2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Steering Problems

I'm not sure what components malfunctioned but my vehicle is in a body shop currently getting work done from the accident I was recently in. The safety of my cousin and I was put into risk when I was driving on the highway and I hydroplaned on the highway and did a 180 degree turn but luckily no one hit me and I didn't hit anyone else. I slammed on the concrete median which is what stopped my vehicle on the highway leaving my vehicle with 9 thousand in damages. I filed an insurance claim and is now getting fixed like I mentioned. Prior to the accident I had noticed the car shifting to the left and dramatically declining acceleration and a loud pop by the front driver tire. That is the best way to describe what the car does. So on the day of the incident I believe the car did what I just explained and it caused me to hydroplane and I'm in fear it is going to happen again. I have taken it to another shop after the accident because my vehicle would not start and a different shop said they heard the noise but could not figure out what it was. When I get my vehicle back I planned on taking it to a recall center but I decided to make this report first. There were no warning lights before during or after the accident.

NHTSA ID

11565065

Incident

Mar 3, 2023

My steering "locked up", I had it towed to a Jeep dealer who diagnosed it as faulty steering gear rack. It cannot be repaired-it must be replaced. The car did show a code when it locked up=but not before. The vehicle has not been repaired and is available for inspection,

NHTSA ID

11559163

Incident

Aug 14, 2023

The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the power steering warning light illuminated, and the steering wheel became difficult to turn in either direction. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering rack and pinion was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic who replaced the steering rack and pinion, and the vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 55,000.

NHTSA ID

11545133

Incident

Jul 9, 2023

Mileage

55,000 mi

My Electronic Stability Control, Cruise Control and Traction Control all went offline without any notice. Dealership can not figure out what to do. This is a huge issue in my opinion because of the inability to keep the car straight when hitting a pothole or any bumps in the road. the vehicle does not stay in a straight line. I have reported the problem to the dealership with no help. It hasn't caused a wreck yet, but I'm afraid I'm just postponing the inevitable.

NHTSA ID

11468023

Incident

Mar 1, 2022

WHILE I WAS DRIVING, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. IT COULD HAVE CAUSED MAJOR ACCIDENTS. THE FIRST TIME, A REPAIR SHOP RESET THE EPS (ELECTRIC POWER STEERING) MODULE AND NO PROBLEM FOR 6 MONTHS AFTERWARDS. A DEALERSHIP CHECKED IT OUT AFTER AND SAID NO ISSUE WITH EPS. 6 MONTHS AFTER, I HAD THE SECOND INCIDENT. IT IS UNSAFE TO DRIVE THE JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. LESS THAN 45K MILES AND I WAS THE ONLY OWNER OF THE VEHICLE. SEEMS LIKE NHTSA 10139995 IS RIGHT ON THE MONEY WITH THE ERROR CODE C2217.

NHTSA ID

11403374

Incident

Mar 13, 2021

Mileage

44,000 mi

WAS DRIVING ON THE ROAD WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DASH BOARD LIGHTS STARTED BLINKING AS WELL AS GEAR LIGHT BY THE SHIFTER. LOST POWER AND COSTED TO A STOP IN THE MIDDLE OF THE LEFT TURN LANE. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME I HAVE ENCOUNTERED THIS PROBLEM SO FAR.

NHTSA ID

11366396

Incident

Oct 26, 2020

Mileage

121,000 mi

I WAS DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT. I HAVE NO POWER STEERING AND THERE IS A MESSAGE ON MY DASH THAT SAYS POWER STEERING UNAVAILABLE, SERVICE REQUIRED. I HAVE 36, XXX MILES ON IT.

NHTSA ID

11349696

Incident

Aug 12, 2020

Mileage

36,246 mi

WHEEL WOBBLE STEERING PULLING TO SIDE WHILE DRIVING

NHTSA ID

11241259

Incident

May 1, 2019

Mileage

20,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING AT APPROXIMATELY 30 MPH, THE JEEP SUDDENLY JOLTED AND THE ENGINE STALLED. I SAFELY PULLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK AND TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. IT IMMEDIATELY STARTED THEN STALLED MULTIPLE TIMES BEFORE ALL LIGHTS IN THE JEEP TURNING ON AND A MESSAGE APPEARED ON THE DASHBOARD STATING THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT IN PARK. I DOUBLE CHECKED AND THE VEHICLE WAS INDEED IN PARK. THE HORN SOUNDED MULTIPLE TIMES AND THE BACK LIFT-GATE OPENED ON ITS OWN. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY AND IT WAS FOUND THAT THE ELECTRIC POWER STEERING SYSTEM HAD SHORTED AND CAUSED THE VEHICLE TO BE COMPLETELY DISABLED ELECTRICALLY. THE SYSTEM WAS REPAIRED BY THE DEALERSHIP. THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED IN A HORRIBLE LOCATION WITH TRAFFIC ON THE INTERSTATE AND CAUSED A SERIOUS ACCIDENT. THE REPAIRS WERE COVERED UNDER EXTENDED WARRANTY BUT A POWER STEERING FAILURE SHOULD NOT COMPLETELY SHUT DOWN A VEHICLE WHILE DRIVING.

