Jeep Grand Cherokee common problems & fixes (WK2 2011–2020, plus 2022-on 4xe recalls)

Written by the C4R team from DVSA data and owner reports. Fact-checked 2026-10-13.

30-second verdict

A 2011–2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee gives you a lot of 4x4 for the money, but check every recall has been done and test the electrics and air suspension. It suits buyers who tow heavy trailers or need real off-road ability: most diesels are rated to pull 3,500kg braked, and Jeep kept a low-ratio transfer box. The faults that matter most are easily missed safety recalls, including a high-pressure fuel pump campaign for 2013–2020 builds and several fixes for stalling or failing to restart, one launched in November 2025. Owners and reviewers also report electrical glitches. Our pick is a 3.0 CRD from mid-2013 onwards with the eight-speed automatic, a full service history and proof of recall work. Buy an air-sprung Overland or Summit only if its suspension works perfectly.

Generations at a glance

Parkers and Which? both date the WK2 from 2011 to 2020, and the newest WK2 build dates in the DVSA recall file are in September 2020. A car registered in 2013 could be either version: Parkers lists the facelifted versions from July 2013, and they are easy to spot by their slimmer headlights and shorter grille. Parkers lists the S Limited as an original 237bhp version. Nearly all UK WK2s are 3.0 CRD diesels: petrol cars made up about 6% of the 2024 MOT tests in C4R's analysis below, and Parkers reviews the 6.4 V8 SRT8 and SRT (2011–2017) as a separate model, with the 6.2 V8 Trackhawk the only petrol in its 2011–2020 version list. The current, fifth-generation car reached the UK in 2022 as the 4xe plug-in hybrid.

Known issues

Jeep's reliability record in the UK is mixed. In the 2016 Driver Power owner survey the Grand Cherokee scored well overall but was in the bottom third for reliability, according to Auto Express, and Carbuyer says Jeep as a brand came second from bottom for reliability that year. Parkers rates the car 3.5 out of 5 for reliability, and in C4R's analysis of 2024 MOT results WK2s passed more often than the average car of the same age. The firmest evidence for this generation is in the DVSA recall file, so several items below are recalls. GOV.UK says owners will not usually have to pay for recall repairs.

1. High-pressure fuel pump recall (2013–2020 builds)

Label: Confirmed recall R/2024/187

• What you notice: DVSA says the high-pressure fuel pump may fail prematurely. The record lists no warning signs, so the paperwork matters more than the test drive.
• Which cars: Grand Cherokees built from 12/06/2013 to 14/09/2020, a window that starts at about the time of the mid-2013 facelift. The DVSA record does not name the engine.
• Why: the record gives early pump failure as the defect but no root cause.
• Fix: the recall remedy is a new high-pressure fuel pump and an inspection, with other fuel-system parts replaced where needed.
• DIY difficulty: 5/5 (dealer recall work).
• Check when buying: run the GOV.UK recall check and ask the seller for the dealer job sheet. If the work is outstanding, get it booked before you hand over the money.
• Evidence: DVSA recall record R/2024/187, launched 28/06/2024.

2. Stalling and no-restart recalls (2010–2020 builds)

Label: Confirmed recalls R/2015/184, R/2015/064, R/2021/070, R/2021/095, R/2021/184 and R/2025/485

• What you notice: the engine cutting out while you drive, or refusing to restart. DVSA lists both outcomes across these campaigns.
• Which cars: cars built 04/02/2010–19/08/2013 for the fuel-pump relay campaigns (R/2015/184, R/2015/064 and R/2021/070); cars built 14/05/2014–26/04/2018 (R/2021/184) and 30/05/2014–09/02/2020 (R/2021/095); and 3.0 diesels built 30/10/2012–14/09/2020 (R/2025/485).
• Why: on early cars, a fuel-pump relay inside the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) can work intermittently or fail. On later cars the problem is the signal used to time the engine: a crankshaft tone wheel that can fail, or engine software that can lose its crankshaft or camshaft reference.
• Fix: depending on the campaign, a separate fuel-pump relay fitted outside the TIPM, a new tone wheel, or updated powertrain control module software. The R/2021/070 remedy text refers to replacing the affected fuel pump and modifying wiring.
• DIY difficulty: 5/5 (dealer recall work).
• Check when buying: R/2025/485 was only launched on 19/11/2025, so do not assume it has been done. Ask a Jeep dealer to check the VIN. On the test drive, restart the engine several times, cold and hot, and make sure the engine warning light stays off.
• Evidence: the DVSA recall records listed above.

