CarComplaints.com Notes: Whenever a new product is introduced, there's bound to be some problems. And man oh man, does the 2006 Commander have some problems.
It's the plight of the 1st-generation adopter: you get the newest and shiniest in exchange for a handful of issues that get ironed out in future versions. But what happens when that handful of issues becomes a bucketload? The 2006 Commander has quality control issues like the door handles breaking off and the sunroof leaking. But what's truly worrisome is the electrical problems like the vehicle shutting down unexpectedly, gauges going crazy or the cruise control having a mind of its own.
Bottom line: if you want a Jeep Commander, you're better off looking at a later model year.
10.0
really awful
Crashes / Fires:
21 / 8
Injuries / Deaths:
10 / 0
Average Mileage:
57,991 miles
About These NHTSA Complaints:
This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.
So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.
Information redacted pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6) 2006 Jeep Commander limited V8 hemi, Jeep stalls on highway any speeds, it locks up and shuts down. After I pull over its starts up again. The Jeep has stalled many times more than 20 since I owned it. I have had the cam and crankshaft sensors replaced also a new starter. The check engine light comes on and still say the cam or crank sensors the problem I spending way to much money getting the Jeep put on a diagnostic machine and coming up with the same problem. The Jeep is very unsafe. [xxx]
My car has had serious issues since buying it. Now I have a serious electrical problem that the dealer can not diagnose. That has been the case from day one of buying the car. I am fearing a electrical fire and the dealer has thrown up their hands and don't know what is causing the issue. Chrysler has never helped me with this auto but was going to declare it at one point a lemon but wanted to charge me a out rageous usage fee right after purchasing the car. I have a file at the Jeep dealer larger then any file ever on a car there. My Jeep always have has problems has had serious problems from day one and they can never figure out why. It use to stall when driving and any speed. I would lose all power and it was a serious problem. My family and I could have been killed in the car. It took them a year and half to find and fix that problem. Now they can find this problem and we fear a serious fire in the car. Please help us.
I filed a complaint about 2 weeks ago about an ongoing problem that I've been having with my 2006 Jeep Commander since January 2009. I am going to be killed in this vehicle which seems to have an electrical problem. The headlights flash on and off which in an age of road rage could get me killed if someone thinks I'm willfully flashing them. All the instrument panel gauges go on and off, the radio and climate control system go on and off; did I forget to say randomly. This is a dangerous situation that Chrysler needs to take care of. I've taken it to the dealer but they tell me there's nothing wrong with it. In the past they charged me for the evaluation, now I refuse to keep paying them and have them say "sorry can't find anything on the computer." Someone will be liable for the people who will be killed or seriously injured by this defected vehicle. On 12/24/09 on my way home from work it flashed the people before me, I got concerned and switched lanes on the highway; every time I switched lanes they switched before me. I believe they thought I was purposefully flashing them. This is very frustrating. Something needs to be done immediately before people are hurt.
Headlights and interior lights shut off while driving at night at highway speed, but the radio remained on and the engine was also working. All the lights on the instrument panel flipped on and then off with the exception of the base esp and the traction control lights, they stayed on. Power steering and power brakes were working and if it had not been dark out, could have drove home. The vehicle did come back to normal working order within a few seconds. This record of events happened 3 times within a few minutes at 10 pm and was very scary. I brought the vehicle to the Jeep dealership and they replaced the power junction block. They said there were multiple codes they found in the system but the fault that leaped out to them was U0200.
My 2006 Jeep Commander seems to have electrical or computer problems, I'm not certain which. Since January 2009 I've had several instances when all the instrument panel lights, the heat, and radio flash on and off while I am driving and all the gauges fluctuate; during this time there is also a clicking sound. I've taken it back to the dealer several times and paid $100 to have their computer evaluate the problem but they found no problems. Recently, on 12/11/09 when the flashing was constant for over 5 miles of driving, I brought it straight to the dealer for an immediate evaluation. I asked if others reported similar problems I was told "no", so I was very surprised to see the number of individuals in your database with similar problems over the past 2 years. The service managers always want me to pay for additional evaluations but I believe this is a defect that needs to be addressed by the manufacturers. When the problem began I only had 55,250 miles on the truck. Currently the problem has gotten worst because it is more frequent and last longer. The dealer has a huge turnover of service managers and mechanics so each time I have to explain in detail what the problem is because the service managers pretend I'm the only one who ever complained about such a problem. I fear that the truck will stall in traffic and kill me or an innocent driver. The problem is I have no other means of transportation and I'm still paying for this truck. What can I do about this problem without resorting to discontinue paying for the defected vehicle? the dealer/service managers report no problems including battery, alternator, and computer working properly so currently I feel stuck and afraid of the ramifications of this defected vehicle.