NHTSA ID

11207830

Incident

May 10, 2019

Mileage

74,648 mi

2016 JEEP GRAND CHERROKEE WAS MAKING LEFT 90 DEGREE TURN AT APPROX 5 MPH ON AN A NON-PUBLIC CITY AIRPORT ACCESS ROAD, HIT A SMALL GOLF CART AND STOPPED. DAMAGE TO THE GOLF CART WAS MINOR AND CONSISTED OF BROKEN PLASTIC PARTS. VISIBLE DAMAGE TO THE JEEP WAS A DENTED LICENSE PLATE. THE FRONT WHEEL WERE FROZEN IN THE LEFT TURN POSITION AND COULD NOT BE MOVED. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A JEEP DEALER, WHO REPORTED THAT THE RACK AND PINION ASSEMBLY WAS FROZEN AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THEY SAID THEY COULD NOT DISASSEMBLE OR REPAIR THE PART. THE COST OF THE REPLACEMENT PART WAS $5,020.00. THE VEHICLE HAS 33,040 MILES AND IS WELL MAINTAINED, WITH NO PRIOR ACCIDENTS.

NHTSA ID

11163970

Incident

Dec 14, 2018

Mileage

33,040 mi

MY 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE PULLS TO LEFT EXTREMELY HARD ON HIGHWAY SPEEDS TO THE POINT MY VEHICLE WILL TURN ON ITS OWN ON THE HIGHWAY AND I HAVE TO ADJUST THE STEERING WHEEL CONSTANTLY TO THE RIGHT TO AVOID HITTING INTO A WALL OR OTHER OBJECT TURNING MY CAR INTO A DEATH TRAP. IT HAS BEEN INTO JEEP 5 TIMES AND THE PROBLEM HAS STILL NOT BEEN FIXED.

NHTSA ID

11056117

Incident

Dec 12, 2017

Mileage

2,000 mi

I OWN A 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE SUMMIT 4X4 SUV WHICH WAS MANUFACTURED AND MARKETED BY FCA UA LLC AS BEING A RECREATIONAL TOWING (I.E. BEHIND MOTORHOME) COMPLIANT VEHICLE. WHEN TOWING OF THE SUBJECT VEHICLE BEHIND MY MOTORHOME AT LOW SPEEDS I HAVE EXPERIENCED PERIODS OF THE VIOLENT LOSS OF CONTROL IN THE FORM OF UNCONTROLLED STEERING OF THE VEHICLE'S FRONT WHEELS WHICH POSE A SIGNIFICANT SAFETY RISK TO BOTH THE VEHICLE, MOTORHOME AND PUBLIC SAFETY. IN SUCH EVENTS, I HAVE BEEN FORCED TO STOP IN TRAFFIC, INSPECT THE VEHICLE AND MOTORHOME, THEN PULL OFF THE ROAD TO A SAFE LOCATION WHERE FURTHER INSPECTION CAN BE UNDERTAKEN. THE CONDITIONS DESCRIBED ABOVE HAVE OCCURRED WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS PROPERLY PREPARED FOR TOWING AND FOLLOWING THE SPECIFIC GUIDELINES SUPPLIED WITH THE VEHICLE IN THE FCA VEHICLE OPERATOR/OWNER'S MANUAL PAGES 593-601. FCA HAS ADVISED THAT IS HAS INSUFFICIENT EVIDENCE IN THE FORM OF CONSUMER COMPLAINTS TO SUPPORT FURTHER INVESTIGATION, ENGINEERING AND ISSUANCES OF A SOLUTION FOR SUCH VEHICLE OWNERS. NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS WHO OWN AND RECREATIONALLY TOW THE SAME VEHICLE ARE EXPERIENCING THE STATED PROBLEM WHICH IS NOT CURRENTLY BEING INVESTIGATED PROPERLY BY FCA US LLC. EVIDENCE OF SUCH CAN BE FOUND ON-LINE PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLIC-FORUMS SUCH AS THE FAMILY-MOTOR-COACH ASSOCIATION (FMCA) AND IRV2 FORUMS. FCA US LLC HAS PREVIOUSLY ADDRESSED A SIMILAR PROBLEM RELATING TO UNCONTROLLED TOWING WITH THEIR JEEP CHEROKEE MODEL BUT TO DATE, PRESENT NO EVIDENCE TO OWNERS OF THE GRAND CHEROKEE MODEL OF HAVING RESEARCHED AND DEVELOPED A FIX FOR THE UNSAFE CONDITION. AT PRESENT, FCA US LLC IS TELLING GRAND CHEROKEE OWNERS TO TOW THEIR VEHICLES ON TRAILERS (ALL FOUR WHEELS OFF GROUND) DUE TO THE SERIOUS CONDITION OF UNCONTROLLABLE STEERING WHICH IS UNFAIR TO THOSE CONSUMERS WHO PURCHASED SUCH VEHICLES ON THE BASIS OF THEM BEING FLAT TOWABLE COMPLIANT.

