MODELYEARINDEX

Which Jeep Grand Cherokee years to avoid

Across 12 scored model years, the 2014, 2011 and 2012 model years carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates.

Ownership label · Jeep Grand Cherokee Full report
F
Grade 2010–2021
2014 vs model median 3.1×
Model median3× median
Electrical 295
Drivetrain 259
Brakes 230
Avoid

2011 · 2014

Best

2010 · 2020

What the record shows

Written from this model’s own complaint and recall history.

Two things stand out in the Grand Cherokee’s record. The first is the shape of the complaints: electrical reports lead every flagged year, with drivetrain and brakes close behind. The second is severity. The 2014 model year carries 170 filings that record a crash and 33 that record a fire — among the highest counts of any single model year on this site.

2014 introduced the monostable electronic gear selector, a lever that returned to centre rather than resting in the selected gear. NHTSA opened an investigation into vehicles rolling away after drivers believed they had selected Park, and Chrysler recalled the affected vehicles. Separately, the Totally Integrated Power Module has been a persistent source of electrical complaints across this generation, which is consistent with electrical being the largest category in every flagged year.

The median odometer reading at complaint is about 16,000 miles — these are problems owners hit early. The 2010 and 2020 model years record the lowest rates here. On any 2014 or 2015 car, confirm the recall work was completed; NHTSA’s VIN lookup will tell you in seconds.

Reviewed Claude, 10 August 2026, against the model's own record and NHTSA campaign filings

Year by year

Severity-weighted complaints filed in each model year’s first 60 months on the road, so every year is measured over an identical window.

Year Complaint volume vs median Reports Grade
2010
0.13× 63 B
2011
2.31× 1,129 F
2012
1.94× 1,013 F
2013
0.89× 489 C
2014
3.12× 1,596 F
2015
1.57× 682 F
2016
0.57× 235 C
2017
0.56× 272 C
2018
1.15× 547 D
2019
0.41× 217 C
2020
0.44× 190 B
2021
1.11× 587 C
2022 P
1.37× 727 D
2023 P
1.53× 831 D
2024 P
0.82× 474 C
2025 P
0.26× 127 B

P — provisional. These years have not completed 60 months on the road, so their totals are incomplete and they are excluded from the verdict.

What owners report

The component groups most often named, with one representative report. These are unverified — allegations, not findings.

2011 F 1,129 reports · median 47,000 mi

  1. Electrical 400

    The contact owns a 2011 jeep grand cherokee. While traveling 55 MPH the contact noticed a high pitch sound coming from the ventilation system. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Brakes 262

    Upon slowing down at normal deceleration rates, the brakes lost power allowing car to roll through a stop sign. The issue is intermittent and does not exhibit any observable pattern (outside temperature, etc). owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Engine 136

    Driving down the street when white steam like smoke comes from under the hood. The smoke becomes dense and there is a smell of hot transmission fluid. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

37 crash · 37 fire · 33 injuries

2014 F 1,596 reports · median 16,185 mi

  1. Electrical 295

    When I turned my vehicle on this morning the instrument cluster showed warning lights for the engine, emergency brake, airbags, ABS and electronic stability control. owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  2. Drivetrain 259

    The contact owns a 2014 jeep grand cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 30 MPH, the vehicle would automatically shift gears and the check engine warning light would illuminate… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

  3. Brakes 230

    Similar to NHTSA ids#: 10533622 and 10533524. Occurrence: 5 times to date frequency: randomly speed: less than or equal to 50 MPH each time adaptive cruise control: always off, never on vehicle mileage: ~ 3,200 the car… owner complaint filed with NHTSA

170 crash · 33 fire · 88 injuries

The best year for the Grand Cherokee

Ranked by overall score among years with a full 60 months on the road.

2010 is the best-scoring Grand Cherokee model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 84.3 out of 100 — a score that combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.

Yearvs medianReportsGrade
2010 0.13× 63 B
2020 0.44× 190 B
2019 0.41× 217 C

Recalls

78 campaigns on record, 1 carrying a Park It or Park Outside warning.

Campaign Component Model years Units affected
18V332000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING 2014–2018 4,815,661
15V461000 EQUIPMENT:ELECTRICAL:RADIO/TAPE DECK/CD ETC. 2014, 2015 1,416,903
24V436000 BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA 2021–2023 1,033,433
16V240000 POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:CONTROL MODULE (TCM/PCM/TECM) 2014, 2015 811,290
14V391000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING 2011–2014 653,562
14V154000 SERVICE BRAKES 2011–2014 646,498
17V572000 SERVICE BRAKES 2011–2014 646,394
19V813000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 2011–2013 528,594
17V435000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR 2012–2014 442,214
14V634000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:ALTERNATOR/GENERATOR/REGULATOR 2012–2014 435,081
26V328000 AIR BAGS: AIR BAG/RESTRAINT CONTROL MODULE:SOFTWARE 2022–2025 419,035
15V879000 ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING 2011–2013 389,252

+ 66 further campaigns

How long do they last?

Complaint records show when problems get reported, not how long a car survives. Where owners gave an odometer reading, faults on the 2014 were reported at a median of 16,185 miles. Treat that as the point problems start being noticed, not a lifespan.

Common questions

Answered directly from this model’s record.

Which Jeep Grand Cherokee years should you avoid?
2014, 2011, 2012 carry the highest severity-weighted complaint rates of any Jeep Grand Cherokee model year measured over an identical 60-month window.
What is the best year for the Jeep Grand Cherokee?
2010 is the best-scoring Jeep Grand Cherokee model year with a full 60 months on the road, at 84.3 out of 100. The score combines complaint rate, recall campaigns and open investigations.
How many recalls does the Jeep Grand Cherokee have?
78 distinct recall campaigns are on record across all scored Jeep Grand Cherokee model years. A recall is a matter of record: the manufacturer filed a defect report with NHTSA.

How this was calculated

Every model year is scored over an identical window: complaints filed with NHTSA during the first 60 months after that model year went on sale. Without this, older cars look worse purely because they have had longer to accumulate reports.

Limitations. Complaints are unverified reports submitted voluntarily by owners; they are allegations, not findings, and reporting rates vary between models. Model years with fewer than 60 months on the road are marked provisional and excluded from verdicts. Cross-model comparison is withheld pending production-volume data.

Full methodology · Sources · Data vintage August 9, 2026

Working 2014 Grand Cherokee
Complaints in window
1,596
Severity-weighted
2,495
Model median (weighted)
799
vs model median
3.12×
Recall campaigns (weighted)
19
Open investigations
2
Score 3.3 F