Power tranfer unit failed and needs to be replaced. Dealer confirmed. Service 4wd light came on prior to taking it in for service. PTU failures can cause sudden loss of propulsion, drivetrain binding, hesitation, or rollaway while parked, all of which can lead to accidents and damage. This is a known and common occurrence in 2017-2023 Jeep vehicles and somehow it still takes forever for them to get replacement parts. I have not had access to my vehicle for 2 months, causing emotional and financial strain.
2019 Jeep Cherokee transmission complaints
Page 4 of 29: complaints 71 to 100 of 840, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the message “Service 4-Wheel Drive” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who confirmed that the Power Transfer Unit had failed. The failure was associated with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and confirmed that the VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer opened a case for the failure. The manufacturer referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 131,000.
Power Transfer Unit failure failed. Warning light of "4WD SERVICE" came up. Part is not available anywhere, and is on backorder until at least September.
On May 10, 2026, my SVC 4WD light came on, then went away after a few minutes. A few weeks later, my vehicle started making a loud roaring, growling, and humming noise, then it went away followed by the SVC 4WD light came back on. While driving around 50–60 MPH, the vehicle became very unstable. It suddenly pulled from left to right before I was able to regain control. Thankfully, traffic was light and the weather was clear, or it could have been much worse. A couple repair shops scanned the vehicle and found this trouble code: DTC C14A7-97 – PTU motor: component/system operation obstructed or blocked. Although my vehicle is equipped with the single-speed PTU and is not included in recalls 25V‑011 and 26V‑290, it experienced similar warning signs and loss of vehicle control associated with the PTU. I believe this failure should be investigated because it presents a comparable safety risk.
unable to go into 4wd, loss of park function
This specific jeep should have been recalled with all the other 2019 jeep cherokees, my transfer case failed as well causing the differential to fail, there's so many people trying to get those 2 parts it was 1 year before I got my jeep back, my jeep is a 2019 jeep cherokee latitude plus, barley made 96k miles before failure, exact same issue as all recalled jeeps, spent 8k for repairs just for it to happen again in 96k miles, because there's no recalls no change to the part and how its built , that is case in its self for a recall
Subject: Safety Complaint – Jeep Cherokee PTU Failure Not Included in Recall 40D (the federal safety agency 26V‑290) I am submitting this complaint regarding a safety issue with my 2019 Jeep Cherokee (3.2L V6, ~86,000 miles). My vehicle is experiencing symptoms that closely match those described in Recall 40D (the federal safety agency 26V‑290) and 01c (the federal safety agency 25V‑011), however my VIN is not included in the recall. During low-speed turns, the vehicle behaves as if the four-wheel-drive system is locked. The drivetrain binds and the vehicle jerks, hops, or “skips” through turns. This affects control and creates safety concerns, especially in traffic and parking situations. An independent third-party mechanic has inspected the vehicle and diagnosed a failure of the Power Transfer Unit (PTU). This aligns directly with the defect described in Recall 40D. Symptoms include: Drivetrain binding during turns Jerking/hopping when cornering Sensation of locked differential or 4WD system Abnormal driveline behavior consistent with PTU failure These conditions indicate a drivetrain malfunction that could worsen and potentially lead to loss of motive power or unintended vehicle movement, both identified risks in the recall. Given the clear similarity to Recall 40D, I am concerned that additional vehicles outside the current VIN range are affected. I respectfully request that the federal safety agency: Investigate expanding the recall population Determine whether the PTU defect is more widespread Require remedies for affected vehicles not currently included Vehicle Information: 2019 Jeep Cherokee, 3.2L V6, ~86,000 miles
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving on several occasions at various speeds, the message "Service 4WD" was displayed. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with PTU failure and the transfer case needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train). The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 59,000.
The service 4 wheel drive warning light came on when backing into a parking space. The light came and went intermittently throughout the following day. I called for a service appointment for my vehicle where it was determined via electrical diagnostics that the PTU actuator had failed, rendering the car undrivable without repair.
