Jeep Grand Cherokee: common faults & what to check

Can't confirm for this car

The VM Motori 3.0 V6 diesel sold in NZ/AU WK2s (related to the US 'EcoDiesel') is torquey and economical but carries known risks: EGR coolers clog and crack (there was a US recall for EGR cooler fire risk), turbochargers fail from oil contamination, and a small but well-documented number of engines suffer main/rod bearing failure that writes off the block. Oil condition and interval discipline is everything on this engine. The ZF 8-speed behind it is excellent - the risk is the engine, not the transmission.

Where to look: EGR cooler and turbo at the rear/top of the engine; bottom end within the block

Parts involved: EGR valve, Turbocharger.

Can't confirm for this car

The 5.7 HEMI in WH Grand Cherokees can suffer hydraulic roller lifter failure - a roller stops turning, chews the camshaft lobe, and what starts as a tick becomes an engine-out camshaft and lifter replacement. The MDS cylinder-deactivation lifters are the usual culprits and the failure is well documented across HEMI platforms of this era. A persistent tick that does not fade when warm should be treated as a lifter until proven otherwise, and a compression/listening check by a V8-familiar workshop is worth the fee.

Where to look: Valvetrain under the rocker covers, top of the V8

Can't confirm for this car

The 3.0L VM Motori EcoDiesel V6 in WK2 Grand Cherokees was subject to a US EPA and CARB emissions defeat device investigation and subsequent recall (FCA agreed to a consent decree in 2019). The recall involved EGR software updates and in some cases diesel particulate filter replacements. Separately, the engine has a documented history of injector tip cracking at high mileage, causing rough running and potential hydraulic lock if fuel accumulates in a cylinder. Pre-recall vehicles are a compliance and reliability concern.

Example of the part — not this vehicle

Where to look: Engine, cylinder head, fuel injectors (V6 diesel)

Parts involved: Fuel injector.

Can't confirm for this car

Unconfirmed. This entry does not match our record of which engines and years this model was sold with, and is awaiting review. Confirm it against the car before acting on it.

The 4.0 straight-six fitted to WJ Grand Cherokees of this period uses a cylinder head with casting number 0331, and a large batch of those heads was cast in poor-quality iron with too little metal in the wall between the number 3 and number 4 valve springs. Under normal heat cycling that wall splits, and coolant weeps into the engine. The tell-tale is unexplained coolant loss with no puddle on the ground and no visible hose leak — the coolant is going into the engine, not out of it. Left alone it dilutes the oil, drops oil pressure and takes the bearings with it, so an owner who tops the header tank up every few weeks and thinks nothing of it is describing an engine on its way out. Jeep changed to a Brazilian 'TUPY' casting from about 2002 which largely cured it, so later cars are safer but not automatically clear.

Example of the part — not this vehicle

Where to look: Top of the engine — cylinder head, between the number 3 and number 4 valve springs under the rocker cover

Parts involved: Cylinder head.

Can't confirm for this car

The 2014 and 2015 WK2 Grand Cherokee, with any engine, has a spring-loaded electronic gear lever that returns to centre after each shift, and drivers could think the car was in Park when it was not. It was recalled twice in Australia (PRA 2016/15391 and PRA 2016/15557): the fix is a software update that puts the car in Park automatically if the driver door opens with the engine running. Without it the car can roll away. The repair is free at a Jeep dealer.

Where to look: Centre console gear lever and transmission control software

Can't confirm for this car

The ZF 8HP45 and 8HP70 eight-speed automatics in WK2 Grand Cherokees rely on a bank of pressure-regulating solenoids inside the valve body to control clutch pack fill pressures and shift timing. Fine metallic wear debris from clutch friction material accumulates in the transmission fluid over time, eroding the precision-machined solenoid bores and causing pressure bleed-past. FCA specifies the ZF 8HP as a lifetime-fill unit requiring no fluid change, but in practice the fluid becomes saturated with wear particles and loses its friction-modifying properties well before 150,000 km. Worn solenoids produce inconsistent clutch engagement pressures, causing gear flare on upshifts, delayed range selection, and slip under load. In severe cases the TCM sets fault codes and the transmission enters a limp-home mode.

