The car is not shifting properly and will "jump" or "lunge" forward while driving. I have noticed that the RPM's will jump and bounce around, seemingly down shifting, then shift again, and then down shift again, which causes jerking motion.
2016 Jeep Cherokee transmission complaints
Page 4 of 22: complaints 71 to 100 of 638, newest first, as owners wrote them.
Car goes into "limp mode" while driving. Will slow to a complete stop, not rev, and says "Shift to P then desired gear". All other components of car are on (battery barely a year old). Try to follow command prompt; after putting car in P, and shifting to D, it still won't rev. I was on an incline and began rolling backwards. Good thing no one was behind me at the time. Had to turn completely off. On startup, it's stuttering and takes a while to start. Turns on fine and will drive, but is physically jerking between gears. Then, the first time I have to stop for a significant time and idle, it will do it again. I follow process again and was able to record video, because I was on a back street and pulled over in time, luckily. Upon driving the next day and taking to dealer, it is still jerking. Dealer cannot replicate and shows no error codes, so they say to just keep driving and can only help if I bring in while it is happening? That is literally insane. Same thing happened a year ago, but after filling up and being on "Empty". I went to a independent mechanic then, which is why I was hopeful the dealer would have more insight into the problem. That mechanic also could not replicate. They said it could be a fuel line or pump issue and to never let gas get too low, or go through costly man hours to check the fuel line, but then it couldn't be that at all, so could still be back at square one. That time, it stopped me in a busy intersection TWICE and was far more terrifying. I decided to skip the potentially pointless and definitely expensive fuel line investigation. I decided to take it in again when it happened and followed the "don't let gas get too low" directive and had no further issues until 5/5/25.
Since having the vehicle in for recall 45A/the federal safety agency 23V‑302, there is a loss of drive and a clunking sound when accelerating from approximately 25-30 mph. This does not occur all the time, however when it does and there is traffic behind me, the vehicle behind me will close up quickly almost hitting me.
PTU failure, confirmed by dealership
My Daughter was driving home from work at the very busy time of day. Her vehicle just shut down. It was still running, but it had no power. She was almost hit by many other vehicles because of this. She called in a panic. I told her to kill it and restart it. She killed it, but had trouble restarting it. But she did get it restarted and was able to get it off the road and pulled into a Church parking lot. My Son and I went to help her and I was able to drive it home. But it tried to shut down a couple of times on the way. We took it to a dealer shop and they said it needs a new Power Transfer Unit. Very expensive part and it’s on back order because it’s failing on so many vehicles. They can’t even order it for 45 days. After researching this part, it seems it’s failing on many of this same vehicle. When I searched for a recall, it shows no recalls. I think this should be investigated. There was a recall on the power train that we had fixed. But it was just a software update. Now she has no vehicle for an indefinite period of time, and has been very traumatized by the incident.
I was driving and was at a residential stop sign and out of no where my vehicle just shuts off on me. At first I thought it was the on and off gas conserver device but I realized that wasn’t the issue when it wouldn’t turn on anymore and all the vehicles behind me started honking and then proceeded to go around me. This lady walking her dog even shouted what the hell was wrong with me thinking I was purposely stopping traffic. Then this nice guy came out of nowhere to help me move my vehicle out the way from ongoing traffic. He was nice enough to try and give my car some battery from his vehicle thinking that might be the problem and nothing would make my car turn on not even the starter would want to start. So I had no choice but to call a tow truck to transport my vehicle to a mechanic.
Service 4 wheel drive alert warning. Dealership inspected and said Power transfer unit
My 2016 jeep cherokee is displaying the service 4x4 & has vibration while driving. I took it to a shop & was told the transfer case needed to be replaced so I had it done. The transfer case was replaced with new one & the module software keeps kicking it back & the mechanic replaced the software module twice & it keeps happening. On 2 separate occasions I have taken the jeep to the jeep dealer due to the power train software needing to be updated cause it was under recall. I have had the jeep since June 2024 & already had to replace 4 different parts. It would turn off while driving when I first got it & after 3 parts were replaced it stopped & the "service 4x4" message showed up.
The car shuts off while driving
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the gear shifter was stuck in park(P). The contact stated that once the vehicle was parked, the gear shifter remained stuck in park(P). The contact manually depressed the button under the gear shifter to move the gear shifter. No warning lights were illuminated. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 56,000.