Hi, I own a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. Requesting that my vehicle VIN number be included in the active recalls associated with the 2019 Jeep Cherokee, specifically related to the Power Transfer Unit failure. The two active recalls that apply to my vehicle are: 40D and 01C. Recently, my vehicle displayed a "SVC 4WD" warning message. I took the vehicle to an authorized Jeep dealership for diagnosis and paid a diagnostic fee of approximately $200. The dealership determined that the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) needs to be replaced and provided a repair estimate of approximately $3,200. After receiving the vehicle diagnosis from the dealership and reading the possible life-threatening ramifications listed in the active recalls, which are very similar, if not the same as what the dealer diagnosed in my vehicle, I decided not to drive it. That has been very distressing for me because I don't have another vehicle, I don't have the money to repair the vehicle, and the dealer refused to repair it under the recall because my VIN is not listed on the ordered recall. My understanding is that your office has the authority to issue recalls for vehicle with defects that threaten public safety, and my situation described above is certainly dangerous to myself and others. At the time the warning message was displayed on the dashboard, (early June), my vehicle odometer displayed 71,876 miles. Based on publicly available information, PTU-related failures and others have been identified in Jeep Cherokee vehicles, and the symptoms affecting my vehicle are similar to those associated with known PTU issues. The vehicle has been consistently maintained through the Jeep dealership service department at 120 W McKinley Ave, Mishawaka, Indiana, 46545, United States. Please add my VIN number to the Jeep Cherokee PTU-related active recall so that the dealer can repair my vehicle under the recall and I can drive my car again. Sincerely, A very concerned and affected Jeep Cherokee driver.
My 2019 jeep Cherokee limited suffered a complete loss of power while driving down the highway and now has a service 4wd light on as well.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Service 4WD" was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the power take-off unit(PTU) had experienced internal damage and the PTU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer and the dealer were made aware of the failure and stated that the vehicle was not included in the recall. The manufacturer advised the contact to report the failure to the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Has been in shop since I have owed it replaced axles (rear) rear differential(1 time), and transfer case(3 times) still slipping and dragging at take off and speed over 55 grinding and bumping sounds , mechanics can’t figure it out no lights on dash and diagonist still shows rear differential and transfer case
We noticed a recall will be issued for certain Jeep Cherokee regarding the failed PTU system. Our vehicle is not showing it will be included however we are having the identical issue. The 4WD service light comes on and when you excellerate, the vehicle chokes down and hesitates acting as if it will turn off. The vehicle has 73,000 miles and has never been driven in 4WD or off road.
I took my vehicle to a jeep dealership and they inspected my car. They said the PTU is failing and had to get a new part. They said my car was unsafe to drive due to causing further issues with the transmission. There is a recall for this in other years of the jeep Cherokee but not for mine. This has cost me $2,500. I first noticed the issue when my 4 wheel drive light came on. Then it was making a grinding noise.
Ptu going out. Service 4 wheel drive light on. Car wasn’t in an accident. Four-wheel-drive will not activate any longer. Very costly Repair for a part that just went out with not even being used.
Had cruise control on set on 64 up and down hills and around curves it just started going faster & faster I had to stomp the brakes 3 times to get it to quit afterwards the power train is now not shifting right it still was at times going to shop staying at 27 to 35 rpm’s, made it to shop
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the message "Service 4WD" displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the power take-off unit experienced internal damage and the PTU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to file a complaint with the federal safety agency Hotline. The failure mileage was approximately 130,000.
Took to dealer they informed us the put motor needs to be replaced. There have been recalls for this however ours has not been recalled.
The “service four-wheel drive” warning light started coming on. I took it in to an independent, very reputable mechanic and he did a diagnostic on it. The diagnosis that came up says “Has C14A7-97 indicates issue with transfer case. Transfer case would have to be removed and inspected.” The mechanic told me that Jeeps are being recalled because of this and that I should take it into a Jeep dealership. I took it in and although other 2019 Jeep Cherokees with the same issue are being recalled for this issue, my VIN number is not on the recall list for some reason. They told me to contact Jeep customer care which I did and they said they couldn’t help me at all so I am filing a complaint and would like an investigation into this. When this issue is googled there are a lot of people that I have had this problem and it’s a very expensive repair. What’s going on with Jeep and why aren’t they all recalled a lot of their products are having the issue. I also called to voice this complaint and an investigation was started at that time, but when I just looked on the website today it says there are zero investigations for my car/VIN, WHY???
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the "Service 4WD" message was displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and the failure was associated with the federal safety agency Campaign: 25V011000 (Power Train). The vehicle was taken to a local dealer; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The VIN was not included in the recall. The vehicle was taken to another local independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the PTU needed to be replaced. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while his wife driving 25 MPH, the 4-WD warning light illuminated, with an abnormal sound coming from the front of the vehicle. A dealer was contacted. The vehicle was taken a dealer where it diagnosed and determined that the PTU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V302000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 81,000.
The power transfer unit (PTU) has failed at 68,000 miles. "Service FWD" light is illuminated on the dash. Review/inspection of vehicle by original car dealer could not resolve the issue. Provided a quotation for $3,640.70 to repair. Although the part did not completely fail, it is uncertain how it might fail and in what condition the failure will leave the vehicle but could lose power or motion as a result.