Where to look: Transmission tunnel, ZF 8HP valve body and solenoid pack inside the transmission sump

Parts involved: Mechatronic / valve body.

Can't confirm for this car

Early Pentastar 3.6 V6s had a rash of left-bank cylinder head failures - typically a burnt valve on cylinder 2 causing a persistent misfire - and Chrysler extended the head warranty on 2011-2013 engines to 10 years/150,000 miles, a program that has now expired. 2014-on engines still show occasional rocker/lifter failures producing a loud tick and misfire. It presents as a check engine light with a single-cylinder misfire code, and the fix is a replacement head or rocker assemblies. Otherwise the Pentastar is a solid unit.

Example of the part — not this vehicle

Where to look: Cylinder heads, top of the V6 engine

Parts involved: Cylinder head.

Can't confirm for this car

NZ-market WL Grand Cherokees are predominantly the 4xe plug-in hybrid (2.0 turbo four plus electric motor), and early owners report hybrid-system warning lights, occasional failure to charge, harsh engine-to-electric transitions and 12V battery drain issues - largely addressed through successive software updates. Globally the 4xe system has also seen recalls on related Stellantis platforms for shutdown risk. The powertrain is complex; buy on a dealer health check of the hybrid battery and confirmation all software campaigns are applied.

Where to look: Traction battery under the floor; charge port left rear; hybrid control electronics

Parts involved: Turbocharger.

Can't confirm for this car

Early 3.6 Pentastar V6 engines (sales code ERB) in 2011 to 2013 WK2 Grand Cherokee models can wear the valve guides and valve seats in the left cylinder head, so cylinders 2, 4 or 6 lose compression and misfire. Chrysler admitted the problem: in the US it extended the warranty on the left head to 10 years or 150,000 miles (warranty bulletin D-14-12) and told dealers to leak test the cylinders and replace the head (service bulletin 09-002-14). In Australia the service bulletin (09-002-14 REV.A) was applied to 2011 to 2012 WK2 Grand Cherokees with the 3.6 built before 25 July 2012; the 10 year extended warranty was a US program, so do not count on it here. Left alone it gets worse and the cure is a replacement head.

Example of the part — not this vehicle

Where to look: Engine bay, the left bank cylinder head of the V6 (cylinders 2, 4 and 6)

Parts involved: Cylinder head.

Can't confirm for this car

Diesel WJ/WG Grand Cherokees (2.7 CRD) are well known for the P0702 fault where the transmission shifter module's circuit board fails from poor soldering and oxidation, locking the Mercedes-sourced 5-speed auto in limp home mode (stuck in one gear); restarting sometimes clears it temporarily. On the later WK 3.0 CRD the same Mercedes 722.6/W5A580 transmission suffers conductor plate and speed sensor failures with similar symptoms. Repairs are a module repair or conductor plate replacement - far cheaper than the full transmission the symptoms suggest, but scary on the test drive.

Where to look: Transmission under the centre of the vehicle; shifter module at the gear selector

Parts involved: Mechatronic / valve body.

Can't confirm for this car

On 2012 to 2014 WK2 Grand Cherokee models with the 3.6 Pentastar V6 or 5.7 Hemi V8 and electro-hydraulic power steering, the diodes inside the alternator can crack from heat, so charging voltage drops. That can switch off ABS and stability control, stall the engine while driving, and in some cases the failing alternator can overheat and catch fire. The 3.0 diesel is not part of this recall. It was recalled in Australia (PRA 2017/16284, REC-000199) and the US (17V-435, FCA campaign T36). The fix is a free alternator replacement, so check that the recall work has been done.

Where to look: Front of the engine, alternator on the accessory belt

Parts involved: Alternator.

Can't confirm for this car

WK2 Grand Cherokees from 2014 to 2018, with any engine, were recalled (PRA 2018/16859, campaign U65) because an engine control software fault could stop cruise control cancelling, so the car could hold or gain speed until the driver braked hard or shifted to neutral. The fix is a free software update at a Jeep dealer.

