2014 Jeep Cherokee: sudden loss of power

Filed Oct 8, 2026 · Transmission · KY

Active Drive 2 PTU failure caused Jeep to lose power on roadway forcing me to try to get to shoulder quickly to avoid blocking traffic or being rear ended. The part is available. I haven’t sent to dealership due to financial constraints. There are numerous incidents and even a recall for similar 2 speed PTUs sold on 2014+ Jeep cherokees. Recall only covered certain VINs and not all vehicles with this same PTU. But there have been many more instances of failure from the PTUs not included in the recall or warranty extension. The svc 4wd light came on when the issue occurred. Had to have vehicle towed as it would not move under own power safely.

Filed Mar 30, 2026 · Electrical · MN

While driving less than one mile from my residence, my 2014 Jeep Cherokee suddenly displayed a warning related to shifting, followed immediately by a complete loss of engine power. The vehicle shut off without warning while in motion. At the time of the incident, the dashboard displayed the messages: “Shift to desired gear” and intermittently “Service Shifter.” I was able to safely maneuver the vehicle to the side of the road; however, this incident has now occurred multiple times, consistently in the same general location and under normal driving conditions. The sudden loss of power creates a serious safety hazard, particularly given the lack of warning and potential for this to occur in higher-speed traffic conditions. This issue appears consistent with known problems involving the transmission wiring harness and shifting system in this vehicle model. Immediate investigation and corrective action are warranted to prevent potential accidents or injuries.

Filed Dec 2, 2025 · Transmission · OH

I have reported this before and I am reporting once again as it is a very serious safety hazard. Vehicle: 2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited Component/System: Power Train – Transfer Case / Drivetrain (4WD/AWD System) I am submitting this complaint to report a recurring and potentially hazardous malfunction involving the transfer case on my 2014 Jeep Cherokee Limited. The vehicle exhibits multiple symptoms consistent with transfer case failure, including intermittent grinding and clunking noises from the drivetrain, jerking and binding during acceleration or low-speed turns, and difficulty engaging or maintaining 4WD/AWD modes. The vehicle has also displayed dashboard warnings such as “Service 4WD” and “4WD Temporarily Unavailable.” At times, vibration can be felt through the floorboard at highway speeds, and the vehicle has intermittently lost power to either the front or rear wheels. These issues pose a significant safety concern. The inconsistent torque delivery causes unpredictable handling, including sudden hesitation, surging, or traction loss during normal driving. The vehicle has also exhibited momentary drivetrain binding that feels similar to braking or wheel lockup, creating a risk of loss of control—particularly when turning, merging, or driving in adverse weather. There is concern that the transfer case could suffer sudden internal failure, potentially resulting in immediate power loss, immobilization, or inability to maneuver out of traffic. Given the frequency of transfer case and power transfer unit failures reported by other Jeep Cherokee owners of this model year, I believe this issue may represent a broader safety defect. The malfunction directly affects vehicle stability, traction control function, and the ability to safely accelerate or maintain speed. I request that the federal safety agency investigate this matter for a safety recall as soon as possible due to the potential for loss of vehicle control and the risk of a crash or injury.

Filed Jun 21, 2025 · Transmission · CA

Submission to the federal safety agency Regarding Transmission Issues in 2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude Summary of Concerns I purchased a 2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude in November 2024, and the transmission issues began approximately six months later. The vehicle exhibits the following problems: •Harsh and delayed shifting •Sudden jerks and gear hunting during low-speed driving •Severe hesitation from a stop, especially at intersections or in traffic •Loss of power under throttle, with unpredictable shifts These issues make the vehicle unsafe for daily driving, particularly in traffic or at intersections where a lack of predictable acceleration increases the risk of accidents. Despite a visit to the Midas dealer, where these issues were reproduced and linked to multiple Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs), the problems persist. The transmission's erratic behavior, even after software updates, remains unresolved and poses a significant safety concern for both the driver and others on the road. Resolution Sought I respectfully urge the federal safety agency to: •Investigate the transmission behavior in the 2014 Jeep Cherokee Latitude •Consider initiating a full recall or service campaign to address these persistent transmission issues •Demand that Jeep implement a permanent solution to ensure the safety and reliability of affected vehicles The ongoing transmission problems in this vehicle, as reported by myself and other owners, necessitate immediate action to prevent potential accidents or injuries. A comprehensive and effective resolution is essential to address this critical safety concern.

