CarComplaints.com Notes: There's no way around it, the Cherokee's transmission is junk. There's no other explanation for why a vehicle, usually with under 40,000 miles, would have so many complaints

9.1

really awful
Typical Repair Cost:
$3,500
Average Mileage:
30,600 miles
Total Complaints:
50 complaints

Most Common Solutions:

  1. not sure (22 reports)
  2. replaced transmission (20 reports)
  3. replace transmission (5 reports)
  4. replace valve body (3 reports)
2014 Jeep Cherokee transmission problems

transmission problem

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2014 Jeep Cherokee Owner Comments (Page 1 of 3)

problem #50

Jun 302021

Cherokee Latitude 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 74,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

So just under a year and just under 5,000 miles since it was repaired last time. The dealership is saying that the code is saying the valve body has gone bad again and that it is very unusual and are recommending a transmission replacement. I have reached out to Chrysler directly and the girl I spoke too said that I am out of luck and will have to pay out of pocket. Never again will I own another Jeep Cherokee!

- 2slowjoe, San Jose, US

problem #49

Jul 082020

Cherokee Latitude 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 69,000 miles

I was driving home and approximately about 100 miles away and the car looses power. The engine is running but transmission would not engage. I had the car towed to the dealership, They diagnosed the valve body was bad. Estimate of $3500, I complaint to Chrysler directly and they went ahead and replaced it with only 10% of the cost out of my pocket so my bill was $350.00. It took about 4 weeks to get this resolved. The dealership was great and Dan my service rep was awesome.

- 2slowjoe, San Jose, US

problem #48

Jul 212016

Cherokee Limited 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 19,866 miles

The jeep Cherokee transmission is horrible. The worst year was the 2014 (mine). This one died in the driveway and could not move the car. Check engine light came on along with service transmission. Dealer replaced transmission stating the new 2016 transmission would solve all my problems. Fast forward to May 29. 2019 car sitting in driveway will not start. Check battery, OK. Called Hill Kelly Dodge and they said to call a wrecker and have it drug down to them. Made one more attempt to start the car and it started, got the check engine light and service transmission (this is a familiar song for this car). Drove the car to Hill Kelly Dodge, they checked it out and said the program was bad and they had replaced the software program. Paid them 140.00 and left. 90 days later, August, 2019, car in driveway, go to start and nothing. Finally got it started after about 30 minutes of attempting. Again check engine light and service transmission message. Drove it to Hill Kelly Dodge. After no car or loaner for a week, serviced tech calls and says they can't find anything wrong with the car but "think" it is the control module. For only 900.00 they will replace it. I ask how they can recommend a repair for something they can't identify. He said it was the best guess they could come up with. I ask if this did not fix it would they buy the module back. He said they won't. My wife is afraid to attempt to drive the thing and refuses to even get into the car.

Not sure where to go from here. Either paint a lemon the side of and park it out in front of Hill Kelly Dodge or look for a hungry attorney. Either way this is not over. They will hear from me shortly.

- Bill B., Cantonment, FL, US

problem #47

Apr 142019

Cherokee Latitude 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 69,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Transmission died at 69,000 miles! Jeep dealer took 18 days to fix it! Ridiculous!!! As soon as my payments are done, NO MORE JEEP... :-(

- dtb176, Minneapolis, MN, US

problem #46

Nov 042018

Cherokee Limited 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 80,000 miles

Driving on 91S from VT to NYC doing 70 on Sunday night when the RPMs red-lined and the no acceleration. Had car towed with wife & dog to Hartford.

Diagnosed as Power Transfer Unit. This is at least the 5th time we've had issues with the transmission.

Will never buy a Jeep again.

- Michael P., Gaysville, VT, US

problem #45

Sep 112018

Cherokee Trailhawk 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62,000 miles

2014 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk, 4 years of ownership and the transmission died. Fortunately I am covered under the drive-train warranty. Hopefully it won't die again in another 4 years...

- Colby H., Portsmouth, VA, US

problem #44

Jun 152018

Cherokee 2.4L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 45,000 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I had this Jeep Cherokee for 2 years. I took it in for transmission problems and the park brake would turn on by itself. They did two computer upgrades, each time they said that should fix the problem. Because the first one did not take....It's like the Jeep Company is just waiting until your warranty runs out or someone or someone's family dies in a highway accident because it will turn off on you at any given time.