3. Electrical faults and warning lights

Label: Reported by owners and independent specialists

• What you notice: warning lights; a slow or failed sat nav or other infotainment faults; climate control, memory seat or automatic headlamp faults; and, on some cars, flat batteries or failures to start.
• Which cars: owner reports cover 2012 to 2016 cars, from before and after the facelift.
• Why: this is a heavily equipped car with a lot of electronics. Auto Express reports electrical glitches affecting both the gearbox and the infotainment system, and says most should have been put right under warranty.
• Fix: test the battery and charging system first, then diagnose with equipment that can read all of the car's control modules. Replace a module only once the fault is proven.
• DIY difficulty: 2/5 for basic checks; 4/5 for diagnosis.
• Check when buying: after a cold start, make sure every warning light goes out. Try the touchscreen, navigation, phone pairing, climate control, heated and ventilated seats, memory settings, cameras and parking sensors. Ask for invoices for any earlier electrical repairs.
• Evidence: Auto Express's reliability section. On Carbuyer, electrics is the most-tagged problem area in owner reviews; a 2012 Overland owner describes repeated wiring, sensor and sat-nav faults, and a 2015 Summit owner lists faults with the automatic climate control, traffic information, remote pairing and automatic headlamps. A 2013 Limited owner on Parkers lists two batteries, a starter motor, an alternator, keys, the alarm and a powertrain control module among the parts replaced.

4. Brake booster corrosion recalls (2010–2014 builds)

Label: Confirmed recalls R/2014/079 and R/2017/320

• What you notice: a brake pedal that needs more effort in freezing weather, because water that has got into the brake booster can freeze.
• Which cars: built 01/08/2010–08/08/2014 (R/2014/079) and 01/08/2010–08/09/2014 (R/2017/320).
• Why: the booster shell can corrode through (R/2014/079), and its protective water shield may be missing or wrongly fitted (R/2017/320).
• Fix: the dealer inspects and vacuum-tests the booster, replaces it if it fails, and fits a correctly installed shield over the booster's crimped joints.
• DIY difficulty: 5/5 (dealer recall work).
• Check when buying: confirm both campaigns are closed. Early cars also have brake and stability software campaigns: R/2014/133 (hard pedal, 2011–2012 builds), R/2013/151 (instrument blackout with possible loss of ABS and ESC, 2013 builds) and R/2014/168 (ESC may be disabled, 2013–2014 builds). On the drive, the pedal should feel consistent and the ABS and ESC lights should stay off.
• Evidence: DVSA recall records.

5. Gear lever roll-away recall (2013–2015 builds)

Label: Confirmed recall R/2016/215

• What you notice: nothing while driving. The risk is a car left with the engine running, the parking brake off and the gearbox not in Park, which can roll away.
• Which cars: cars with the electronic gear lever built 13/01/2013–21/12/2015.
• Why: DVSA says the electronic shift lever allowed this roll-away situation if the driver got out without selecting Park.
• Fix: new software that adds an Auto Park feature, plus a leaflet for the handbook.
• DIY difficulty: 5/5 (dealer recall work).
• Check when buying: confirm the recall is closed and make a habit of checking that the display shows P before you get out. Because Auto Express mentions electrical glitches affecting the gearbox, make sure changes are smooth and no transmission warning appears.
• Evidence: DVSA recall record R/2016/215; Auto Express's reliability section.