Filed Jun 16, 2025 · Acceleration, Transmission · KY

Vehicle randomly imitates being in neutral when it is actually in drive mode. It has lost power on long hill climbs wthout any downshifting as would be necessary. Vehicle will occasionally accelerate on its own without notice. This has happened both on the open road and setting at red lights. These are sometimes able to reset with the turning off and back on of the motor. These symptoms started very randomly, but have increased in events over time.

Filed Mar 13, 2025 · Transmission · CO

My daughters 2014 Jeep Cherokee’s Power Transfer Unit (PTU) failed at 90,000 miles—grinding noise, Service 4WD warning, and loss of power. Jeep dismissed my case (#91999636) despite the XJ1 warranty extension (15 years/unlimited miles) and multiple recalls/TSBs for PTU issues. Dealer quoted $5,500 to repair, leaving me stranded and out of pocket. This is a known defect—Jeep’s refusal to honor XJ1 puts owners at risk

Filed Feb 26, 2025 · Electrical, Transmission · 45,815 miles · PA

The contact owns a 2014 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost power and decelerated. While attempting to accelerate, the RPM increased; however, the vehicle failed to respond as needed. The contact stated that the traction control warning light was illuminated. The contact coasted to the side of the roadway and restarted the vehicle and continued driving. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who failed to diagnose the vehicle; however, the transmission was flushed but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to a certified transmission shop. The mechanic informed the contact of the Customer Satisfaction Program: W84; the federal safety agency ID Number: 10221656 (Power Train, Electrical System) and U90 (Emissions, Power Train); and referred the contact to the dealer for assistance. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and repaired; however, the failure persisted. The dealer was contacted and informed the contact that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer informed the contact of the failure and opened a case. The failure mileage was 45,815.

Filed Feb 24, 2025 · Transmission · AZ

Service transmisión message and loss of Power to the wheels not acelerating at All i have to pull over and turn off the Vehicle and turn i on so it Can reset and continúe driving.

Filed Jan 23, 2025 · Suspension, Transmission · KY

Started appearing a month ago, complete loss of power on major highways/interstates. The ptu was supposedly already replaced due to 1st recall (prior owner), but still had issues with replacement. I have 2 children and the complete loss of power terrified me. The ptu is a $3,000 repair/replacement. I was able to put it in neutral and pull over to restart the car, but this has happened a few times! This could have caused major accidents and deaths!!!

Filed Apr 25, 2024 · Transmission · MI

The Power Transfer Unit PTU is failing on my 2014 Jeep Cherokee and Jeep knows this is an issue. They have already recalled over 67,000 vehicles for this issue but somehow my vehicle isn’t affected when there’s no way I could have damaged the part myself. The problem has been diagnosed by a Jeep dealership as failing but I don’t want to drive it and have fail in the middle of a trip where I would ultimately lose all power to the vehicle and be stranded in the middle of the road. No warning lamps came on but vehicle has been making a loud scraping metal on metal sound below 35 and when decelerating.

Filed Mar 16, 2024 · Transmission · OK

The 2014 - 2016 jeep Cherokee introduced a new design to increase off-road capability, by creating a PTU "Power Transfer Unit" for their 4WD models, many of the v6 models had problems with this unit and two recalls have been created by the federal safety agency to deal with this problem, My car is the 4 cylinder model which also has a PTU and has suffered the exact same issues the V6 owners had but we have not been given access to the recall. This is a widely known issue that thousands of 2014 4 cylinder jeep Cherokee owners have been suffering with. It is a risk and danger on the road way, causing irregular and unexpecting driving issues, complete loss of power to the rear wheels "which could be life threatening in some situations", in my situation I had reduced and intermittent power when trying to take a left hand turn across traffic nearly causing me to get impacted on the driver side. I had my [XXX] father in the car as I was taking him to his chemo appointment. Upon taking the car to the dealership they told me that the PTU would likely need to be replaced at a cost of over 4000 dollars. I feel as thought there is sufficient correlation to the other issues this manufacture has with the part(s) in question, to warrant further investigation and recourse given the severity of the failure. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Feb 9, 2024 · Transmission · FL

Power Transfer Case failure. There is a recall for both the PTU and the transfer case for other Jeep Cherokee models 2014-2016, but my vin # is not included. I experience frequent issues with a sudden loss of power when trying to proceed from a stopped position, often in the middle of an intersection. I found many complaints online about this with 2014 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawks, and have asked FCA and the Jeep dealership several times over the past 2 years why my VIN isn't included, if I am experiencing the same problem. FCA wouldn't even open a case for me about it. The repair is approximately $8000 through Jeep, and $1500 through 3rd party, however it requires programming, which only Jeep can do. Re: the liftgate recall, I've been waiting 7 months for parts to come in for that, as well. My liftgate failed at least 3 years ago.