CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2012 Grand Cherokee hasn't seen the same complaint volume as the 2011, at least not yet.

It's worth noting both model years are part of a class-action lawsuit that focuses on a defective TIPM and a long wait for replacement parts.

The 2012 also received national attention after it failed a Swedish Magazine's "moose test". The test measures a vehicle's ability to swerve out of the way of an obstacle you wouldn't want to hit while driving down the road ... like a moose.

10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
53,596 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.

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee steering problems

steering problem

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2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Owner Comments (Page 2 of 5)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #76

Jun 072019

Grand Cherokee

  • 112,000 miles

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

My vehicle has decided to start bogging around 35mph. It has continually done this for a week and has decided to start driving horrible. It does not drive like it has been. We are going to check what the problem might be Sunday (7/7/2019) and attempt to fix. My Jeep is no longer covered under warranty.

- Heidrick, KY, USA

problem #75

May 082019

Grand Cherokee

  • 55,000 miles
Engine stalls for no reason under braking and deceleration. Happens more often when braking and turning. Loss of power steering when it happens. Does not happen frequently, more often in the cold when the car has been started. Cant replicate it when car is hot. Dangerous when it has happened on exit ramps as car has to be controlled with no power steering and car has to come to a complete stop, put in park where it has always restarted. People behind me not happy when stopping on exit ramps. Have brought to dealer after it has happened and the car has not thrown any codes. There is not real pattern to this stalling, but, having to stop the car to restart it posses a danger of getting rear ended. Happens at speeds between 30 to 60. Happens most frequently in rotaries (roundabouts) when slowing down to enter.

- Smithfield, RI, USA

problem #74

May 142019

Grand Cherokee

  • 95,000 miles
Mientras guiaba normal no sucedia nada, al dar una curva cerrada SE tranc el guia inmediatamente Y le eche lquido de power steering Y nada de que SE arreglara. Leyendo un internet vi que esas guaguas tenian ese defecto Y algunos modelos tenian recall en la power steering pump pero al poner mi VIN no salio nada. Quisiera Q revisaran. Cuando le ponen la maquina para verificar no marca nada, no son los fusibles.

- MayagÜEz, PR, USA

problem #73

Apr 292018

Grand Cherokee

  • 89,130 miles

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

We loaded up to go to the desert (clear summer day with temperatures near 80 degrees Fahrenheit), stopped to get gas and ice (Jeep was running the entire time) and once we got on the way there, the battery light came on, then an odd sound was heard then whitish electrical smelling smoke started pouring out of the engine compartment, this happened within 8 - 10 seconds total). I grabbed my extinguisher and popped the hood and saw that the smoke appeared to be coming from around the alternator and steam was everywhere. I also noticed that the motor was overheated (but no temperature light and no fans were turning). We turned around and made it the 3 blocks back to the house when the Jeep died and without power steering and brakes we almost collided with a parked car. We parked it in the middle of the street to cool off and to obtain assistance to push it into my garage. It was found that my alternator had a diode that shorted to ground. Please actually read the following: There are at least 38 other complaints concerning the same chain of events on NHTSA website. Alt shorts, destroys the battery, and tipm/PCM. Fca refuses to expand 1 of 3 open recalls to include my make/model and many others. NHTSA refuses to actually hold Jeep/fca accountable. Check P60-14V634 (alternator had bad diodes and shorted to ground) expanded multiple times, T36-17V435 (alternator had bad diodes and shorted to ground)expanded multiple times, T75-17V741 (alternator had bad diodes and shorted to ground). The data in NHTSA data shows that from years 2007 to 2018, fca us, llc models badged 2012 had the highest percent of total recalls of any year owning 18% of the 24,053,941 total recalls fca family had. How does this not flag the NHTSA to fight for us? the NHTSA fined fca 120,000,000 for their addmitted unefectual recall process. I have so much more data. Sad.

- Grand Junction, CO, USA

problem #72

Apr 012019

Grand Cherokee

  • 73,000 miles
Hello, I am the original owner of a garage kept 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee overland 5.7 with 73000 miles. On 1 April 2019 the power steering rack went bad. Other Jeep have had the same problem, but no recall. The vehicle was moving and turning. This is not a good thing for such a high end Jeep product. Very costly repair. Please advise. (xxxxx) parts of this document have been redacted to protect personally identifiable information pursuant to the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

- Scarborough, ME, USA

problem #71

Mar 152019

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact heard an abnormal noise when the steering wheel was turned in either direction. The contact was concerned that the steering could seize without warning. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was not available.

- River Edge, NJ, USA

problem #70

Feb 212019

Grand Cherokee

  • 57,494 miles

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

I was advised during an oil change that power steering rack and pinion assembly needs to be replaced due to leaking fluid. The NHTSA database is filled with similar complaints about this defective part. With 10 recalls already on this vehicle, please investigate to determine whether a recall is warranted for this issue as well. Thank you.

- Orinda, CA, USA

problem #69

Jan 052019

Grand Cherokee

  • 60,000 miles
Vehicle loses all power when slowing down or stopped. Lose ability to steer. Have to restart the vehicle.

- Watertown, WI, USA

problem #68

Jan 072019

Grand Cherokee

  • 75,000 miles
The rack and pinion steering is leaking at 75,000 miles. After being qouted 2600 dollars for the fix, I did research and found that most other Jeep owners are experiencing this problem in low mileage Jeep also. Contacted Jeep with no response. The issue has been noted to cause the Jeep to become unresponsive and dangerous as steering becomes useless.

