazard if it occurs while driving. I believe this issue should be investigated to determine whether additional vehicles should be covered by the recall.
Driver assistance
Reports naming forward-collision avoidance, lane keeping, back-over prevention, cruise control and related electronic driver-assistance systems.
From owner reports, verbatim
My Son just bought the car from a private party. On our way home the engine light and a lightning bolt icon illuminated on the dash, followed by the vehicle going into limp mode. We had the vehicle scanned for codes and it came back with P0336 (crankshaft position sensor performance). After much investigation online, we found out that this is a known issue with the crankshaft position sensor and, most importantly, the tone wheel on the back of the engine. We looked up recalls on the vehicle and found a safety recall had been issued. While some vehicles affected received replacement of the tone wheel and sensor, others just received a software update. This particular vehicle received the software update. The issue is that the magnetic material on the tone wheel delaminates from the tone wheel. This is a costly repair that should have been fixed correctly from the beginning, not just a software patch. It is a safety concern because it is dangerous when you are traveling at highway speeds and it goes into limp mode.
6 months ago, I was driving on the interstate and the ESC system light came on, the vehicle lost power/ability to accelerate, and would only allow acceleration after pulling over and restarting the car. This happened several more times on the interstate, and when the ESC system kicked in it would suddenly lurch the car down about 15 mph and leave no ability to accelerate, causing near collisions at high rates of speed. After eventually taking it to the dealership, it turned out to be failed lifters on the driver's side cam shaft, a known design issue that has apparently plagued the Pentastar engines. This all happened in spite of meticulous maintenance and no warning signs from the engine whatsoever. How is such a significant, known design defect that causes such dangerous driving conditions never been flagged for a recall?
Steering
Reports naming the steering system — racks, columns, power-steering assist and steering linkage.
From owner reports, verbatim
As I was on my home on 2/20/26, I encountered some issues. I made a right turn onto the highway and my vehicle did a little drift but made this weird sound and the front end shook. There were no warning lights or dings that came across the dash. I pulled over into the closest parking lot to see if I could notice anything. I couldn't because I only had the light from a parking lot lamp. So decided to try and make it home which was another 15 minutes away. As I got back on the road and pressed the accelerator, I could here ticking sounds coming from the rear of the vehicle. When I approached the next traffic light and pressed the brakes, the front end shook, making the steering wheel shake, and the rear end drifted left. I made another left and pressed the accelerator. I got up to around 40 phone. The vehicle started pulling to the left and then stabilizing. I turned to my suspension articulation screen. As I was driving and the vehicle still scaring me to the point of a heart-a-stroke, I could see the axles trying to maintain contact with the road. At the same time giving me the feel of a loose steering wheel and a bad suspension. The vehicle continued to shift and shake and feel loose. When you turn into my neighborhood and before my house, there are two deep curves and a lake. I went into the first curve fine until the end of it. (At this time the lake is on my passenger side). As I was coming out of it, the steering wheel feels like its hard to turn or locked. I have to turn left into the second curve. The vehicle would not turn and the rear end felt like it was drifting right. At the edge of the road there is a slight downhill and the lake about 50 ft or so. Luckily, I was able to make the turn before going of the side of the road. Once I made it through the curve, the vehicle did do some shaking, loose steering, shaking, and back end motion until I parked in the yard. Its been parked since then. Thank you for your patience and attention to this matter.
I was rolling up to a red light. The jeep shut down on a main road. The battery light, ABS, and power saver mode went on. The power steering shut off and then the car shut off. I was unable to move the vehicle. I wait 5 minutes then started the car again and got it rolled into the nearest parking lot
Body & structure
Reports naming the vehicle structure, frame, body panels, doors, hood and trim.
From owner reports, verbatim
RE: The Power Liftgate Module Malfunction Approximately 45 days ago I began to see water build up inside the well where the liftgate locks. After seeing this twice - after it rained - I was at the dealership for an oil change and asked them to take a look. After review they suspected water intrusion, as there was a recall but not specifically on my VIN. Dealership indicated water tests were needed and I needed to drop my car off for the day or 2. They also indicated to seek your help because of the recall. I couldn't leave my car there that day. On 3/28/26 I did several water tests on the hatchback, using a hose and controlled the flow over the different sections of the hatchback in grid fashion of 6 sections. Each section I sprinkled water like a light rain and then waited 60 mins to see if the water would make it into the lock well. After checking I dried the lock well and then waited another hour to be sure no additional water came into the lock well, before continuing the process over the course of that day and the next. Each time water intruded, entered the inside of the vehicle into the lock well. After conducting research on this issue, the recall stated that this could cause a fire, and not to park the car inside of the garage or near other vehicles. As a result, the hatchback is malfunctioning, it opens and then automatically reverses, and it closes. It will not stay open and is not usable. I'd like to bring it back to the dealership for further testing however, I'd also like to get this resolved in the same visit as I'm sure they will find the same outcome of water intruding causing the electrical issues with the liftgate. Due to it being a fire hazard, I'm afraid to use my vehicle. Can you assist so I don't need to leave my one and only vehicle with the dealership for more than a day or two?