My vehicle losses all power to the wheels or does not not allow me to accelerate on occasion. Mechanic told me I have a faulty PTU. This has almost cause me to get into an accident several times. Unfortunately due to a very long back order I'm not able to get my vehicle repaired any time soon. I was told to report this due to a recall for this issue but my vehicle is 1 year older than the recall years.
I own a 2016 Jeep Cherokee Limited 4x4. The SERVICE 4WD light came on a few weeks ago. After research and several mechanic's input, I was told the problem was the PTU, and, since Jeep no longer makes the part, I was given the quote of $2700-$3200 to replace the PTU with a remanufactured part with only a one year warranty. According to the mechanics, when driving with a broken PTU it may cause damage to the drive shafts. transmission and axles, which, in turn can break while in use, leading to a very dangerous situation. I was told that I should put the Jeep in two wheel drive manually and drive it like that, but my shifter doesn't have that option. It shifts automatically. So, I have a bad PTU, but my VIN doesn't have a recall, and there are several people with the same problem, according to the federal safety agency site. I am filing this complaint so the federal safety agency will step in and require the manufacturer to further the recall to include ALL of the VINs with defective PTUs and make them safer to drive. Yes, the vehicle is available to inspect at your convenience.
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while operating the vehicle, the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who replaced the drivetrain control module but later the message "Service Four Wheel Drive" was displayed. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who diagnosed that the PTU needed to be replaced; however, the part was on backorder. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed that the VIN was not included in the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V302000 (POWER TRAIN). The contact stated that the vehicle had experienced the failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 110,000.
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle violently began jerking after releasing the accelerator pedal and depressing the brake pedal. There was an abnormal popping sound coming from the vehicle. The engine warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V302000 (Power Train). The contact called the local dealer, who discussed updating the software. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 84,000.
Transmission is slamming into gear aswell as loss of all power to the wheels
I parked my vehicle at 6pm on February 15th. at 2:45 pm I awoke to a loud explosion outside my bedroom window. There was a very large fire, and it was my car. I was in shock we could only watch from our window as the fire department arrived and put out the fire which was spreading to the carport and mailboxes near my parking spot. It also burned a truck parked next to mine. both cars a total loss. My insurance company sent someone to tow my vehicle, but the tow truck driver refused saying the vehicle was untowable, due to the massive damage. the next day a neighbor informed me that he got the whole incident on video start to finish. 'The video shows my engine igniting while off and had been parked for over 6 hours. In the video you see a small flame start under the hood near the windshield wipers. the flame then grew and grew!!!! until the car was completely engulfed in flames. I also had a full tank of gas!!! Once the fire department arrived and extinguished the fire. the whole thing was melted to the concrete. the engine laying on the ground. A TOTAL LOSS!!!!
2016 Jeep Cherokee, owner since NOV22. Transfer Case (Service 4-wheel drive), warning light appeared after driving 1x time off-road in sand. From my knowledge, there was a previous recall/complaints however isn’t covered currently by manufacturer. Last year I previously went to a local Jeep dealer to fix the PTU software issue for the same component. The transfer case issue has been verified by a mechanic and is estimated to be +$3,200 for parts and labor. The vehicle is well maintained, transfer case’s fluid was not replaced upon inspection by mechanic. The vehicle has been used for daily commute on paved roads/highways. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request.
Vehicle making grinding noise when wheel is turned last week. Previously a "Service Shifter" light came in sporadically. No codes were ever found. Recently the 4wd service light came on and stayed on. PTU failure. I searched and realized this specific vehicle was not included in the recall and I don't understand why because it should be. It's been wonky for years, right after the warranty. I may end up without a vehicle for all this beauracracy. It should be included in the recall...
