Jeep Cherokee 2014–2023

5th generation (KL) · KL · 14,644 complaints, 8,837 with mileage

When failures happen

What fails, and when

By model year

Which systems, and when

Complaints about this generation are not spread evenly across the vehicle, and the systems that generate the most of them do not all fail at the same point in a car's life. The median failure across all systems here is 34,300 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 34.6% of complaints (5,064 reports, 3,131 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 37,290 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 12,342 and 68,000 miles.

A single system taking 34.6% of all complaints is a concentration worth noting. It means that for this generation, most of what owners reported came back to one area of the car rather than being distributed across many small faults.

The engine accounts for 14.5% of complaints (2,119 reports, 1,420 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 32,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,946 and 55,600 miles.

The electrical system accounts for 13.7% of complaints (2,003 reports, 1,129 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 36,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 14,250 and 57,000 miles.

Problems owners could not categorise accounts for 11.5% of complaints (1,677 reports, 909 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 36,600 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 16,000 and 55,230 miles.

The brakes account for 4.3% of complaints (627 reports, 263 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 25,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,000 and 54,656 miles.

Throttle and speed control accounts for 3.8% of complaints (553 reports, 385 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 24,900 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,000 and 50,000 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2014 model year drew the most — 3,961 complaints — while 2022 drew the fewest at 73. The median year sits at 1,923.

That makes 2014 an outlier: roughly 2.1 times the median year of this generation. A single year standing that far apart usually reflects either a first-year issue that was later corrected, or a component change introduced for that year. Anyone shopping this generation has a straightforward reason to prefer a different year, all else being equal.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 39 recall campaigns covering vehicles in this generation. A recall means the manufacturer or the regulator concluded there was a safety defect or a standard was not met, and that a free remedy is owed to owners — including second and later owners.

The campaigns cluster around the transmission and driveline (12), the airbag system (4), body structure (3). Repeated recalls against the same area of the car generally mean the first remedy did not fully resolve the underlying problem.

Recall status is specific to the individual vehicle, not the model. Checking a VIN against NHTSA's lookup is free and takes under a minute, and it is the only way to know whether a particular car has had the work done.

Reported severity

Of the 14,644 complaints filed against this generation, 388 reported a crash; 162 reported a fire; 288 reported an injury. Crash-involved reports represent 2.6% of the total.

These are owner-reported outcomes, not verified investigations, and they are not adjusted for how many of these vehicles are on the road. They are included because the distinction between a fault that strands a car and a fault that causes a collision is the one that matters most, and it is not visible in a complaint count alone.

What this means if you are buying one

For a buyer, failures on this generation are spread rather than concentrated: the middle half falls between 11,300 and 60,000 miles, with a median of 34,300. There is no single mileage threshold to watch, which means condition and maintenance records are more informative than the odometer.

On inspection, the transmission and driveline and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The engine in particular shows a median failure mileage of 32,000, which gives a concrete number to compare against the odometer of any car you are considering.

None of this is a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on the individual car. Aggregate patterns describe a population; the example in front of you has its own history.

Documented problems

Recalls (39)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Jeep Cherokee 1984–2001