My rear differential, transfer case, and PTU all went out. There were no warning signals. This is after I had the rear differential serviced in 2024. My particular VIN does not qualify for a recall, but other similar makes and model of cars have qualified for a recall. I feel like this is unfair and unsafe.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal became inoperable while depressed. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel. The vehicle was shifted into park, however, the vehicle failed to turn off. The vehicle was pulled over to the side of the road. The ignition coil was disconnected, the gearbox removed, and then shifted to neutral(N) to tow the vehicle to a dealer. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 94,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the message “Service 4WD” was displayed. While driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate in 2WD. The local dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was diagnosed with PTU failure. The vehicle was not repaired due to the parts being on back order. The contact associated the failure with the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V011000 (Power Train) and 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recalls. The manufacturer was contacted and stated there was no recall or warranty coverage on the VIN and referred the contact to the federal safety agency Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 100,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the 4WD warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the driver was informed that the PTU had failed and needed to be replaced at the owner's expense. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V290000 (POWER TRAIN); however, a second dealer informed the contact that the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was unknown.
4WD service light turning on and off intermittently, one incident where a grinding noise was noted, car was parked and when looked into further the noise was gone. Contined driving, but 4WD service light stayed on. Took to dealer and they informed me the PTU requires replacement due to failure, diagnostic code shared was C14A797. After further research I discovered safety recall 40D / 26V290000 for 2019 - 2023 Jeep Cherokee vehicles, both dealer and Stellantis/Jeep customer service have stated the vehicle is not included in the recall.
Manufacturer Evading Safety Recall 40D (the federal safety agency 26V290) Despite Official Dealer Confirmation of Identical PTU Failure. What Happened: I am filing a formal non-compliance complaint against Stellantis/FCA US LLC regarding my 2019 Jeep Cherokee (VIN: [XXX]). On XXXX, my vehicle exhibited severe mechanical grinding/clicking noises from the chassis during acceleration and turning, with a permanent "Service 4WD" lamp. On June 8, 2026, an authorized dealership, Burlington CDJR (RO [XXX]), officially diagnosed the vehicle with Fault Code 14A7-97 and explicitly documented: "stuck shifter forks. needs transfer case/ptu" on the invoice. Safety Risk: The official diagnosis—stuck shifter forks requiring full PTU replacement—is the exact catastrophic mechanical failure addressed in Jeep's Safety Recall 40D (the federal safety agency 26V290) issued in May 2026. This defect causes an unexpected loss of motive power while driving and disables the 'Park' lock, creating an imminent risk of high-speed highway crashes and vehicle rollaway. Manufacturer Evaded Duty: The dealer submitted this diagnostic report to Jeep Corporate under my Ref#XXX (Case #XXX). However, Jeep Corporate flatly denied recall coverage, claiming my specific VIN is "not showing an open recall." My vehicle carries the identical component failure, identical trouble code, and identical safety risk as recalled units. Jeep is narrowing the VIN scope by arbitrary production dates to evade financial liability for early 2019 models, knowingly forcing a dangerous vehicle back onto public roads. I urgently request the federal safety agency to investigate Stellantis/FCA and legally compel them to expand Recall 40D to include my VIN. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
1.First PTU Recall Repair (February 27 – March 3, 2026) Jeep to dealership for Recall 01C PTU replacement. I reported no drivability concerns, brake noises, vibrations, or drivetrain issues. The repair order contains no documentation of any problems with the driveshaft, CV axle, brakes, or related drivetrain components. 2.PTU Failure and Second PTU Replacement (May 1 – May 25, 2026) After recall repair, PTU failed, multiple warning lights appeared. Returned vehicle to dealership. I again did not report any squeaking brakes, vibrations, clunking noises, or drivetrain symptoms. Second PTU replacement done. The technician documented on the repair order: “Vehicle is now working as design.” 3.New Symptoms Immediately Following Second PTU Replacement (June 4 – June 13, 2026). Immediately after picking up the vehicle on May 25, 2026, I noticed several new symptoms that had not existed before the PTU replacement: • Clicking noises • Clunking noises when applying the brakes • Vibrations throughout the vehicle while in reverse with the brake pedal applied • Abnormal driveline behavior. Returned vehicle to the dealership on June 4, 2026 for evaluation. I was informed that the vehicle required: • Front brake replacement • Rear driveshaft replacement. Repair order : “Upon inspection, the technician found excessive play in the drive shaft. Also noticed front brakes squeaking.” No explanation was provided as to how these conditions developed immediately after the PTU replacement or why no such conditions had been documented during either prior repair. 4. Immediately took car to independent mechanic for evaluation. Report: "Right front axle inner joint not completely installed into the transmission/PTU assembly • Hanger cut and missing • Rear driveshaft not fully seated, with splines visibly exposed • PTU replacement unit marked “LKG” • All brake components inspected and found to be operating normally". 5. The vehicle is now mechanically compromised and unsafe to drive
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