The KL-generation Jeep Cherokee may prove to be more trouble than it’s worth when you consider its engine troubles in the 2014 and 2015 models, hacker-prone software, and nine recalls in just three years for the 2019 edition.
Key Points
- The Jeep Cherokee‘s current KL generation kicked off in 2014. But problems with the new lineup began before the SUV had even hit the market, with Jeep suspending production in mid-2013 over software issues affecting the transmission.
- The 2014 Jeep Cherokee has a dozen recalls in total, but they’re spread out over eight years.
- The Cherokee’s problems continued, with the 2015 model racking up 10 recalls over issues including clogged fire extinguishers, faulty liftgates, and cruise control that would fail to cancel.
- Although certain 2019 models suffered from heavy oil consumption and random engine stalls, the 2020 and 2021 Cherokee have generated significantly fewer problems than the earlier models (so far).
- In a July 2021 NHTSA complaint, a 2014 Limited owner reported that his Cherokee tends to stall after five to 10 minutes of driving.
- The KL generation’s transmission may simply be more trouble than it’s worth, and until Jeep is willing to overhaul the Cherokee’s power train, these issues are likely to persist.
2014 Jeep Cherokee Gets the KL off to a Rough Start with 12 Recalls Over Transmission Problems, Weak Windshield Wipers, and Software Issues
The Cherokee is currently in its KL generation, which kicked off in 2014. But problems with the new lineup began before the SUV had even hit the market, with Jeep suspending production in mid-2013 over software issues affecting the transmission. Every new car has its issues, but in this case, it proved to be a foreboding sign, as the SUV currently sits at 2,078 complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Some of the most notable recalls and complaints affect the 2014 model, which reportedly has transmission software issues. In fact, of the 2014 Cherokee’s over 2,000 complaints, 1,800 relate to software, engine, and transmission troubles. A July 2017 complaint mentions several incidents where the owner’s vehicle suddenly lost the ability to move forward.
Another 2014 Limited owner reported in July 2021 that their Cherokee has a tendency to stall after five to 10 minutes of driving. And yet another said in a June 2021 complaint that the “Transmission Service Needed” warning light would activate on at random.
Nearly 5,000,000 Vehicles Required Software Fix in 2018 Due to Inability to Cancel Cruise Control
The 2014 Cherokee was recalled 12 times, most infamously in July 2015 for a major software issue. Nearly 1,417,000 Dodge, Jeep, and Chrysler vehicles required software updates to fix a vulnerability where hackers could hijack the car’s onboard computer and take control of vital functions.
Another recall saw nearly five million vehicles requiring a software fix in 2018, owing to an inability to cancel cruise control. Add to this, an open investigation for a potential airbag inflator rupture, and you have a model year that’s hard to recommend, no matter how much you like the Cherokee.
If you can get a really good deal on a 2014 Jeep Cherokee… you still shouldn’t buy it. Save your money and get a Liberty, instead. There are simply too many still-unresolved issues with the 2014 model, and too many alternatives for the SUV to be a smart buy.
2015 Cherokee’s List of Problems Include an Investigation Over Potential Fires in the SUV’s Engine Compartment
In some cases, a new generation stumbles out the gate, and then immediately corrects its course. The KL Cherokee, on the other hand, basically keeps stumbling. We’re down to just 10 recalls and 1,358 complaints for this model year, but we’re up to three investigations, including over the software security issue and the still-open airbag investigation that affected the 2014 model. There was also an investigation over potential fires in the SUV’s engine. To make matters worse, thousands of 2015 Cherokees had to be recalled over clogged fire extinguishers.
Some of the more concerning recalls had to do with cruise control failing to cancel (the same recall that affected the 2014 Cherokee), and a liftgate that could malfunction due to a water leak in some 2015 and 2016 Cherokees.
Transmission Hesitation, Rough Shifting, and Random Engine Stalls also Plagued 2015 Cherokee
Digging into the 1,358 complaints the NHTSA have listed for the 2015 Cherokee, we’re seeing a lot of the same patterns we saw in the 2014: 814 for the power train, 292 for the engine, and 205 for electrical systems. Hundreds of reports of transmission hesitation and rough shifting, random stalling and engine shutdown, and excessive oil consumption leading, in some cases, to the smell of burning oil and a knocking sound coming from under the hood.
Seeing issues like these pop up at a rate of one complaint per thousand units isn’t so worrying. But in the 2015 Cherokee, those issues are being reported at a rate of more than one unit in two hundred.
For comparison, Jeep sold 66,698 Compasses in 2015, and the 2015 Compass has only produced 78 complaints with the NHTSA as of the time of this writing, putting it at a rate of one complaint per 855 units sold, making the 2015 Cherokee at least four times as likely to suffer serious transmission or engine issues as the 2015 Compass.
2019 Cherokee Shows too Many Problems, too Soon, such as Heavy Oil Consumption and Random Engine Stalls
The 2019 has racked up nine recalls in just three years, and 583 complaints. Over 86,000 Jeep Cherokees were recalled in October 2018 over incorrect transmission calibration, which could result in the car stalling, and 41,169 were recalled in June 2019 over airbags failing to deploy.
In the complaints department, more than half of the reports are filed under “engine.” Several drivers have reported the car consuming oil at a rate of around one quart per thousand miles, the engine stopping without warning, and starters going bad at under 50k miles. Car Complaints reports over 1,000 complaints for the 2019 Cherokee, with the leading issues including rough shifting, random engine stall, and excessive oil consumption, which all point to ongoing problems with the SUV’s nine-speed transmission.
Are any Jeep Cherokees Worth the Money?
It’s been a rough road for the return of the Cherokee nameplate in the U.S. market, but the 2020 and 2021 models look strong, with just four recalls and 42 complaints between both model years. That said, with all the problems Jeep have had in reintroducing the Cherokee to American buyers, it might be prudent to wait and see if those recalls and complaints pile up after another year or two on the road before making a purchase.
As an alternative to the Cherokee, you might want to consider a Jeep Compass, instead, which, like the Cherokee, combines daily-driver convenience with a Jeep feel, but at a significantly lower rate of complaints and recalls.
Photos: Stellantis