The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the tailgate was closed independently. The tailgate had crashed down and struck the contact on the head. The contact was not injured. The contact had to hold the tailgate ajar. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was like NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V338000 (Electrical System, Structure). The local dealer was called, and an appointment was scheduled. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was contacted and confirmed that there were no open recalls on the VIN. The failure mileage was approximately 80,000.
Exterior lighting
Reports naming headlights, tail lights, turn signals and other exterior lighting.
From owner reports, verbatim
engine transmission motor mount backup camera fuel pump headlights dash cluster radio mirrors inside mirrors tailgate latch seat belt climate control engine light transmission shifter
The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at night, it was difficult to see the roadway clearly. The contact stated that she had issues with cataracts and attributed the lack of illumination on the road to her condition. The contact stated that she avoided driving at night until she had to attend an event at night and asked her son to drive. The contact’s son also witnessed the lack of illumination on the roadway from the headlights. The contact stated that after returning to the residence, the contact’s son parked the vehicle facing a wall, and both observed that the passenger’s side headlamp was illuminating the driveway directly below and in front of the vehicle, and the driver's side headlight was illuminating the trees. The contact had taken the vehicle to a dealer, and the headlight assemblies were taken apart and then reinstalled and recalibrated. The contact stated that the dealer was unable to repair the headlights and stated that there was a fault in the headlamp assemblies that could not be repaired. The contact stated that the same dealer had replaced both headlamps in 2019 due to a failure to operate as needed. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 75,875.
Suspension
Reports naming suspension components — springs, struts, shocks, control arms and related hardware.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the contact felt that the vehicle was misaligned. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, where the contact was informed that the rear brake shocks needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who informed the contact that no braking system failure was found; however, the rear-end air bag suspension had blown, causing the vehicle to lean on its right side. The contact was then referred back to the dealer, who scheduled a diagnosis appointment. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 106,000.
As I was on my home on 2/20/26, I encountered some issues. I made a right turn onto the highway and my vehicle did a little drift but made this weird sound and the front end shook. There were no warning lights or dings that came across the dash. I pulled over into the closest parking lot to see if I could notice anything. I couldn't because I only had the light from a parking lot lamp. So decided to try and make it home which was another 15 minutes away. As I got back on the road and pressed the accelerator, I could here ticking sounds coming from the rear of the vehicle. When I approached the next traffic light and pressed the brakes, the front end shook, making the steering wheel shake, and the rear end drifted left. I made another left and pressed the accelerator. I got up to around 40 phone. The vehicle started pulling to the left and then stabilizing. I turned to my suspension articulation screen. As I was driving and the vehicle still scaring me to the point of a heart-a-stroke, I could see the axles trying to maintain contact with the road. At the same time giving me the feel of a loose steering wheel and a bad suspension. The vehicle continued to shift and shake and feel loose. When you turn into my neighborhood and before my house, there are two deep curves and a lake. I went into the first curve fine until the end of it. (At this time the lake is on my passenger side). As I was coming out of it, the steering wheel feels like its hard to turn or locked. I have to turn left into the second curve. The vehicle would not turn and the rear end felt like it was drifting right. At the edge of the road there is a slight downhill and the lake about 50 ft or so. Luckily, I was able to make the turn before going of the side of the road. Once I made it through the curve, the vehicle did do some shaking, loose steering, shaking, and back end motion until I parked in the yard. Its been parked since then. Thank you for your patience and attention to this matter.
Visibility
Reports naming windshields, glass, wipers, defrosters and mirrors.
From owner reports, verbatim
Windshield wipes are malfunctioning. They come on and function by themselves without the windshield wipers being activated. Purchased the car on 5/26/2025 and issue started on 6/1/25. Took the car to the dealership on 6/2/25 to check the problem out. They couldn’t mimic the problem. Car has been back and forth to the dealership 3x since 6/2/25 trying to figure out what the issue is.