- Royse City, TX, USA

problem #67

Dec 012017

Grand Cherokee

  • 50,000 miles
Rack and pinion leaking power steering fluid in cold weather

- Fort Wainwright, AK, USA

problem #66

Dec 012018

Grand Cherokee

  • 85,000 miles

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

When slowing the vehicle it will just silently shuts off. This happens usually at the same 5 places, 3 of them when slowing to make a right hand turn in an S turn and the other 2 going straight slowing to stop to make a left turn across traffic. I feel like it's a combination of braking, steering wheel and when its shifting into 1st since I'm either in a stopping situation or S turn situation. When this happens I loose steering and brakes causing me to go into the opposite lane of travel head on. There have been recalls on the alternator for my vehicle but mine has never been included. There has been a recall for a sensor that has been completed but did not solve the problem. This is a serious issue, my chance for a head on collision is very very scary. This happens about 6-10 times a week.

- Lancaster, PA, USA

problem #65

Nov 292018

Grand Cherokee

  • 81,484 miles
4 times in the last 3 weeks, the last time just today, as I was decelerating and turning right while getting off highways onto exit ramps, the steering wheel felt like it locked - the power steering turned off, as did the power brakes - I had to coast, and the rpms showed 0, although all the lights were still on. I was forced to put the car in park - while still on the exit ramp - turn off the car and turn it on again to get it to drive normally. Which it did, as if nothing had happened. But it's unnerving and certainly unsafe, and a quick search on the internet reveals it seems to happen quite frequently to other Jeep Grand Cherokee 2012 drivers.

- Boonton, NJ, USA

problem #64

Nov 282018

Grand Cherokee

  • 12,500 miles
Rack and pinion sterling defect need to be replaced 12500 miles only on car

- Lindenhurst, NY, USA

problem #63

Sep 202018

Grand Cherokee

  • 94,000 miles
I have owned this vehicle for 3 years, and in that time it has randomly lost all power while driving 5 different times, making it hard to turn off the road. I have to pull over and restart the vehicle. There is no warning, it just dies. I am not finding a recall concerning this, but there should be. I have read several other complaints about the same issue.

- Colorado City, AZ, USA

problem #62

Aug 072018

Grand Cherokee

  • 55,490 miles
2012 Jeep has 55K miles, original owner. Took to the dealership for an oil change and a couple recalls, to be informed the steer rack is leaking, along with a bent tie rod, cost to fix is $2000.

- Springfield, IL, USA

problem #61

Jul 312018

Grand Cherokee

  • 58,000 miles
Vehicle has less than 60,000 miles and was informed that power steering resivoir is low due to a leak in the boot of the rack and pinion steering assembly. Cost of repair would be approximately $2000. This part should last much longer than 60,000 miles. Driven very lightly as only 60,000 miles in 6 years to start having such issues.

- Mondamin, IA, USA

problem #60

Jun 302018

Grand Cherokee

  • 130,000 miles
While braking to take a right turn (braking from ~40mph to 15mph) power steering was lost. Fought the car around the turn, then pressed the accelerator, nothing happened. Looked at the tachometer and it shows 0rpm, tried to brake further and now have no brakes. Coast to a stop. No warning lights showed. All electronics were functioning normally. Placed car in park then started as normal. Model year is 2012Z has 130000 miles. This has never happened before. No indication whatsoever of any problem previously

- Kennebunk, ME, USA

problem #59

May 012017

Grand Cherokee

  • 40,000 miles
Have contacted dealer numerous times to address two recalls. They state still waiting for parts. Have been waiting more than one year to have these recalls addressed.

- Thornton, CO, USA

problem #58

May 262018

Grand Cherokee

  • 128,929 miles
Vehicle randomly shuts off while driving. No indications of problem as far as warnings. Loses all engine power, power steering, power brakes. Happens when slowing. Once shifted to neutral or park, it will restart without issue. Intermittent dangerous problem. No faults active, no diagnosis to be found. Vehicle is up to date on recalls as far as we can tell. Concerns for safety are present. Vehicle currently has 128929 miles, but this has happened 3-4 times a year randomly since we purchased it at 33K in 2014.

- Breinigsville, PA, USA

problem #57

Apr 162018

Grand Cherokee

  • 46,000 miles
On April 16, 2018, I took my car into the glendale Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealership in glendale, mo, to obtain the alternator diode thermal fatigue recall replacement. During their inspection, I was notified that I also needed to replace the rack and pinion power steering module due to leaking fluid for $2300. This item is connected to the recall of the alternator diode thermal fatigue problem. In addition, I was notified by the inspector that I had to replace the right rear shocks, also due to broken seals and leaking fluid. This car obviously is experiencing systemic failures, for which Jeep should be held responsible, since the car has only been driven by myself and has only 46,000 miles on it. These core items should last at least 100,000 miles. I have found that the dealership is charging me almost twice the going rate for replacing these items, and this is quite upsetting. I have found information on the internet that there are many similar complaints about these electrical failures, and feel strongly that your organization should issue a recall re the rack and pinion power steering module as soon as possible. This is a very dangerous failure and should be Jeep's responsibility. My car has had regular service check-ups, the last one being on December 9, 2017, to obtain the brake booster water shield recall replacement - another failure. Between December 9 and April 16, the car was not driven more than a few hundred miles, and always garaged and clean. No accidents in its history. And yet, its electrical system seems to be disintegrating. I feel my life is in danger in this car, and I obviously cannot sell it without these items being fixed, harming me further financially. Please act on this complaint as soon as possible.

- Ladue, MO, USA

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