- Edison, NJ, USA
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Driving my 2006 Jeep Commander on 635E in dallas, tx, the car just died going 70 mph with 6 lanes of traffic, and I was in the lane next to the hov lane and it had not shoulder, just a concrete wall. Rather that cross 4 lanes of heavy fast traffic with no acceleration in the car, I went into the hov lane which had less traffic and got rear ended but was not a serious wreck as it well could have been. I put my car in park and started it and took the next exit and reported the accident to the police. When I got home I looked up recalls for my Jeep and found the V8 engine had a recall on the front control module since the car would stall on the highway. My car is a V6. I took it to the dealership and they could not find anything wrong. I called Jeep and they said I should take it to another dealership 50 miles away to "see another doctor to find the problem" in the meantime I have to fix the damage from the rear end collision and thank my luck stars I am still alive to fix it. Your campaign number for the recall I referred to is: 08V059000.
The contact owns a 2006 Jeep Commander. She stated that while driving between 60 and 75 mph the vehicle stalled and the check engine light illuminated intermittently. She was able to shut the engine off, restart it, and continue driving normally. The dealer stated that they were not familiar with this type of failure and that there were no existing recalls. They also advised her to have the vehicle inspected; however, she chose not to since there was a fee. The computer indicated that the control module caused the failure to occur. NHTSA campaign 08V059000, electrical system is also related to the failure. The failure mileage was 80000 and current mileage was 82000.
Have a 2006 Jeep Commander. Lights have been flickering and car has not wanted to start. Found that battery was not holding charge and replaced. Now we drive at speed and the engine begins to race while not increasing speed. Have taken to dealer in cincinnati, northgate and they reset computer but before we could leave the bay area it started making a grinding noise and the check engine light is back on. They say the are going to have the transmission guy look at it and get back to us. I read hundreds of complaints on your site and the majority of them are describing problems that are very similar over the last 3 years. Don't you have enough complaints on this that Chrysler should be doing a recall? after all the government is now deeply invested in Chrysler.
I bought a Jeep comander in may of 2008, two days later I had to have what was supposed to be a really great new car towed on a rollback to the dealer I had just gotten it from. Im driving down the road and it starts making a terrible noise and then it will not turn and just dies in the middle of the road. Right in the middle of an intersection with traffic coming at me. Since then the same thing happened again as I was driving down the interstate with my children in the car and traffic all around.I drove it straight to the dealership, and also had them tell me it was the driver of the vehicle. I got a rental and they called the next day to say they could find anything wrong with the car. During the winter my car decided to get a mind of its own and when you would turn the heat on you had to have it on high or it wouldn't do anything, but if you drove around a curve to the right it would cut off, if you went around a curve to the left it would cut back on. A couple months later it was time to get brakes and have rotors turned. I also had the stereo worked on because I guess it took lessons from my heater, and would change stations or not turn at all.it still doesn't work right at this point I've kind of given up on it.but then the window S started not going up all the way theywould go halfway up then go back down in the door. I have just taken my car on Friday to get new tires, Monday for an alignment, where I was told they couldn't do one because my tierod had to much play in it and was a safety concern. My dealership no longer has their license so I had my car taken to the closest Jeep place and my warranty couldn't be found and I basically stood on the street to wait for a ride as they closed for the night. But then when I got to talk to them again I needed new brakes and rotors all the way around at a grand total of $600.
During regular drive of the car, I experienced major electrical shut down. It does not happen very often. I noticed that is happening in summer time more often than in winter time. I noticed it for a first time 2 years ago and reported to local service dealer. They told me to keep an eye on it and to tell them if I notice any trend. Except for summer/winter, I couldn't notice any other trend. Last summer it was happening quite often and after bringing it to the service, they couldn't find cause of the problem. I think they performed some recall firmware update (08V-203 I think) but I still have same electrical problem. I don't have engine stall however. Last night (July 3rd 2009) it happen to me for the first time during night and I just realized how serious safety issue it actually is. While driving home with my family, everything in the car (headlights, ac, stereo (except lcd display) all lights on the dashboard (except P R N D gear indication)) went off for a few seconds and came back on. It happened 15-20 times in 30 minutes time frame. At one point after ~10th interruption, check engine light came on (error code U1411). So, all lights disappeared while driving at night putting me and my family at risk of an serious accident. I don't have confidence in this car any more unless there is a permanent fix for this problem.
The contact owns a 2006 Jeep Commander. The contact experienced a no start condition when attempting to start the vehicle. In addition, the vehicle stalls without warning. She is in the process of having the vehicle inspected to determine the cause of the failures. The failure and current mileages were 44,000. Updated 7/23/09 the consumer stated on several occasions when she applied the brake, the vehicle acted as though it didn't want to stop. Also there were times when the engine would not start and the lights would flicker on and off and all of the gauges would act erratic. The sunroof drain tube was blocked, which was causing water to enter the vehicle. Updated 07/30/09.