NHTSA ID

11031784

Incident

Sep 28, 2017

Mileage

18,000 mi

DEATH WOBBLE WHEN BEING TOWED THE DEALER IS NO HELP ON THIS PROBLEM BECAUSE THEY DO NOT HAVE A SERVICE BULLETIN ON THE 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE, BUT THERE ON 2014 AND 2015 CHEROKEE. I NEED TO GET JEEP TO FIX THIS PROBLEM. 2016 IS FIRST YEAR FOR GRAND CHEROKEE TO HAVE ELECTRONIC STEERING WHICH WAS THE CAUSE OF THE SAME THING HAPPENING. 2014 - 2015 JEEP FIXED IT WITH A NEW HARNESS ADAPTER THAT SEND POWER TO THE STEERING WITH THE IGNITION OFF. JEEP SAID WHEN ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAIN WE THEN MAY COME UP WITH A SIMILAR FIX". ONLY HAS HAPPENED TO A FEW GRAND CHEROKEES. THIS OF COURSE IS NOT ACCEPTABLE TO ME. THIS IS BAD AND NEED TO BE ADDRESS ASAP. THIS COULD CAUSE A CRASH AND SOMEONE COULD GET KILLED. WHEN THE JEEP IS BEING TOWED AND YOU HIT BUMP WHILE TURNING IT STARTS WOBBLING FROM SIDE TO SIDE SO BAD IT WILL CAUSE YOU TO NOT BE ABLE TO CONTROL THE TOWING VEHICLE. ONCE YOU STOP AND THEN TAKE OF IT STOPS WOBBLING.

NHTSA ID

11019386

Incident

May 26, 2017

Mileage

12,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING ON A CITY STREET AND TURNING LEFT, THE POWER STEERING WENT OUT AND IT BECAME VERY DIFFICULT TO STEER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF FOR A SHORT TIME; WHEN IT WAS RESTARTED, THE PROBLEM WAS GONE. ABOUT 30 MINUTES LATER THE CAR WAS RESTARTED AND DRIVEN APPROX. 1/4 MILE WHEN THE STEERING WENT OUT AGAIN WHILE MAKING A RIGHT TURN ON A CIT STREET.

NHTSA ID

10970599

Incident

Mar 31, 2017

Mileage

4,000 mi

WHILE DRIVING TO NASHVILLE, TN WE WERE DRIVING BETWEEN 65 - 73 MPH WITH SPEED CONTROL AND HIT SLOWER TRAFFIC IT FELT LIKE THE VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. THE STEERING WAS HARD TO HANDLE ON THE JEEP. IT WOULD PULL EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT AND WOULDN'T SEEM TO GO STRAIGHT. WE COULD STOP THE VEHICLE AND TURN IT OFF AND THE STEERING WOULD BE FINE AGAIN FOR A WHILE. I TOOK MY JEEP BACK TO THE DEALER ON DECEMBER 2, 2016 AND AS OF TODAY DECEMBER 27, 2016 THEY STILL HAVE IT. I DON'T KNOW IF IT IS THE POWER STEERING OR THE LIFT SUSPENSION BUT IT MOST DEFINITELY IS A SAFETY PROBLEM. THIS HAPPENED ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE SERVICE TECHS HAVE GOT IT TO DUPLICATE THE PROBLEM AT THE DEALERSHIP. *TR

NHTSA ID

10937585

Incident

Nov 24, 2016

Mileage

6,200 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 55 MPH ON A TWO LANE ROAD, THE VEHICLE WAS UNABLE TO DRIVE IN A STRAIGHT LINE. THE VEHICLE VEERED TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT ACROSS THE TWO LANE ROAD. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOUR TIMES WHERE IT WAS DETERMINED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS DESIGNED TO PERFORM THAT WAY. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS CURRENTLY PARKED AT THE CONTACT'S RESIDENCE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 5,000. UPDATED 01/06/17*LJ *TR

NHTSA ID

10914482

Incident

Oct 5, 2016

Mileage

5,000 mi