Jeep Grand Cherokee problems, reliability and years to avoid
If you are considering buying a used Jeep Grand Cherokee, these are the common problems worth knowing about first. Our garage database tracks 4 known faults for this model, 1 of them rated high severity. Every one below is a repair bill a seller has good reason not to mention.
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Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee reliable?
The Jeep Grand Cherokee has 4 known faults in our database across 2 generations, 1 of them rated high severity. The most serious are gearbox (the Chrysler automatic (type 42RE) is sensitive to fluid quality and change frequency) and electrics (the 2011-on Grand Cherokee has a run of electrical trouble centred on the battery going). None of them makes the car a bad buy on its own; the risk is a seller who knows and says nothing.
That is a count of the faults we hold, not a reliability score. Popular cars get written about more, and a newer generation has had less time to show its faults.
Which Jeep Grand Cherokee years should you avoid?
No year is a write-off on its own. What matters is which serious faults a given year and engine can have, and whether the car in front of you has had them fixed.
WJ, 1999 to 20051 high severity
3 known faults, the serious ones in the gearbox
WK2, 2011 to 2020
1 known fault, none rated high severity
Years and engines with a serious known fault
1999 to 2005, Chrysler automatic gearboxes (the archive names the four-speed 42RE): the Chrysler automatic (type 42RE) is sensitive to fluid quality
Each one is set out in full below, with the symptoms, the typical mileage and a rough repair cost.
Generation 1 of 23 known faults · 4 owner reports · 1 good note
Jeep Grand Cherokee WJ (1999 to 2005) problems
OtherMedium severity📝 Editorial
There was a spate of air conditioning evaporator failures at two to four years old, a £1,000 job to put right, and the plastic flaps that let warm air into the cabin from the heater matrix also fail, a £100 part behind as much as eight hours of dismantling. Severe heating and ventilation problems that are hard to cure were described as very common.
Rough guide
£500-1200
Typical symptoms
air conditioning not blowing cold or needing frequent recharges
no heat, or heat only on one side
clicking from behind the dashboard as the flaps try to move
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All
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Transmission/ClutchHigh severity📝 Editorial
The Chrysler automatic (type 42RE) is sensitive to fluid quality and change frequency and is fragile if not run on the recommended, more expensive fluid; a 2001 Chrysler technical bulletin changed the factory fill for all its automatics to ATF+4. Delayed engagement, flare between changes and a whine like a milk float point to trouble. A 2002 car's gearbox bushes broke down at 90,000 miles and the metal particles ruined the gears, needing a £1,500 reconditioned box.
Rough guide
£1500-2500
Typical symptoms
delay before a gear engages after selecting Drive or Reverse
engine revving between changes (flare)
excessive whine from the gearbox
Affected vehicles
Engines:
Chrysler automatic gearboxes (the archive names the four-speed 42RE)
Typical mileage:
80000-120000 miles
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Transmission/ClutchMedium severity📝 Editorial
On 1999 to 2005 Grand Cherokee automatics, failure of the transmission control module, a separate unit from the engine's, is not unusual. It shows as no overdrive fourth gear and the car moving off in second instead of first. The overdrive lamp ought to switch off once its start-up self-check finishes.
Typical symptoms
No overdrive fourth gear
Pulling away in second gear
Overdrive lamp staying lit after start-up
Affected vehicles
Engines:
Automatic gearbox
Typical mileage:
unknown miles
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What owners report on the WJ
4 single reports, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Bodywork · November 2014A 2005 Grand Cherokee Sport was subject to a UK recall for a fuel tank rupture risk if rear-ended, requiring inspection for a cross-car beam.
Electrics · February 2014Tyre Pressure Monitoring Valves on this model are very susceptible to corrosion, with replacement of the entire system recommended.
Engine · October 2013A 2006 Grand Cherokee 3.0 V6 diesel stopped suddenly at 56,000 miles with the oil light on, but dealer diagnostics found no issue.
Gearbox and clutch · January 2012A 2002 Grand Cherokee automatic gearbox failed at 90,000 miles due to brass bushes breaking down, requiring a recon unit costing £1,500.
What owners like about the WJ
1 note
The Grand Cherokee achieved a good four-star NCAP crash safety rating, with three stars awarded for child occupant protection.
