2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Powertrain (other) Problems

Electronic Throttle Control warning light comes on upon starting vehicle while extended crank occurs. When starting car, the push to start feature will not turn over and continuously cranks multiple times. Issue is intermittent- never know when it will happen which makes it difficult to replicate at service center. Took car into 2 mechanics on separate occasions and finally to the Jeep dealership for service. Because issue couldn’t be duplicated- nothing was done. However, recently while driving, same extended crank pattern noise and unstable/rough propulsion occurred while driving on the highway. Same Electronic throttle control warning light came on along with the check engine light. Also cruise control and the auto On Off feature became disabled. I scheduled service with my mechanic as soon as possible and they found the stored code was related to Technical Service Bulletin 2014-004-25 REV.B. This bulletin lists the symptoms I described yet the dealership did not perform the fuel pressure Test and Replace Fuel Pressure Regulator. I called the dealership to schedule warranty service for this TBS and they gave me difficulty acknowledging the TSB was issued for my make/model/year and scheduling a service appt. I spent the last few hours reading all of the complaints on NHTSA for 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee and it is alarming how many of the complaint are for this specific issue. It is dangerous for anyone on the road to be driving in a vehicle you can’t rely on to propel you forward when you press the gas or stall due to faulty fuel pressure regulator amid traffic. An investigation should be done. Furthermore, in reviewing other recalls, I found this is a recurrent issue for Jeep. It appears they’ve been various safety recalls issued for this in the past for vehicles made from 2011-2020. How they haven’t addressed it in new models is appalling. For owners of the vehicle, it’s difficult to have any leverage with dealership since it is not easy to replicate on demand.

NHTSA ID

11754729

Incident

Oct 30, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal and attempting to overtake another vehicle. The RPM was extremely elevated; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway and restarted the vehicle before resuming normal driving. The contact became aware that, when shifting between automatic and manual driving modes, the vehicle operated normally without hesitating. The vehicle was taken to several dealers on several occasions; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure or determine the cause of the failure. In addition, the headlights occasionally shut off unexpectedly while driving at night. The contact would pull over and wait for the headlights to return before resuming normal driving. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that there were no recalls associated with the VIN for the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 50,000.

NHTSA ID

11729494

Incident

Apr 1, 2025

Mileage

50,000 mi

BE ASVISED, THIS REPORT MAY BE INTERCEPTED, DELETED, HIDDEN, OR MODIFIED UPON RECEIVING. NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION Vehicle Safety Complaint Complainant: [XXX] [XXX] [XXX] Vehicle: 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee ------------------------------------- SAFETY DEFECT COMPLAINT – POST-REPAIR VEHICLE CONDITION I am reporting a serious safety concern involving my vehicle following collision repairs performed by Gerber Collision & Glass under a claim handled by State Farm Insurance. After the repair, the vehicle began exhibiting multiple safety-related issues, including: - Steering instability and shaking - Engine performance issues and abnormal noise - HVAC malfunction - Persistent chemical and/or coolant odors - Physical symptoms while driving, including dizziness, lightheadedness, and shortness of breath I returned to the repair facility with photographic evidence showing parts with visible wear and damage that appear inconsistent with proper replacement. Despite this, no diagnostic evaluation was performed, and no corrective action was taken. The repair facility has refused to address the condition of these parts, and the insurer has refused to authorize further inspection. Additionally, there are discrepancies between the insurance estimate and the final repair invoice, raising concerns about whether the documented work matches what was actually performed, including work involving structural components such as the cradle/subframe. I believe this vehicle may be unsafe to operate and that the repair may have introduced or failed to correct conditions that pose a risk to driver safety. I request that this matter be reviewed as a potential safety defect related to post-collision repair. Sincerely, [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA ID

11728833

Incident

Feb 19, 2026

REPEATED CAM SHAFT FAILURE. THE VEHICLE HAD A SUDDEN LOSS OF POWER. THIS HAS HAPPENBED THREE TIMES IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS. IT IS CURRENTLY AT A STELLANTIS DEALERSHIP IN MICHIGAN. THERE IS USUALLY N O PRIOR WARNING. THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT COMES ON AS SOON AS THE ISSUE STARTS.

NHTSA ID

11718273

Incident

Jan 10, 2026

35000 miles 4 wheel drive transfer case went bad. Company honored full repairs. I was the second owner of this vehicle.

NHTSA ID

11709111

Incident

Dec 31, 1969

Transmission failure at 19,481 miles in my 2021Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 V6. The vehicle has not been abused, and the mileage is low for its age. The symptoms—erratic shifting, limp mode, and “Service Transmission” warnings— are consistent with a known defect pattern affecting multiple FCA vehicles using the same transmission.