6. Airbag module and visor-lamp wiring recalls (2010–2014)

Label: Confirmed recalls R/2015/098, R/2014/139 and R/2016/214

• What you notice: an airbag warning light that stays on (R/2015/098), or a sun-visor vanity lamp that does not work (R/2014/139 and R/2016/214).
• Which cars: airbag control module: built 25/07/2012–28/06/2014. Vanity-lamp wiring: built 05/01/2010–11/12/2013 and 20/01/2010–01/09/2012.
• Why: a coating fault on the occupant restraint control module's circuit board can cause a short that lights the airbag warning and may stop the airbags working; DVSA says humidity makes it more likely. The visor-lamp wiring can be damaged during work on the visors or headlining and then short, with a risk of fire.
• Fix: a new airbag control module; new wiring guides and wiring repairs, and on the later campaign new sun visors and modified surrounding metalwork.
• DIY difficulty: 5/5 (dealer recall work).
• Check when buying: the airbag light should go out shortly after start-up. Test both vanity lamps and confirm all three campaigns are closed.
• Evidence: DVSA recall records.

7. Air suspension on Overland and Summit

Label: Inspection point

• What you notice: look for a car that sits lower at one corner, is slow to rise or shows a suspension warning message.
• Which cars: Quadra-Lift height-adjustable air suspension came on the Overland from launch and on the later Overland and Summit. Parkers says the Laredo and Limited ride on steel springs, and Autocar lists air suspension as an Overland upgrade over the Limited Plus.
• Why: the system lets you raise the car for rough ground (Autocar puts the extra clearance at nearly 7cm), but it uses air springs and a compressor, so it has more to check than a steel-sprung car.
• Fix: have the system scanned for stored faults before replacing anything, because a leak, a tired compressor and a faulty height sensor need different repairs.
• DIY difficulty: 3/5.
• Check when buying: run the suspension through every height setting, including the lowest setting for getting in and out and the off-road heights, and check the car sits level. If you can, look at it after it has stood overnight.
• Evidence: Parkers (engines and interior pages) and Autocar set out which trims have Quadra-Lift, and Auto Express's 2020 review says air suspension is standard on the two regular diesel versions, the Overland and Summit. The checks are C4R's own inspection advice.

8. Weak parking brake and worn brakes at MOT

Label: Inspection point

• What you notice: a parking brake that holds poorly on a slope (a Parkers owner review of a 2017 car notes it is foot-operated), or brakes that judder or grind.
• Which cars: all. In C4R's analysis of 2024 MOT tests on cars first used from 2011 to 2020, 4.1% failed on at least one parking-brake item. Grouped together, that is more than double the commonest single failure item (tyre tread, 1.8%). MOT Data's separate analysis of 2024 results also puts parking-brake efficiency at the top of its failure list.
• Why: the MOT data does not give causes. On any car, worn, seized or badly adjusted parking-brake parts reduce its holding power.
• Fix: have the parking-brake mechanism inspected and adjusted or repaired, and replace pads and discs as needed.
• DIY difficulty: 3/5.
• Check when buying: read the MOT history for parking-brake, pad and disc advisories, and test the parking brake on a slope.
• Evidence: C4R's analysis of 2024 DVSA anonymised MOT results (see MOT watch-points); MOT Data's analysis of the same year; a Parkers owner review of a 2017 Overland mentions the foot-operated parking brake.

9. Underbody damage from towing and off-roading

Label: Inspection point

• What you notice: scraped sills or underbody panels, a dented exhaust back box, tired rear dampers, kerbed or scratched alloys or a worn towbar.
• Which cars: any, but especially cars that have towed heavy loads or been off-road.
• Why: RAC Drive warns that serious damage can be done off-road even at low speed, and tells buyers to check the alloys, exhaust back box and rear dampers. Most diesels are rated to tow 3,500kg braked; the Summit is limited to 2,949kg.
• Fix: inspect on a lift and replace damaged parts.
• DIY difficulty: 3/5.
• Check when buying: look underneath on a ramp, check the tyres for even wear and matching brands, try every Selec-Terrain mode and low range, and ask what the car has towed. Parkers points out that replacing all four tyres at once can be costly.
• Evidence: RAC Drive's used review; Parkers on towing limits and tyre costs.

