Jeep Grand Cherokee 2021–2025

5th generation (WL) · WL (WL74 two-row / WL75 long-wheelbase 'L') · 2,370 complaints, 243 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 17,000 miles; the figures below show which parts of the car run ahead of that and which run behind.

The electrical system accounts for 23.5% of complaints (556 reports, 58 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 15,500 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 4,000 and 35,198 miles.

The engine accounts for 13.1% of complaints (311 reports, 40 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 16,750 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 8,100 and 32,000 miles.

Forward collision avoidance accounts for 8.1% of complaints (191 reports, 10 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails early — a median of 3,900 miles, well before the vehicle's overall median. Failures clustered this far below the rest of the car usually point to a design or manufacturing problem rather than wear, because wear does not selectively target one system on low-mileage examples. The middle half of these reports falls between 200 and 8,000 miles.

The steering accounts for 7.3% of complaints (174 reports, 21 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 19,146 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 5,900 and 36,000 miles.

The transmission and driveline accounts for 7.1% of complaints (168 reports, 28 of them with a mileage figure), with a median of 18,000 miles, close to the vehicle's overall pattern. The middle half of these reports falls between 10,782 and 46,811 miles.

The suspension accounts for 4.8% of complaints (114 reports, 16 of them with a mileage figure), and it fails late — a median of 31,400 miles, considerably beyond the vehicle's overall median. That pattern is consistent with normal service life rather than a defect, though it matters for anyone buying an example already near that mileage. The middle half of these reports falls between 11,000 and 61,600 miles.

Differences between model years

Within this generation, complaint volume is not constant across model years. The 2023 model year drew the most — 674 complaints — while 2025 drew the fewest at 126. The median year sits at 473.

One caveat on the year figures: in 2021, 2022, the manufacturer sold both this generation and the previous one at the same time, and NHTSA records do not distinguish between them. Complaints filed under that year may describe either vehicle.

Recalls and what they cover

NHTSA records 34 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 reversing camera and sensors (6), the airbag system (5), the exterior lighting (4). 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 2,370 complaints filed against this generation, 97 reported a crash; 16 reported a fire; 64 reported an injury; 3 reported a fatality. Crash-involved reports represent 4.1% 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, an early-failure pattern is comparatively good news on a used example: 41% of the reported failures occur in the first 12,000 miles, which on a car of this age means they have already happened or they were never going to. Service history matters more than mileage here.

On inspection, the electrical system and the engine are where this generation's reports concentrate, so those are the areas worth a specific look. The electrical system in particular shows a median failure mileage of 15,500, 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 (34)

What owners reported

Other generations

• Jeep Grand Cherokee 1993–1998
• Jeep Grand Cherokee 1999–2004
• Jeep Grand Cherokee 2005–2010
• Jeep Grand Cherokee 2011–2020