2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee Common Problems & Defect Telemetry
Authoritative defect intelligence synthesized from 364 verified NHTSA owner complaints, 6 federal safety recalls, and interquartile failure mileage telemetry.
The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee receives a 5.3/10 MazicBay Reliability Index based on 364 verified NHTSA federal complaints and 6 safety recalls. The primary reported failure mode is Engine Stalling, Oil Consumption & Cooling Defect Reports with a median failure point at 52,150 miles (IQR: 31,125 – 81,750 mi). Out-of-warranty repairs benchmark at $950 – $3,200 .
15.2 complaints / 10k sold
Verified US federal records
Crash, fire & stall audit
6 Active / Free Remedies
Top Reported Problem Clusters (7)
Engine Stalling, Oil Consumption & Cooling Defect Reports
- Engine sudden stall / hesitation while driving
- Abnormal oil burning / consumption
- Check Engine Light (MIL) flashing
- Engine overheating / coolant loss
“On November 23, 2025, I was driving approximately 60 mph in the middle lane of I-495 near Exit 62 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, with a passenger in the vehicle. I signaled to change lanes to pass a slower vehicle, selected Sport Mode, and accelerated. The engine RPM increased...”
“After purchasing the Jeep Cherokee Laredo 2017 in 2024, The jeep immediately in November/2024 started giving problems with the engine, I did report these issues to Belise Kia in West Springfield, Ma, after I dropped of the Jeep in July/2025, I was told that the jeep needed a n...”
“The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while seated inside the vehicle with his wife, the gear shifter was shifted into drive; however, while depressing the brake pedal the vehicle accelerated independently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A ...”
Transmission Hesitation, Hard Shifting & Slipping Reports
- Hard gear shifts / delayed engagement into Drive/Reverse
- Transmission shudder / jerking under acceleration
- Transmission slipping between gears
“On November 23, 2025, I was driving approximately 60 mph in the middle lane of I-495 near Exit 62 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, with a passenger in the vehicle. I signaled to change lanes to pass a slower vehicle, selected Sport Mode, and accelerated. The engine RPM increased...”
“The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while seated inside the vehicle with his wife, the gear shifter was shifted into drive; however, while depressing the brake pedal the vehicle accelerated independently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A ...”
“Q: What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? A: 1) Sudden loss of propulsion at highway speeds, with inability to accelerate despite throttle input. Regained propulsion only after shifting from Drive → Neutral → Drive. R...”
Electrical Parasitic Drain, Infotainment & Harness Reports
- Unexplained battery drain after sitting overnight
- Infotainment display / instrument cluster blackouts
- Accessory malfunction / alternator fault warnings
“After purchasing the Jeep Cherokee Laredo 2017 in 2024, The jeep immediately in November/2024 started giving problems with the engine, I did report these issues to Belise Kia in West Springfield, Ma, after I dropped of the Jeep in July/2025, I was told that the jeep needed a n...”
“The Hood Ajar message stays on and then the service auto start/stop unavailable message comes on. Hood is actually closed and this warning is incorrect but will have to stop car to try and reset it. Hood latch was replaced. First time did not fix it. Took it back and dealershi...”
“It was cold out and my sister was driving my car with the heated seats on when she started to smell fire as well as her back got really hot. She pulled over and leaned forward and discovered a flame/fire coming through the seat back. She burned my hand and had visible ash on i...”
Service Brakes, ABS Actuator & Master Cylinder Reports
- Spongy or hard brake pedal travel
- ABS / Brake warning light illuminated
- Extended stopping distance / pedal vibration
“The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while seated inside the vehicle with his wife, the gear shifter was shifted into drive; however, while depressing the brake pedal the vehicle accelerated independently. The check engine warning light was illuminated. A ...”
“Q: What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? A: 1) Sudden loss of propulsion at highway speeds, with inability to accelerate despite throttle input. Regained propulsion only after shifting from Drive → Neutral → Drive. R...”
“The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while attempting to shift into park(P) to exit the vehicle, the vehicle started moving backwards down the slanted driveway. The contact depressed the brake pedal, and the vehicle stopped. The contact then sta...”
Electric Power Steering Assist & Suspension Noise Reports
- Sudden loss of electric power steering assist
- Steering wheel pull or highway wander
- Clunking / knocking noise over bumps
“I used my cruise control on the highway and once I turned it off my Jeep began vibrating a lot. My Jeep now vibrates all of the time when I accelerate. I took it to the shop and had over $2,200 in work done and they are unable to find the specific reason that it is vibrating w...”