I had a recall on the dash of my Jeep due to the leather wrinkling.I had very slight wrinkling, so I honored the recall and took it to the dealership. They replaced the leather which seemed to fix the problem, well WRONG, they put the leather down with no adhesive to keep it in place. Long story short, it began having some puckering in the middle,now the whole dash looks like a wrinkled bed sheet and its totally lifted along the bottom of the windshield, which has caused my defrost vent to lift out of place and resricts airflow. This resricts my visibility when the defrost cannot blow accurately. I took it back to the dealership to show them,and to tell them that it's worse than before I brought it to them, and if I had've known this would happen, I would have left it alone! I showed them that they Obviously didn't put adhesive under the leather, the just laid and tucked it! They said they couldn't repair it. I took it to get it assessed and as soon as he saw it, he said "This was OBVIOUSLY installed Wrong!"
Other / unspecified
Reports whose component NHTSA recorded as unknown, or that do not map to one of the categories above.
From owner reports, verbatim
I was driving along & all of a sudden my car under side make a funny sound and stopped moving forward. I am a single mother & I had my 4 year old son with me. I had to call a tow company & they took it to a repair shop. They charged me $100 to tell me the transmission was gone & metal pieces were in the transmission. Now I have tried to get it fixed because the rest of my car looks NEW. I REALLY TAKE CARE OF IT. But now I am told it cannot be fixed because you knew there was something wrong with this particular transmission so you no longer make the parts, so no one else can get hurt. Therefore, I have a very lovely car that I love but it will never run again. I spent over $20,000 for my car. Can you help me please.
It increased speed, then tried to break and the breaks locked up, then I tried to move to not hit the car in front of me and the whole front passenger side control arm snapped off causing me to loose a tire.
Tires & wheels
Reports naming tires, wheels, hubs, or the tire-pressure monitoring system.
From owner reports, verbatim
The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and making a turn, the rear wheels suddenly locked. The contact was able to pull over to the side of the road. The contact turned off and restarted the vehicle and was able to continue driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transfer case had failed and needed to be replaced. The dealer determined that the failure was related to an unknown recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 167,000.
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE EQUIPPED WITH PIRELLI SCORPION ALL SEASON RUN FLAT TIRES (NA), SIZE 295/45/20R 110W (NA). THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER AND DRIVER SIDE TIRES EXPERIENCED EXCESSIVE WEAR, WHICH CAUSED DIPS TO DEVELOP ON THE TREAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER, WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TIRES NEEDED TO BE ROTATED. THE TIRE ROTATION WAS PERFORMED; HOWEVER, THE TIRES CONTINUED TO WEAR EXCESSIVELY. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE, WHO AFTER AN INVESTIGATION DETERMINED THAT THE FAILURE WAS INHERENT TO THE VEHICLE. THE TIRES WERE REPLACED. THE TIRE AND VEHICLE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 6,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Transmission
Reports naming the automatic or manual transmission, including shifting behaviour, shudder, slipping and transmission control modules.
From owner reports, verbatim
See attached document for complaint.
The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle started to lurch forward as if the contact had suddenly depressed the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the 4WD and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The contact pulled off to the side of the road turned off and restarted the vehicle and the vehicle drove normally. The contact stated that the failure of lurching forward became an ongoing failure. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle would lurch forward when shifted into park(P). The contact drove the vehicle to an independent mechanic who diagnosed that the gear box needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 101,000.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Heating & air conditioning
Reports naming the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning system.
From owner reports, verbatim
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2014 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HEATED SEAT WOULD ACTIVATE INDEPENDENTLY AND WOULD ALSO OVERHEAT. THE CONTACT ALSO MENTIONED THAT WHENEVER THE ACCELERATOR PEDAL WAS DEPRESSED, A BURNING ODOR WAS EMITTED INTO THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER WHERE THE TECHNICIAN WAS UNABLE TO DIAGNOSE THE FAILURE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 120.
Too few reports in this category for a page of its own — they appear in the full complaint list.
Higher-selling and older vehicles accumulate more reports. Counts are not failure rates and are not directly comparable between vehicles that sold in very different numbers.
Elsewhere on this vehicle
Data sources
- NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation — owner-reported complaints and the components recorded on them
Data on this page last refreshed .