Summary
The 2019 Jeep Cherokee has 14 recalls, the most serious covering multiple drivetrain defects where the transmission, power transfer unit, or engine can fail and leave the vehicle unable to move or cause it to stall in traffic.
The drivetrain concerns span several issues: a transmission weld can fail and cut power to the wheels, the power transfer unit can disengage both the transmission and differential causing loss of drive power or the inability to hold the vehicle in park, and on 2.4L models a transmission calibration problem can also cause stalls. Two separate engine concerns affect specific configurations: 2.0L engines may be missing internal valve stem keepers or have a reversed camshaft cap, either of which can cause the engine to stall, and 2.4L engines have a related valve stem keeper issue as well.
On the steering side, the rack gear may not have been properly hardened and can break, resulting in complete loss of steering control. The rear brake calipers on some vehicles may have poorly coated pistons that form internal gas pockets and reduce braking force. Two recalls address the same airbag sensor problem, where crash detection can fail and leave the airbags from deploying when needed. The front passenger seat mounting bolts may be loose, allowing the seat to shift in a crash. Rounding out the list, the instrument cluster can fail and stop displaying gauges, warning lights, and chimes, removing the driver's view of critical vehicle information.