NHTSA ID

11700283

Incident

Nov 3, 2025

I believe it is something with the engine or an electrical component. I was driving and as I was parking my car shut off, was not able to completely park back end of the car is sticking out. I looked up if there were any current recalls using my VIN and nothing appeared. I did my own researching and found that there have been recalls for that model regarding the PTU, Power Steering and Power Loss which is the issue I am experiencing. My car turns off on its own and does not get any type of power. Started having trouble turning on my car over Labor Day weekend was not able to travel due to what I thought was my battery having issues, people were jumping me to be able to start my car. I then had my battery tested at O'Reilly's on 9/3/2025 and when trying to jump start my car they shorted my engine block fuse which I was told after having my car towed to the mechanic and they took a look at it. I replaced my main battery thinking that would solve the issue and it did not and this was before the mechanic looked at it. I then had it towed to a mechanic where they replaced the engine block fuse and I was told that the car was good and running after paying on 9/19/2025. I left the mechanic and came to work where after two hours I tried to start my car and it did not. I called the mechanic and was told it was my auxiliary battery after they came to look at the car and inspect it once again that same day 9/19/2025. I purchased and replaced the auxiliary battery and was able to start and drive the car for 1.6 miles to my brothers apartment from my work before the car turned off on me as I was trying to park. There was an error message on the car at the time when it turned off which read with a caution symbol, "Stop Safely Vehicle Will Shut Off Soon" and then turned off.

NHTSA ID

11688872

Incident

Sep 3, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ESC and “Service 4WD” warning lights illuminated, causing the vehicle to shake abnormally. Additionally, the transmission unexpectedly shifted to 4WD Low while driving. The steering wheel vibrated while making a turn, and the vehicle jerked. The vehicle also intermittently failed to start immediately and made a clicking sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the ABS had failed, and that the drive train control module and transfer case control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.

NHTSA ID

11680218

Incident

Aug 1, 2025

Mileage

34,000 mi

This Car have a lot issues we the computer in the car, the car I was missing oil in the engine ,the piston. Blows out No light 💡 engine On the car have a lot problems we trans mission No light On,I Have problems we transfer Case No light on, Now still having problems if backups sometimes is No light on,I don’t know if Normal but if have a lot safety concerns in this car.

NHTSA ID

11667942

Incident

Oct 16, 2024

Vehicle shifts from park to drive jumping gears ,making loud noises, Accelerating by its self and jumps aggressively into gear. Transmission is slipping, late engagement when shifting, and shifting rough. sometimes it will low rpm. Rpm is going up and down. Making total transmission failure and transfer case failure. Melting the hot and cold lines. Mechanic found aluminum melted and oil burn. Rpms fluctuate and gets hung up during shifting while driving.

NHTSA ID

11666804

Incident

Oct 16, 2024

Service shifter message keeps showing every-time I turn on the vehicle. Eventually it just stays on. Took vehicle in for service and when dealer was installing new shifter, it shorted out other components. Jeep still hasn’t found a permanent fix.

NHTSA ID

11665702

Incident

May 27, 2025

Vehicle code: C1562-98 AIR PUMP CONTROL - air suspension compressor is overheating or there's a problem with the control system, leading to issues with adjusting the vehicle's height. With further inspection he found a leak in the air bag fittings. Vehicle Power Control Module has caused vehicle to shutoff while driving on the highway. Air suspension and electrical issues continued after 60 days of attempted repairs.

NHTSA ID

11665366

Incident

Apr 15, 2025

Once you start driving after letting the vehicle sit the transmission will “slip” multiple times jerking the car and everyone in it. Occurs every day around 4 pm and various times

NHTSA ID

11661787

Incident

May 15, 2025

The car have a lot of problems engine total failure, mounting joints failure, acelere by him self, jerking,,while driving vehicle kicks aggressively in to gear, oil cup broken down make in the engine to blow oil over , no oil in engine. Sometimes missing 3. Quarters of oil because the seal of the engine no last , is a lot problems in this car

NHTSA ID

11658058

Incident

Feb 17, 2025

Since it was brand new it likes to shift hard into reverse or drive from park. Sometimes it shifts with NOTHING going on like it should Other times there is subtle thump into gear other times it's a harder thumb into gear. There is 2 or 3 levels of hard shift into gear. Valve body and Output shift kit have already been replaced and it's STILL happening

NHTSA ID

11654316

Incident

Apr 13, 2025

I was driving down the highway and all of the sudden and with zero warning the engine cut off but the effect it had on the car was very severe engine braking as it automatically downshifted very aggressively which caused me to go from about 80mph to a stop VERY quickly. The dash looked as if I simply had the car switched to on without starting the engine. There were no warning lights lit. Shifting into park and turning the car completely off and back on allowed it to start again with no further symptoms.

