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At a glance
This page covers 26 recalls, 394 owner complaints, NHTSA crash-test ratings and EPA fuel economy for the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
17–21 mpg combined
11.2–13.8 L/100km
Standard Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD
Fuel economy data from fueleconomy.gov (EPA / U.S. Dept. of Energy). Annual cost based on 15,000 mi/yr at 55% city driving and current fuel prices. MPG is U.S. gallons; L/100km converted. Ranges reflect the 2 tested variants for this model year.
4/5 Overall
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Rating
Steering and electrical complaints dominate what 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners report. On the steering side, the most common description is rear-end instability, owners report the back of the vehicle shifting or sliding over bumps and road imperfections, sometimes accompanied by uneven tire wear on the rear axle. Electrical system complaints cover a range of behaviors, from unexpected shutdowns and warning lights to general loss of vehicle function while driving. Powertrain complaints are the third most-reported area, with owners describing hesitation and poor throttle response when accelerating, along with elevated RPM that doesn't translate into forward movement as expected. Engine overheating and misfire conditions appear in multiple reports, with some owners noting the problems persisted or returned after initial diagnosis.
394
Total Complaints
20
Crash-Related
8
Fire-Related
12
With Injuries
By System
The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee has 26 recalls, with the most serious involving suspension and steering failures that can cause sudden loss of vehicle control — including rear coil springs that can detach while driving and a steering column shaft that can disconnect, leaving the driver unable to steer.
The suspension concerns extend further: upper control arm ball joint bolts can fail and allow the wheel to fold outward, also removing steering and braking control. Note that prior repair attempts on the coil spring issue did not fully resolve the problem, and a second repair is required on some vehicles. On the engine side, certain 3.6L-equipped vehicles have an exhaust gas recirculation valve that can stick open and cause the engine to stall without warning. The steering rack bar can also bend under load, making the wheel suddenly heavy or unresponsive.
On the occupant safety side, the airbag control software on some vehicles can disable the driver, passenger, and knee airbags without warning. Child seat tether anchors on certain second-row seat frames may have a missing weld, allowing the tether to pull free in a crash.
Visibility recalls cover several areas: rearview cameras on certain trims can fail to display an image when reversing, high beam headlights may not activate when the lighting switch is in the auto position, and an incomplete software update on vehicles with a smart lighting module can leave one or both headlights inoperable. Side marker lamps in the tail lights may also be damaged and fail to illuminate, reducing how visible the vehicle is to others on the road.
At a glance
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Driver Assistance
Ratings from NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (NCAP). Based on 2 tested variants; worst-case ratings shown.
Complaints are owner-reported and reflect individual experiences, not confirmed defects. They are distinct from recalls. Data sourced from the national vehicle safety complaint database. See trending complaints →
What can fail
Rear coil springs may not have been installed correctly during a previous recall repair, which could cause them to detach from the vehicle while driving.
What the fix does
Take your vehicle to a dealership to have the rear coil spring assemblies inspected and repaired if necessary.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Radio software may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying on the screen, blocking your view of what's behind the vehicle.
What the fix does
Dealers will update the radio software at no cost, or the update will be delivered wirelessly over-the-air.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying on the screen when you shift into reverse gear.
What the fix does
A dealership will update your vehicle's radio software to restore rearview camera display functionality.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The upper control arm ball joint may separate from the steering knuckle, causing the wheel to move outward and loss of vehicle control.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the upper control arm pinch bolts at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The bolt connecting the upper control arm to the steering knuckle may have been damaged during manufacturing. A failed bolt could cause the upper control arm to separate from the knuckle.
What the fix does
The dealership will replace the upper control arm bolt(s).
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue in the Central Vision Park Assist module may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying when you shift into reverse.
What the fix does
Your dealer will update the Central Vision Park Assist module software at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying on your screen when reversing, which is required by Canadian regulations.
What the fix does
FCA Canada will mail you instructions to visit a dealership, where technicians will update your vehicle's camera and park assist module software.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The rear coil springs may have been installed incorrectly and could detach from the vehicle while driving.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the rear coil spring assemblies and repair them if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
Rear coil springs may be improperly installed and could separate from the vehicle while driving.
What the fix does
Dealership will inspect and repair the rear coil spring assemblies as needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The intermediate steering shaft may have been assembled incorrectly and could separate from the universal joint, resulting in loss of steering control.
What the fix does
Dealership will inspect the intermediate steering shaft and replace it if necessary.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The steering column intermediate shaft may be incorrectly assembled and disconnect from the u-joint, causing loss of steering control.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the intermediate shaft and replace it and related parts if needed, at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The left and/or right tail lamp's side marker may be damaged, causing the side marker lamp to fail.
What the fix does
A dealership will inspect and replace the tail lamp assemblies as needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The tail light side marker assemblies can become damaged and fail to light up, which means the vehicle may not meet safety lighting requirements.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect both tail light assemblies and replace them if needed, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The exhaust gas recirculation valve may stick in the open position, causing the engine to stall and lose power during driving on certain 3.6L-equipped vehicles.
What the fix does
A dealership will replace the exhaust gas recirculation valve.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The exhaust gas recirculation valve may stick in the open position, causing unexpected loss of engine power.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the exhaust gas recirculation valve assembly at no cost.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The second-row seat back frame may be missing a weld that connects it to the child seat tether anchor point, preventing the tether from being properly secured.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the second-row seat back frame and replace it if the weld is missing, at no cost to you.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The metal welds that anchor child seat tether straps to the second-row seat frame may be defective, allowing the tether strap to come loose in a crash.
What the fix does
Dealers will inspect the second-row seatback frame welds and replace the frame if needed.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The steering gear rack bar may bend, making it difficult to steer or potentially causing loss of steering control.
What the fix does
Dealers will replace the steering gear assembly.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
An incomplete software update in the smart lighting module can prevent one or both headlamps from turning on.
What the fix does
A dealer will update the smart lighting module software to restore proper headlamp function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
An incomplete software update in the smart lighting module may cause one or both headlights to stop working.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the smart lighting module software at no cost to restore headlight operation.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software error in the occupant restraint controller may prevent the airbag warning light from illuminating when the airbag system has a problem.
What the fix does
A dealer will update the occupant restraint controller software to correct the error.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
The Occupant Restraint Controller software may be incorrect, which can disable the driver, passenger, and knee air bags without warning.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the Occupant Restraint Controller at no charge.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
On some Grand Cherokee L models without automatic high beams, the high beam headlamps won't turn on when the light switch is in AUTO position.
What the fix does
A dealer will update your vehicle's software to fix the high beam control in AUTO mode.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
When the master lighting switch is set to auto, the high beam headlights won't turn on unless you manually switch to the 'on' position first.
What the fix does
Dealers will reprogram the lighting system at no charge to fix the auto high beam function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software error in the radio system may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying on the infotainment screen.
What the fix does
FCA will update the radio software at no cost to restore rearview image display.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
At a glance
What can fail
A software issue may prevent the rearview camera image from displaying on the screen when you shift into reverse, which is required by Canadian law.
What the fix does
Dealers will update your radio software to restore the rearview camera display function.
Summarized — see the official notice for exact wording, dates, and contacts.