Where to look: Engine control module software, cruise control buttons on the steering wheel

Can't confirm for this car

A WL-series recall covered fuse box cable fixings not tightened to the correct torque at the factory; a loose connection can cause a sudden loss of motive power, headlights and power steering assistance while driving. Beyond the recall, early WL owners report the usual new-platform electrical gremlins - Uconnect screen freezes, phantom warning lights and ADAS faults - most of which are resolved with software updates. Confirm the recall on the VIN and test all electronics thoroughly.

Where to look: Main fuse box in the engine bay; Uconnect head unit in the dash

Parts involved: Steering rack.

Can't confirm for this car

WK2 Grand Cherokees from 2011 to 2013, with any engine, were recalled (PRA 2016/15207) because the vanity mirror lamp in the sun visor can short circuit, so the lamp stops working or the visor can overheat and catch fire. An earlier recall (PRA 2014/14210) fixed a wire that could be trapped at the lamp. The fix is free at a Jeep dealer.

Where to look: Driver and passenger sun visors

Can't confirm for this car

Chrysler recalled 89,327 Grand Cherokees — the five-seat car from 2022 to 2023 and the seven-seat L from 2021 to 2023 — because the steering column intermediate shaft was incorrectly assembled on the production line and can disconnect from its universal joint. If it comes apart the driver loses steering control. Unusually for a recall of this severity there is a warning: owners reported play in the steering and unusual noises when turning before the shaft let go, so this is one a buyer can actually feel from the driver's seat as well as check on paper. The affected build dates run from 19 October 2021 to 4 April 2023 for the five-seat car and from 27 January 2021 for the L, which covers most of the early WL production. The dealer fix is free.

Where to look: Steering column — intermediate shaft and its universal joint, between the column and the steering rack

Can't confirm for this car

A separate recall covering 80,620 vehicles — the Grand Cherokee L from 2021 to 2023 and the Grand Cherokee from 2022 to 2023 — covers rear coil springs that may not have been seated and secured correctly on the assembly line. A spring that works its way out of position can come away from the car entirely while it is being driven, which is a hazard both to the car and to whatever is behind it. Like the control arm recall, the fix is free and the only real question is whether it has been carried out on this particular vehicle. The two recalls are separate, so having had one done does not mean the other was.

Where to look: Rear suspension — coil springs and their upper and lower seats, both sides

Can't confirm for this car

The current WL Grand Cherokee has been hit by a cluster of Australian/NZ safety recalls for assembly defects: incorrectly installed rear coil springs that can detach while driving (about 2,050 vehicles, 2021-2023), and upper control arm retaining bolts damaged during assembly that could let a wheel separate (about 2,850 vehicles). A further recall covered the steering column shaft separating from its U-joint, risking total loss of steering. All are fixed free at Jeep dealers, but an unrepaired example is genuinely dangerous - VIN recall checks are non-negotiable on a WL.

Where to look: Rear coil springs; front upper control arms; steering column

Can't confirm for this car

WK2 Grand Cherokees built for 2011 to 2014, with any engine, were recalled (PRA 2014/14060) because the brake booster centre shell can corrode and let water in. In cold weather that water can freeze and make the brakes much less effective. A follow-up recall (PRA 2017/16427) re-did the water shield on cars where the first fix was fitted incorrectly. Both repairs are free at a Jeep dealer.

Where to look: Brake booster on the driver side firewall under the bonnet

Parts involved: Body corrosion.

Can't confirm for this car

Brake shudder plagued both the WJ and WK Grand Cherokee: the factory front rotors are marginal for the vehicle's weight, and they warp (develop disc thickness variation) quickly, especially with towing or hilly running. The steering wheel shakes under braking from speed and gets progressively worse. Machining buys time but quality aftermarket rotors and pads are the accepted fix, and it will recur on cheap replacement discs. It is a WOF-relevant defect and a good price-negotiation item.

Where to look: Front brake rotors behind the front wheels