NHTSA ID

11652429

Incident

Apr 3, 2023

I drove my car out of my garage on the way to work and just outside my house, the transmission bucked when shifting from 3rd to 4th gear and the p0733 code appeared. I turned around and went home and took another car to work. I had previously taken my jeep with ~85,000 miles to my local dealer wanting the 4 wheel drive and transmission service as I do with all of my cars. It was driving fine, but seemed like the gas mileage was decreasing a bit which I shrugged off. The dealer informed me that the transmission wasn't serviceable. I thought this was odd, but they did the 4 wheel drive service and said everything was good. When I got the error code, I called my local independent transmission shop who said they could look at it in 2 days, so I didin't drive it until the ~10 minute drive to drop it off. They called the next day and said the transmission was done- burnt fluid and bits of clutch in the fluid. They couldn't even find a rebuilt trasmission because according to them so many are failing. They quoted me $8700 for a new transmission from Jeep which I begrudgingly agreed to because what else could I do? I've had one car's transmission fail (Jeep Wrangler but it had 220,000 miles and was 15 years old so I could accept it. The shop received the new transmission from Jeep and then called me saying the valve body was bad, it would not communicate with the car. They went through warranty struggles with Jeep who after another week finally sent another valve body, which also did not work. Finally, they figured out they were sending unprogrammed valve bodies with the transmission and the car needed to be towed to the dealer to program...more $$$. So, after a3+ weeks I finally got my car back today. I've looked online and wondered what I could have done- there are so many similar examples out there of similar experiences, Wrangler transmissions failing with low miles; it's unforgivable that Jeep says the transmission can't be serviced!

NHTSA ID

11642355

Incident

Jan 21, 2025

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that after his wife had parked and turned off the vehicle in the driveway, the vehicle inadvertently rolled down the driveway. The contact restarted and parked the vehicle in the driveway again, and activated the parking, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and Golling Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (2405 S Telegraph Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302); however, both dealers were unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,500. The VIN was unavailable.

NHTSA ID

11641670

Incident

Dec 23, 2024

Mileage

38,500 mi

Started my 2021 Grand Cherokee Jeep started to drive light on dash transmission service and my vehicle would not go over 35 had to get off highway and get towed .10pm on 12/18/2024

NHTSA ID

11631536

Incident

Dec 18, 2024

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that on two occasions while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the message to" Shift to Park and Restart" was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled but was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to a dealer during the first failure however, the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 8,100.

NHTSA ID

11611663

Incident

Nov 17, 2022

Mileage

8,100 mi

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle started shaking violently. The vehicle then briefly lost motive power and was unable to accelerate as intended before returning to normal functionality; however, the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 18,000.

NHTSA ID

11602314

Incident

Jul 15, 2024

Mileage

18,000 mi

The electronic stability control has malfunctioned and the 4wd svc light has comeon. The vehicle shifts hard when taking off at low speed. When coming to a stop there is a loud pop from transfer case. Also the 4wd low and neutral comes on by themselves. This vehicle definitely has safety issues. I just bought this vehicle and just barely have 1000 miles on it. How is thus safe? The hard shifting started around 6/1/2024 the electronic stability, svc 4wd, going into 4wd low and neutral all started on 6/23/24

NHTSA ID

11596075

Incident

Jun 24, 2024

Vehicle shuts down puts itself in park and applies the parking brake and states that the hood is not closed when it is and has not been opened. It also disable the auto stop/start . It does this at traffic lights or when ever a vehicle comes to a stop creating a potential rear end collision due to having to manually restart the vehicle, disengage the parking brake and put the vehicle in drive.

NHTSA ID

11595669

Incident

Jun 21, 2024

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power before stalling and shutting off. During the failure, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The messages "Service Shifter" and "Transmission Temperature High" were displayed. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer and was reprogrammed; however, after retrieving the vehicle, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 36,899.

NHTSA ID

11567568

Incident

Jan 11, 2024

Mileage

36,899 mi

In 2022 I attempted to back into a parallel parking space and the emergency braking system kept activating to prevent backing up. Attempted getting corrected at dealer but no trouble codes available. Was driving, slowing down to stop at about 22mph, emergency braking system kicked in, shifted into auto stick, switched back reactivated normal drive. Six months later, was at a stop sign, on green light, turned left from left lane, accelerating to approximately 25mph, suddenly emergency braking activated again, again had to use auto stick to kick out of emergency braking. Luckily car behind me was not tail gating. end of message 04:56-Fri-01/05/24

NHTSA ID

11563667

Incident

Oct 22, 2022