Recalls (DVSA data)

These are the Grand Cherokee records in the DVSA recalls CSV (local copy, 17,744 rows) with build windows that cover the WK2 or later cars, summarised in our own words. References, launch dates and build windows are copied from the file. Not every car built in a window is necessarily affected, so check the exact car by registration and VIN. R/2015/064, R/2016/116, R/2021/070 and R/2021/095 are filed under the make CHRYSLER UK LTD rather than JEEP. R/2015/184, R/2016/116 and R/2018/188 also list the Dodge Durango, and R/2021/095 also lists the Chrysler 300. No row here has an end date earlier than its start date.

WK2 (2011–2020)

Plug-in hybrid and later builds

These rows either name the plug-in hybrid or have build windows starting in December 2020 or later. R/2026/029 also covers the Wrangler with a different window, R/2024/159 also lists the Wrangler PHEV with the same window, and R/2023/278 appears twice (GRAND CHEROKEE and GRAND CHEROKEE L) with the same window, so it is shown once.

Run the GOV.UK vehicle recall check, then ask a Jeep dealer to confirm open and completed campaigns against the VIN.

MOT watch-points

What the 2024 DVSA figures say

C4R analysed 7,280 normal MOT tests carried out in 2024 on Jeeps whose DVSA record names the Grand Cherokee and that were first used from 2011 to 2020, the WK2 years. The national figure is the 2024 pass rate for all cars, weighted to match the ages of the cars in each group.

As a group, these Grand Cherokees passed more often than the average car of the same age. The items behind their failures and advisories are still worth checking:

• Parking brake: 4.1% of tests failed on at least one parking-brake item, such as low efficiency on the brake tester or one side not working. Taken together, parking-brake items caused more failures than the commonest single item, tyre tread.
• Tyres: 1.8% failed on tread below 1.6mm, and 16.5% got an advisory for tread close to the limit or worn on the edge.
• Brakes: 1.8% failed on pads below 1.5mm; 12.3% were advised on worn, pitted or scored discs and 9.1% on thin pads.
• Engine warning light: 1.7% failed with the warning lamp on, rising to 3.3% for 2011–2013 cars.
• Lights: 1.4% failed on a dipped headlamp. On 2011–2013 cars, stop lamps (3.0%), dipped beams (2.8%) and number-plate lamps (2.1%) were the commonest lamp failures.
• Wipers and washers: each caused failures on about 1.3% of tests.
• Oil leaks and corrosion: 4.0% of 2011–2013 cars were advised on an oil leak and 1.6% on a corroded subframe; oil leaks were advised on 1.1% of 2014–2020 cars.

Method and limits: C4R calculated these figures from DVSA's anonymised 2024 MOT results for Class 4 and 7 normal tests, counting each test once. Pass rate is P / (P + F + PRS), so a car repaired during the test counts as a fail. Only records with the make JEEP and a model name containing Grand Cherokee (including short forms such as G-CHEROKEE) were included. Records that say only Cherokee were left out because they cannot be separated from the smaller Cherokee. First use is the registration date, so a few late-registered older-shape cars may be in the 2011 figures. Items recorded on fewer than 30 tests in a group are not shown. These figures describe the tested cars as a group and do not predict the condition of any one car.

Read the individual car's record on the GOV.UK MOT history service, looking for repeat advisories on the same item.