Generation 2 of 21 known fault · 6 owner reports · 2 good notes
Jeep Grand Cherokee WK2 (2011 to 2020) problems
ElectricalMedium severity💬 5 owner reports, 2013 to 2020
The 2011-on Grand Cherokee has a run of electrical trouble centred on the battery going flat and the wiring: early cars had electric windows failing and the battery continually going flat, a 2011 Overland had numerous starter motor and battery drain problems, a used 2013 car went back to the dealer seven times for wiring loom problems, a 2015 3.0 V6 discharged its battery to 4.5 volts at 14,678 miles in daily use with no explanation from the dealer, and a 2013 V6 diesel lost a second alternator two years after the first, with the dealer refusing to contribute.
Rough guide
£300-1500
Typical symptoms
battery flat after standing a day or two
electric windows or other systems failing at random
warning lights with no obvious cause
starter motor struggling or failing
Affected vehicles
Engines:
All; most reports on the 3.0 V6 diesel
Typical mileage:
10000-60000 miles
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What owners report on the WK2
6 single reports, unconfirmed
One owner each, in their own words rewritten as a line, and not counted in our risk scoring. A fault joins the list above once a second report or an editorial source backs it.
Electrics · July 2020A 2013 Grand Cherokee V6 diesel experienced alternator failure for the second time in two years, with the dealer refusing contribution.
Fuel system · December 2019A 2012 Grand Cherokee's fuel injection pump failed, sending metal shards into the injectors and damaging four beyond repair.
Electrics · March 2017Problems were reported with the Uconnect infotainment system on a new Grand Cherokee, including voice command and traffic management issues.
Brakes · August 2016After a two-year service and brake fluid change on a 2014 Grand Cherokee, the brake pedal felt spongy, requiring multiple re-bleeds.
Electrics · October 2014A 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee experienced wiring loom issues, requiring seven visits to dealers for repairs.
Bodywork · July 2013A 2011 Grand Cherokee owner faced a two-month wait for a rear window due to parts shortages following the 2013 facelift.
What owners like about the WK2
2 notes
The 2013 facelift significantly improved the Grand Cherokee, making it feel almost like a new model.
The Grand Cherokee offers ample interior space, featuring a large boot and generous room for rear passengers.
Sellers rarely admit these faults outright
We track 11 specific phrases sellers use in adverts to soft-pedal these exact issues. Paste any Jeep Grand Cherokee advert and we check it in seconds.
Repair costs are typical UK ranges, not quotes. Actual cost depends on condition and garage.Data last verified: November 2026
Jeep Grand Cherokee buying questions
What are the most common Jeep Grand Cherokee problems?
Three stand out. Gearbox: the Chrysler automatic (type 42RE) is sensitive to fluid quality and change frequency (typically 80000 to 120000 miles). Electrics: the 2011-on Grand Cherokee has a run of electrical trouble centred on the battery going flat (typically 10000 to 60000 miles). Gearbox: on 1999 to 2005 Grand Cherokee automatics, failure of the transmission control module. The full list above is grouped by generation, with typical mileage and a rough repair cost for each.
Which Jeep Grand Cherokee years should I avoid?
No Jeep Grand Cherokee year is a write-off, but the WJ (1999 to 2005) carries the most serious faults: gearbox. The WK2 (2011 to 2020) has none rated high severity. Year matters less than whether the specific car has had the known fixes, so check the history for them.
What should I check when viewing a used Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Ask the seller about the gearbox and electrics faults on this page and whether they have been fixed, with invoices. On the test drive watch for delay before a gear engages after selecting Drive or Reverse, battery flat after standing a day or two and no overdrive fourth gear. Read the MOT history for repeat advisories, then paste the advert into the free check, which reads it against all 4 known faults before you travel. Check a Jeep Grand Cherokee advert →
What is the real MPG of a Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Owners report 25.9 mpg on average across the Jeep Grand Cherokee engines with data, about 85% of the official combined figure. The gap between official and real-world economy varies a lot by engine, so the Real MPG page lists every engine and generation separately, from 208 owner submissions. Jeep Grand Cherokee Real MPG by engine →
Where this Jeep Grand Cherokee fault data comes from
If you used to check the Honest John “Good & Bad” section before the site closed in 2026, this page is where that information now lives. We rebuilt the Jeep Grand Cherokee owner-report history from the archived Honest John dataset, added our own research, specialist and owner-club sources and DVSA recall data, and we keep it free. Each fault above is badged with its source. The same data feeds our free advert check, which reads a listing against every known fault for the exact engine and year.
Knowing what a Jeep Grand Cherokee goes wrong with is half of it. The rest is reading the advert and checking the car's history before you hand any money over.