There was absolutely no warning driving at 55 mph heard a loud noise and smelt fluid pulled over small flame that extinguished by itself and fluid everywhere did a little research and many of these same jeeps had a PTU issue and were recalled
4wd system unavailbe service required had to pay to have it fixs
SVC 4WD - code that appeared, C14A7-97. Spoke with Stellantis and was told that this VIN was not covered under the recall. Not sure why not - it is experiencing the same issue. The diagnostic trouble code (DTC) C14A7-97 in a Jeep Cherokee indicates a problem with the power transfer unit (PTU) motor component or system. This issue can cause the transmission to disengage, resulting in a loss of drive power or park function. Symptoms The "Service 4WD" light is on The "AWD System Service Required" message is illuminated Possible causes The input shaft ring on the PTU may not be fully seated The PTU may have been built to allow relative movement between the differential input splines and the transmission output shaft Possible consequences a vehicle crash without prior warning and injury to others outside the vehicle. Recall Chronology: On March 7th, 2023, the FCA US LLC (“FCA US”) Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance (“TSRC”) organization opened an investigation into 2016-2017 MY Jeep Cherokee vehicles for potential PTU failures that experience a loss of motive power (“LOMP”) and/or park function. During March 2023, FCA US TSRC conducted an analysis of LOMP and/or loss of park function patterns associated with two-speed PTU replacements. As of April 20th, 2023, FCA US is aware of two customer assistance records, 17 warranty claims, zero field reports, and six other service records potentially related to this issue for all markets with dates of receipt ranging from January 13th, 2017, through August 7th, 2022. As of April 20th, 2023, FCA US is not aware of any accidents or injuries potentially related to this issue for all markets. On April 20th, 2023, FCA US determined, through the Vehicle Regulations Committee, to conduct a voluntary safety recall of the affected vehicles.
Ptu failure/ loss of motive power
*While driving vehicle on highway heard a loud noise and grinding sound and PTU exploded and *was not able to maneuver vehicle properly. *Fluid that was leaking out . Caused fire . Once car turned off this stopped flames .This could have been a very dangerous situation if it had not gone out for us and others on the highway. * we brought the vehicle to our mechanic who diagnosed it and said there was a problem to bring it to the Jeep dealer who also diagnosed the same problem. * it is currently still at the Jeep dealer . Because there are no parts available, which makes us wonder if this has happened to many other people.. * there were no warning, lamps or messages that came on.
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the steering wheel became firm, with the traction, check engine, and battery warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the messages to “Service Transmission” and “Service Shifter” were displayed. The contact was forced to park on the side of the road and restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the vehicle was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the gear shifter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 130,000.
SWC 4WD notice Car starts shaking go beyond 60 mph
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while cold starting the vehicle and shifting to drive (D) or into reverse (R), the vehicle hesitated and then jolted into gear while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the "Service 4WD" warning light was illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving on the highway at an undisclosed speed, while depressing the accelerator pedal to overtake another vehicle, the vehicle hesitated before responding as needed. The contact stated that when the transmission shifted, there was a jolt, and the "Service 4WD" warning light illuminated. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 124,000.
This morning i heard about the recall of 63,000 jeeps from 2017-2019 for the power failure in the PTU. I have a 2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk and i have experienced the same EXACT issue! I currently have a 2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk. I'm the original owner. This Saturday, January 25th, I am turning it in for the PTU to be replaced. This will be my 2nd PTU replacement. . I was told that this 2nd PTU has a different Part Number than the OEM, or the last one. Thus making it slightly designed differently (i dont know the factual of this statement). *** In the last year, and mostly during warmer months, I have experienced MULTIPLE complete power failures of my Jeep. Anywhere from driving, and/or slow parking. it has even happended at times when taking an off ramp from the highway! I have had other people in the Jeep when this has happened. I was told that I have a loose battery terminal connection. So I went out and purchased the Battery Post Shims to increase the posts thickness on the battery. This did not resolve the problem. Since June 2024 I have been on MOPAR's waiting list for this replacment PTU and I finally received it a couple weeks ago. It is now winter and for some reason the power failure does not happen, but there is a consistent clicking in the front end. Not thinking it was the PTU because it has been replaced already, I thought it was the CV Joint so I bought that part. When i got to the dealership to have the work completed, they informed me that it is NOT the CV Joint, but definitely the PTU. So that is how I have been on the waiting list since June 2024. This morning i heard about the recall of 63,000 jeeps from 2017-2019 for the power failure in the PTU. I have a 2016 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk and i have experienced the same EXACT issue! This recall may need to be extended to include 2016's!!
Four Wheel Drive quit working. There is no traction on the rear wheels and four wheel drive error and stuck in traffic during freezing temperatures and snow on the road. This almost caused a collision. Why is there a recall on 2016 Jeep Cherokees for four wheel drive issue but not on my 2016 Jeep Cherokee?
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, the vehicle jerked while in first gear. The contact stated that after a short while the vehicle returned to normal functionality. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to a dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 168,000.
Transmission doesn’t engage while driving. When I am braking, the vehicle jumps like it is skipping gears while trying to slow down.
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