Buying one? Our checklist

1. Run the registration through the GOV.UK recall checker, then ask a Jeep dealer to confirm every campaign is closed against the VIN, especially R/2024/187 and R/2025/485.
2. Work out which version you are looking at. A 2013 car can be the original five-speed or the facelifted eight-speed; the facelift has slimmer headlights and a shorter grille.
3. Read the MOT history for parking-brake, brake, tyre, lamp and suspension-joint advisories.
4. Start the engine from cold, watch every warning light go out, then restart it several times when warm.
5. Test every electrical feature: touchscreen, sat nav, phone pairing, climate control, heated and ventilated seats, memory settings, cameras and sensors.
6. On an Overland or Summit, run the air suspension through every height and check the car sits level.
7. Try each Selec-Terrain mode and engage and disengage low range; no warning messages should appear.
8. Look underneath on a ramp for off-road scrapes, a dented exhaust back box, leaking rear dampers and towbar wear.
9. If you plan to tow, ask what the car has towed and practise slow, tight manoeuvres in reverse on the test drive.
10. Ask for a service history at the 12-month or 12,500-mile intervals Parkers quotes, plus invoices for recall and warranty work. If you drive into London, check the car against TfL's ULEZ rules.

Running costs

• Tax: for cars registered between 1 March 2001 and 31 March 2017, GOV.UK sets the rate by the CO2 figure on the V5C, so check the band on the car you are viewing. Carbuyer's 2018 review says every version cost more than £40,000, so a car registered from April 2017 pays the supplement from its second to its sixth year. By late 2026 that leaves only the last cars, first registered from late 2020; check the current rate for the car on GOV.UK.
• Fuel: expect less than the official figures. Autocar reckoned owners of the original diesel should see about 30mpg in normal driving, and one Carbuyer owner review reports 28mpg.
• Insurance: Parkers lists groups 36 to 50 for the 2011–2020 range; Auto Express gives 43 for the Overland, 44 for the Summit and 50 for the Trackhawk.
• Servicing: Parkers quotes a service every 12 months or 12,500 miles and says the diesel uses a timing chain.
• Clean air zones: London's ULEZ requires a diesel to meet Euro 6, which TfL says generally means first registered after September 2015. Check the exact car with TfL's vehicle checker.
• Buying price: Parkers lists new prices of £37,995 to £87,864 across the range, and when Which? last updated its page (November 2023) its used price guide started at about £7,800.

Sources & further reading

Official data and checks

• DVSA Vehicle Safety Branch recalls database
• GOV.UK: check if a vehicle has been recalled
• GOV.UK: check MOT history
• DVSA: anonymised MOT tests and results (data.gov.uk)
• GOV.UK: vehicle tax rate tables
• TfL: ULEZ standards for cars

Reviews and model history

• Parkers: Jeep Grand Cherokee Estate (2011–2020) review
• Parkers: Grand Cherokee engines and handling
• Parkers: Grand Cherokee interior and comfort
• Parkers: Grand Cherokee MPG and running costs
• Parkers: Grand Cherokee practicality and safety
• Parkers: Grand Cherokee verdict and 2013 facelift
• Parkers: Grand Cherokee (2011–2020) specs by version
• Parkers: Grand Cherokee SRT (2011–2017) review
• Autocar: used Jeep Grand Cherokee 2011–2020 review
• Autocar: used car buying guide, Jeep Grand Cherokee (2005–2011 WK)
• Auto Express: Grand Cherokee reliability and safety
• Auto Express: Grand Cherokee MPG, CO2 and running costs
• Auto Express: Grand Cherokee engines, performance and drive
• Carbuyer: Jeep Grand Cherokee review
• RAC Drive: Jeep Grand Cherokee (2011–2013) used review
• RAC Drive: Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe review
• Which?: Jeep Grand Cherokee (2011–2020)

Owner reports and MOT analysis

• Carbuyer: Jeep Grand Cherokee (2011–2021) owner reviews
• Parkers: owner review of a 2013 Grand Cherokee 3.0 CRD Limited
• Parkers: owner review of a 2017 Grand Cherokee Overland
• MOT Data: Jeep Grand Cherokee MOT analysis (2024 DVSA results)

Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0.

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