Jeep Cherokee Years to Avoid
Avoid: 2014, 2015, 2019 · Best: 2020, 2021, 2022 — based on 9,834 NHTSA complaints across 12 model years (2014–2025), severity-weighted and adjusted for time on the road; 2015–2022 average: 5.59 complaints per 1,000 sold.
Based on CarWhere's analysis of 9,834 NHTSA complaints, the Jeep Cherokee years to avoid are 2014, 2015 and 2019 — the worst logged up to 2.2× the model's median severity-weighted complaint rate, driven by drivetrain failures. Updated November 2026.
Source: NHTSA owner complaints & recall campaigns · Data as of November 2026 · How we rate model years
Year-by-year verdict
| Model year | Complaints | Severe | Recalls | Verdict | Problems & recalls |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | 2,636 | 2,104 | 13 | AVOID | — |
| 2015 | 1,776 | 1,379 | 11 | AVOID | — |
| 2016 | 1,398 | 1,011 | 9 | CAUTION | 2016 Cherokee problems → |
| 2017 | 1,323 | 905 | 6 | CAUTION | 2017 Cherokee problems → |
| 2018 | 678 | 465 | 7 | SOLID | 2018 Cherokee problems → |
| 2019 | 1,581 | 1,268 | 11 | AVOID | 2019 Cherokee problems → |
| 2020 | 258 | 213 | 3 | BEST | 2020 Cherokee problems → |
| 2021 | 137 | 110 | 4 | BEST | 2021 Cherokee problems → |
| 2022 | 44 | 35 | 3 | BEST | 2022 Cherokee problems → |
| 2023 | 3 | 2 | 1 | N/A | 2023 Cherokee problems → |
| 2024 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | 2024 Cherokee problems → |
| 2025 | 0 | 0 | 0 | N/A | — |
"Severe" = complaints reporting a crash, fire, injury, or a safety-critical component. Verdicts compare each year against the rest of the Jeep Cherokee. Full methodology.
Cherokee problems by model year
Each year has its own page with the complaint components, NHTSA recall campaigns, service-bulletin count, a comparison with the year before and after, and what to check on a used one.
Common Jeep Cherokee problems
Across the federal record, the most-reported problem areas on the Jeep Cherokee are drivetrain, transmission, engine. The confirmed and owner-reported issues below include owner mileage and repair-cost ranges where available.
Power Transfer Unit failure
· Jeep Cherokee 2014–2021Corroborated by 105 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 4,974 drivetrain complaints across 2014–2021, typically 18,000–200,000 miles. Owner-reported repair cost $2,837–$6,000.
Service shifter warning, loss of gear response
· Jeep Cherokee 2014–2017Corroborated by 5 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 3,097 transmission complaints across 2014–2017, typically 118,072 miles.
Engine overheating warning
· Jeep Cherokee 2014–2015Corroborated by 2 owner accounts of this failure, within a federal cluster of 891 engine complaints across 2014–2015, typically 114,000 miles.
Why these years stand out
2014 Jeep Cherokee: 2,636 owner complaints on federal record, 2,104 of them severe, plus 13 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Jeep Cherokee.
2015 Jeep Cherokee: 1,776 owner complaints on federal record, 1,379 of them severe, plus 11 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Jeep Cherokee.
2019 Jeep Cherokee: 1,581 owner complaints on federal record, 1,268 of them severe, plus 11 recall campaigns — among the highest severity-weighted rates for the Jeep Cherokee.
Know what to pay for the right Jeep Cherokee — then negotiate it
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FAQ
What years of the Jeep Cherokee should you avoid?
Based on federal NHTSA complaint and recall data, the Jeep Cherokee years to avoid are 2014, 2015 and 2019 — they carry the model's highest severity-weighted complaint rates, led by drivetrain issues. See the year-by-year table for the full picture.
What are the best years for the Jeep Cherokee?
The 2020, 2021 and 2022 Jeep Cherokee show the cleanest federal records among years with enough time on the road to judge — the lowest severity-weighted complaint rates for the model.
How is the Jeep Cherokee verdict calculated?
Each model year's NHTSA owner complaints are weighted for severity (crashes, fires, injuries, and safety-critical components count more), converted to a rate per year on the road, and compared against the rest of the Jeep Cherokee's own history, then adjusted for recalls. Full method at /research/years-to-avoid/methodology.
How do I check a specific Jeep Cherokee before buying?
Decode the VIN free at carwhere.com/tools/vin-decoder to confirm the exact year and build, then run the $9.99 CarWhere Full VIN Report — it includes the recall, complaint, and service-bulletin record for that exact VIN plus a market price check from verified buyers.
Is the Jeep Cherokee reliable?
The Jeep Cherokee's reliability depends heavily on the model year. Across 9,834 NHTSA owner complaints, 2014, 2015 and 2019 rate "avoid", while 2020, 2021 and 2022 show the cleanest federal records — see the year-by-year verdicts above.
What are the most common problems with the Jeep Cherokee?
The most-reported problem area for the Jeep Cherokee is drivetrain, followed by transmission and engine. Confirmed failures include power transfer unit failure, service shifter warning, loss of gear response, engine overheating warning. See the common-problems section above for owner-reported mileage and repair costs where available.
Sources & data notes
All figures are drawn from the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Office of Defects Investigation — owner-filed complaints and recall campaigns — covering the Jeep Cherokee across every model year on record. Retrieved November 2026. Counts are raw federal filings and are not adjusted for the number of vehicles sold or registered (the per-1,000-sold figure above divides 2015–2022 complaints by published U.S. calendar-year sales); a verdict compares each model year against the rest of the Jeep Cherokee, not against other vehicles. Full scoring at the methodology page.
Verify the flagged years in NHTSA's public database:
Verdicts are computed from federal NHTSA complaint and recall records, refreshed monthly. Read the full methodology.