“On January 3, 2026, I test drove a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee (VIN ... ) from a franchised Jeep dealership in Lewiston, Idaho. After the test drive, the vehicle was placed on a lift and it was discovered that the front driver-side lower ball joint was missing a retaining bolt, a...”
“Car lost power while driving. Related to recall notice received Feb 2025 with no update still. recall 01C related to PTU power transfer unit. Recall is past due solution and available parts from Chrysler and POSES A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE!”
Airbag Occupant Detection & Inflator Defect Reports
- SRS Airbag warning lamp illuminated
- Passenger occupant classification sensor failure
- Seat belt retractor lockup
“There have been several issues that have occured over the course of the last 3-4 years . Just this winter alone , i have had my 4wd serv needed maintenance , the air conditioning doest get cold the heater doesnt heat up , i have checkee fluids && cleaned necessary components ,...”
“Active head restraint deployed unexpectedly while driving at very slow speed. In addition to the immediate shock, it hit the back of my head and neck very hard. Still experiencing neck pain.”
“We were in an accident with heavy front end and right corner panel damage and none of my airbags deployed.”
Fuel Pump Pressure Loss & Fuel Delivery Defect Reports
- Sudden loss of propulsion power at highway speeds
- Extended engine cranking / failure to restart
- Fuel odor near fuel tank / engine bay
“There have been several issues that have occured over the course of the last 3-4 years . Just this winter alone , i have had my 4wd serv needed maintenance , the air conditioning doest get cold the heater doesnt heat up , i have checkee fluids && cleaned necessary components ,...”
“The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked and turned off, the vehicle became inoperable. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start, with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dea...”
“It and it had a weird knock to the engine. Did get searched five times until it was figured out. It was the lifters and camshaft that failed at 82,000. it was fixed it did stall on the highway once before that. complete fix the water pump issue. for the fuel system the EVAP co...”
Official NHTSA Safety Recalls (6)
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING
Summary: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:EMISSION CONTROL:GAS RECIRCULATION VALVE (EGR VALVE)
Summary: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with the 3.0L EcoDiesel engines. The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler may crack and allow pre-heated vaporized coolant to enter the EGR system. This mixture may combust inside the intake manifold.
EQUIPMENT
Summary: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee manufactured August 8, 2016 through August 16, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the rear tow hook bracket or tow eye bracket may be loose.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER
Summary: Accessible Technologies, Inc. (ATI) is recalling certain ProCharger Superchargers, model numbers AB037A-100, AB037A-100P, and A037A-100B, sold for installation on 2012-2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and SRT vehicles. The supercharger mounting bracket may contact and damage the ABS line, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak.
FUEL SYSTEM, DIESEL:DELIVERY:FUEL PUMP
Summary: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 2014-2019 Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. A high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure may introduce internal debris into the fuel system, potentially resulting in fuel starvation.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
Summary: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Ram 1500 and 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 3.0L Diesel engines. The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate, causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the fuel injector pulses and cam shaft timing, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist for 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Before purchasing a used 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee, perform the following targeted inspections based on reported federal defect patterns:
Scan the OBD-II port under the dash for pending freeze-frame codes (e.g. P0300 misfires, P0087 fuel rail pressure, P0420 catalytic efficiency).
Test vehicle at low-speed stop-and-go and highway merges. Check for delayed reverse engagement or gear shift shudder between 2nd and 3rd gears.
Verify that all 6 NHTSA safety recall campaigns have been performed by an authorized dealership using the VIN.
Ensure the instrument cluster, center screen, and auxiliary charging ports operate with stable 12.0V–14.4V alternator voltage.
Defect & Reliability Q&A: 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Is the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee a reliable used car?
The 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee earns a 5.3/10 MazicBay Reliability Index based on 364 federal owner reports. Vehicles maintained under factory service schedules exhibit strong longevity past 150,000 miles.
What is the most frequent defect reported on the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The leading complaint category is Engine Stalling, Oil Consumption & Cooling Defect Reports, with a median failure point around 52,150 miles (IQR: 31,125 – 81,750 mi).
Are there free recall repairs available for the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Yes, the NHTSA records 6 safety recall campaign(s) for this model year. All safety recalls are performed 100% free of charge by authorized franchise dealerships regardless of vehicle warranty status.