- birdfeather1960mr, San Antonio, US

problem #43

Feb 032017

Cherokee Trailhawk V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 30,485 miles

Yet again transmission fails while driving, again.

- Rich P., Surrey, ND, US

problem #42

Aug 242017

Cherokee Sport

  • Automatic transmission
  • 55,700 miles

Currently waiting on the dealership to let me know for sure, but I already know this is the same issue as before. Again, hard shifting but it also became stuck in neutral this time. Several warning lights came on. Luckily was in the parking lot at work and not driving. I can't keep a car that will continually need to have the transmission fixed/replaced. Not sure if I should try getting a newer one since I loved the vehicle or just give up on Jeep all together after this. Certainly puts the wallet in a bind when you start thinking of trade in values and trying to keep within a certain budget. But this is twice now in under 60,000 miles. I can't push this to the 100,000 on the powertrain and hope I don't end up having to pay for more replacements. I know others have had all of these issues. Chrysler needs to step in and start with some buy back programs or something at this point.

- Christy H., Charlotte, NC, US

problem #41

May 162016

Cherokee Sport

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

While driving down the road, the car lost power and the parking brake light came on as well as service engine, etc. Pulled off the road and when I shifted to park the whole car jerked with the shift and it sounded terrible. Ended up needing to get the engine replaced.

- Christy H., Charlotte, NC, US

problem #40

Jul 272017

Cherokee Limited 3.2L

  • Automatic transmission
  • 36,750 miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Purchased used with 36,000 mi. On 20th day of ownership, experienced the feeling of being hit from behind while approaching driveway at low speed. That evening felt same "rear-ended" feeling while sitting still in drive-thru. The car lurched forward so suddenly that had I not had my foot firmly on the brake, we would have hit vehicle in front of us. Simultaneous to "lurch" forward, the car died like the feeling of "popping clutch on manual transmission". Drove home and engine died again at about 5 mph after right turn. Restarted & continued onto street and into driveway. Next morning on my way to work, it felt like it wanted to die and was struggling with gears. I pulled into my parking place and my boss happened to be standing there next to his car. As he stood next to the car while I was in it, it lurched forward again and died. Needless to say he was startled, and again, had I not had my foot firmly on the brake, I could have hit him as well as the brick wall in front of the car. So I started the car again and it died again while in "P". Not cool, headed to service department. I started it AGAIN, and as I started to pull out of the driveway onto a very busy street, the car hesitated (what seemed like a couple of seconds) before it would cross the 2 lanes of oncoming traffic going 40-50 mph. Um, yeah. Scary. A mile or so down the road, it decided to shut down again, this time in the middle of a 3-lane road going about 30 mph and I was almost rear-ended! I restarted and proceeded to service department - no diagnosis there after them keeping the car for 4 days. They sent to Jeep dealer, where it still sits today, waiting for it to act-up and get a diagnosis so it can be "fixed". Jeep has had it 15 days and still no answers.

I had the car 20 days, and the dealer(s) have had it a total of 18. This car is a tragedy waiting to happen....

- Amy S., Arlington, US

problem #39

Mar 312017

Cherokee

  • Manual transmission
  • 50,000 miles

My complaint is, although the transmission failed and is covered by warranty, Chrysler is taking their time about replacing the transmission, which at their own admission needs to be replaced. The vehicle broke down end of March and I am being told the transmission is on BACK ORDER and will be SHIPPED the end of April. That means I will have been without a vehicle for 4 - 8 weeks depending on how long it takes them to get the transmission to the dealer and for the dealer to replace it. They will not honor a rental car, which to me is ridiculous. How can you expect anyone to be without a vehicle for up to 2 months. I do not have access to another vehicle and I rented a car under the impression (my husband called and was told to send the bill for the rental car they would take care of it but it could take up to 30 days) for 2 weeks at which time, I was getting concerned about the time frame.

At this time I was then informed they would NOT cover the rental as they did not authorize it. Apparently my husband did not talk to the correct person who told him they would cover it. My husband is currently living in Minnesota until our house sells and I am living in Oregon, where I had the jeep. I have no way of getting around and not only am I very upset that the transmission failed so soon, I am more upset that they refuse to pay for a rental car.