Jeep Commander was turning into parking lot and had a slow speed stall. Vehicle started again with no problems. Vehicle has the 4.7L V8. Vehicle is now at dealers car care center for evaluation. Vehicle was repaired for same problem back in Jan of 2008. PCM (power control module) was reprogrammed at that time.
The contact owns a 2006 Jeep Commander. While driving approximately 45 mph, the contact heard a loud noise when the brake pedal was depressed, followed by no response. The contact made several attempts before the vehicle came to a complete stop. Immediately, the warning indicators illuminated on the instrument panel. The speedometer and numerous instrument panel gauges stopped working. The vehicle stalled unexpectedly and the warning indicators remained illuminated until the engine was turned off. The vehicle restarted and was able to resume normal operation. The contact took the vehicle to an authorized dealer for diagnostic testing, but they could not duplicate the failures. They suggested that the ignition could be the cause of the failures. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer and an independent mechanic for identical failures, but there were no resolutions. The failure mileage was 30,010 and current mileage was 92,000.
I have a 2006 Jeep Commander. I purchased the vehicle new in January 2006. When I drive then engine will stall - usually when making a sharp right turn. Also, all of the lights will go off and then come back on in the area where the speedometer is. Being as this is electrical fault, I am afraid my car will catch on fire.
The contact owns a 2006 Jeep Commander. In may of 2006, the contact began experiencing issues with the transmission and electrical system in his vehicle. The vehicle would not change gears and the instrument panel lights were constantly illuminated. He took the vehicle to the dealer three times and they reprogrammed the computer, which allowed the vehicle to perform normally for a while. On April 25, 2008, the vehicle shut off and remained locked in third gear while driving 10 mph. The contact was able to drive the vehicle to his residence. The dealer stated that there was no recall. Previously, the contact took the vehicle to a repair shop to be diagnosed and was informed that the control module failed; however, the dealer continues to state that there is no failure. The failure mileage was 18,166 and current mileage was 85,000.
Bought vehicle 3/31/06 new now has 60,000 miles. The vehicle has had numerous instances with stalling while driving. All the instrument panel lights will light up and headlights will switch on/off to high beams on their own. Will lose powersteering and there seems to be a change in acceleration. On March 20th I was traveling at approx 30 miles per hour and lost power but the instrument panel lights did not go off as usual. I pulled off the road and parked vehicle. Had my step-father come to assist and he stated there car didn't seem to want to go gear properly, assumed this was due to the prior "electrical" problems and drove Commander to dealership approx. 1 mile away. Was told there was a plug in the transmission leaking where the electrical wires enter, cost to repair $430. After completing those repairs was told the transmission is destroyed and needs replaced at $3500. Chrysler is not offering any assistance to an obvious manufacturer issue. Stated I knowingly drove a vehicle with low transmission fluid and am negligent.
The problem started today out of the blue on a cold wet day. I drove home from work at 7am in the rain and parked. At 2pm I tried to start the vehicle and it wouldn't start. It would just stall. After several attempts at starting it, it would just stall. Then it wouldn't start at all so I let it sit for a while. When I went to start it again, it would start but all the lights were flashing, the radio was going on and off, the windshield wipers would go and stop. I rented a code reader that read U1411, no connection to the problem so I cleared the code and it fixed the problem for about an hour. Now it doesn't fix it. Jeep says they don't know unless I take it in for a diagnostic. But I looked online and found lots and lots of Jeep owners having the exact same complaint. All of their complaints started the same way, in the rain and without warning and they were all fixed the same way, replacing the ignition switch. It appears to me that there is a problem but Jeep isn't addressing the problem. I don't think I should have to go pay them to diagnose and fix a problem that they already know about, but won't admit!
The contact owns a 2006 Jeep Commander. When the contact attempted to start the vehicle, it began vibrating and making a loud grinding noise. The vehicle failed to start. Once it finally restarted, all of the electrical components failed. The vehicle accelerated automatically and crashed into a pole. The contact was uninjured. The vehicle was unable to be driven away from the scene and was towed to the dealer. The dealer stated that the entire computer system failed, including the clock, heating and cooling system, speedometer, and all other electrical components of the vehicle. On a separate occasion, the emissions warning indicator illuminated. The dealer stated that they did not know why the emissions indicator illuminated and they replaced the ignition switch. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was 19,000 and current mileage was 27,500.
2006 Jeep Commander with 5.7L hemi stalls while driving at all levels of speed without warning. All power is lost, and I had two instances of this occur within one week while making a left turn. Three visits to the dealer via tow truck in two weeks and after I was told it was done yesterday, six miles into my ride home, it happened again. This is a life threatening situation. Build date is 5/06. All tsbs have been applied to no avail. Need help!!
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
- Columbia, MO, USA