- Linda M., Salem, OR, US

problem #38

Aug 052016

Cherokee Sport 2.4L 4 cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,900 miles

I was driving through my neighborhood at around 10-15 mph when my transmission slipped out of gear and stopped abrubtly because the parking brake or gear was engaged. The dashboard lit up like Vegas, both an engine light and service transmission warnings popped up. My dashboard said to put the car in "park" and then desired gear but my car wouldn't shift. Thinking I was stranded I turned off the car, I restarted it and was able to shift into drive but this time it made a loud clicking sound and was not smooth at all. A transmission shop is located just a few yards from my neighborhoods entrance so I left it there to be looked at. They had it for a few days and said they couldn't find a problem and recommended i take it to the Jeep dealership to have my software updated. The car drove fine again for a few days then did it again. It is currently at the Jeep dealership today will be its second day there, fourth total in the last two weeks.

- joseut, Taylorsville, UT, US

problem #37

Aug 282016

Cherokee Limited 3.2V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 21,127 miles

service transmission code on. could not climb hills on a major Hwy. park brake code comes on, does not shift properly. accelerates as i am steping on the brakes

- Victor B., Edmonton, AB, Canada

problem #36

Feb 042017

Cherokee LATITUDE 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 75,500 miles

When I was driving on the highway, the engine died and service transmission light came on, was able to pull to the side. When I was pulled onto the break down lane shifted into park and tried to restart the Jeep. It started back up and went to shift into drive and transmission made a loud clunk sound put back into park and got same loud clunk. Shifted again to try and get off the highway and when I started to drive it seemed like I was in a mid range gear, but was able to drive to a rest area about a mile down the road.

When I got to the rest area shifted into park and let the car sit off for about 30 min. started Jeep up again and the transmission service light was gone and the service engine light was on. I shifted into drive no clunk, was able to drive with normal shifting of the transmission.

I called the dealer they had no idea what was wrong and never heard of the issue, and said they could not check the transmission because the service light was no longer on so they could not check the codes. I have driven a little over 1000 miles after this incident with no other issues. The transmission was checked and updated through the Jeep dealer about 500 miles prior to this incident.

- Greg T., Middletown, CT, US

problem #35

Dec 112014

Cherokee Latitude 3.2L V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 7,000 miles

It is not even a year old and I drove less than 7K miles. I am shattered and scared. New transmission may not adjust well and I may get all sorts of problems because of new transmission. New transmission may fail again. How can I drive this with a peace of mind now?

Update from Feb 12, 2017: It was not even a year old and I drove less than 7K miles. Transmission died and replaced. I am shattered and scared. New transmission may not adjust well and I may get all sorts of problems because of new transmission. New transmission may fail again. How can I drive this with a peace of mind now?

- peacemaker, New York City, NY, US

problem #34

Jun 282016

Cherokee Trailhawk V6

  • Automatic transmission
  • 50,000 miles

Within first 8 months of ownership, on a brand new Cherokee, I had to have the transmission totally replaced.

- Erin B., Washington, PA, US

problem #33

Sep 062016

Cherokee Limited

  • Automatic transmission
  • 45,908 miles

Transmission went out in rush hour traffic, left me stranded on a freeway. The car has always had transmission issues.

- regan80, Pearland, TX, US

problem #32

Dec 182016

Cherokee

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles

Just bought the car three weeks ago. Ran fine, granted it shifted a little rough, until yesterday. Went to get gas, ran fine. Filled up and went to leave and car completely stalled at the stop sign. Luckily no one was behind me and I wasn't in the middle of turning. Then this morning, it happened again as we were leaving for work. Luckily we were only in our driveway as our 3 year old and 8 month old were in the car. We are towing it to the dealer tomorrow, but we will see what they even do... Really sucks because I do like this car a lot.

- Tasha D., Hawthorne, FL, US

problem #31

Sep 232016

Cherokee Limited 4 Cyclinder

  • Automatic transmission
  • 36,000 miles

Overall just a big headache still owing on a vehicle that you can't drive because you're afraid of

1.) being killed because of it

2.) because you'll be stranded

- Maria L., Pearland, TX, US

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