When I attempted to turn left onto the highway from a complete stop on an incline, I pressed the accelerator and the car made a loud grinding noise. The vehicle would not move forward or reverse. The parking brake engaged on its own and would not disengage. After exiting the vehicle, I found a loose bearing behind the car. The vehicle had to be towed to a mechanic. I was informed by the mechanic that the failure was caused by the PTU (Power Transfer Unit), and the repair cost me $2,600. I was later told that the initial failure had also stripped another component, which required an additional $100 repair. I was not given the specific name or details of that additional part.
2020 Jeep Cherokee transmission complaints
Page 5 of 8: complaints 101 to 130 of 202, newest first, as owners wrote them.
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the transmission was failing and was slipping between 3rd and 4th gear. Additionally, the contact stated that the torque converter was also failing. There were no warning lights illuminated. There was an abnormally sharp chirping metal-on-metal and a rumbling sound coming from the vehicle while accelerating. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact speculated that the manufacturer was attempting to allow the warranty to expire. The contact was concerned that the warning lights were not activating as expected during the failure. The local dealer was contacted, and the vehicle was diagnosed, and determined that the transmission and the torque converter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact called another local dealer, Premier Cape Cod Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram, A Premier Company at (556 Yarmouth Rd, Hyannis, MA 02601), but no additional assistance was provided. The manufacturer was contacted and declined the repairs and referred the contact to another dealer for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 70,000.
My service FWD light came on so I took it to the shop to get it looked at. Upon diagnosing this issue, I was informed it is a faulty power transfer unit and was informed of the dangers of driving with this issue. I have a newborn son so I immediately stopped driving my car and left it at the shop to be fixed. It has been there since October 6th.. It is now December 1st and the part is still not in stock to fix. This same part is recalled for the same reason in Jeep models 2017-2019. However mine is 2020, no recall yet, but is having the same issue and is now on backorder. I have been paying for insurance, etc.. on my car to just be sitting there rusting away and Jeep cannot give a timeframe on when the part will be in. I am out on a car and struggling to find transportation to and from work and a safe way to transport my newborn child.
2020 Jeep Cherokee Power Transfer Unit (PTU) Per a discussion the dealer service manager, I realized the vehicle is undrivable because the PTU could fail at anytime. The danger is losing propulsion to the wheels on an interstate or other high speed or high capacity road. The problem was discovered by the dealer when I took my Cherokee in on 11/24/25 to have them fix the "SVC 4WD" warning light. Once they explained the issue I decided to leave the vehicle at the dealer to replace the PTU. There is no timeframe for them to receive a new PTU. Jeep had recalled 2017-2019 Cherokees due to issues with the PTU. The 2020 Cherokees should also be recalled so owners don't have to pay for an issue Jeep is aware of with the power train.
The 4WD service light indicated an issue. After a week of the light staying on, the vehicle was brought to a local dealer for diagnosis. After diagnosis from a dealer, the PTU failed which can result in complete propulsion of vehicle.
"Service 4WD" warning light appeared unexpectedly. Code scan revealed that the PTU unit had failed, leading to a loss of 4WD capabilities. Jeep is much less safe to drive in winter here in Minnesota. Took to a dealer, where it was replaced. Through research, I have come to find that this is an all-too-common failure in Jeep Cherokees and had been recalled in previous years' models.
Vehicle has been having a grinding noice since I bought it, had it checked and nothing came up. Now service 4x4 light comes on intermittently. Took back to the dealer and diagnostic says that the ptu has low voltage. Needs to be replaced. I have to pay for the part first ($2000), but it's been on back order for over 6 months.
PTU unit on my Jeep Cherokee failed at 70 miles per hour on the highway. The car is located on a Jeep dealer lot and is available for inspection. Traveling at high speeds I suddenly lost and transfer of power from the motor to the wheels and was unable to keep speed in traffic. The problem has been noted on Jeep models of prior production with this exact problem per consumer reports. The car went through a full Jeep inspections and found that the PTU was the culprit of the issue. When the PTU failed it displayed a message stating “Service 4WD”. This did not occur until after the incident occurred. Additionally when the issue occurred the car turned itself into snow/ice mode. I was driving in the standard drive mode as there was no snow or ice. I had driven for over an hour prior to this failure in the car. It was mid morning when the failure happened.
While driving, the car began making a rattling noise and felt unstable. Shortly after, the “Service 4WD” warning light came on. I took the vehicle to the dealership, and they diagnosed a Power Transfer Unit (PTU) failure that requires replacement. This is a serious safety concern, as the vehicle could lose the ability to drive, especially in certain road or weather conditions. After researching the issue, I discovered that PTU failures appear to be a widespread problem in Jeep Cherokees, yet there has been no effective recall or permanent fix. Owners are being put at risk due to potential loss of power while driving.
Hello, The widespread issue of defective the PTU (power transfer unit) is far beyond the recall 25V011. We have 2 Jeep cherokees in my family and both have a bad PTU and they both aren’t under the recall. Thank you
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle unexpectedly jerked, and the message “4X4 System Service Required” was displayed. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the vehicle unexpectedly lunged forward. The contact engaged the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed and determined that the power transfer unit (PTU) had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired, and the contact was referred to the dealer for further assistance. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 89,301.
I dropped my car for a service appointment on October 25, 2025 because the car was running loud at highway speeds and felt as though something was grinding. I was told that the recommendation is to replace the PTU. I was unfamiliar with the term and guessed, "Power Takeoff Unit" and the service technician agreed with me. He then informed me that there was an issue with the part and it would be 45-days before the part would be available. He told me that other shops were contacted and there was no shop in the area that was willing to part with the PTU, and I would need to wait 45-days for the repair. I asked if it was safe to drive the vehicle until the repair and he informed me it was. He appeared to be a new team member, so I clarified again, "I just want to be clear it is safe to drive the car". He responded it was, and then said he would check with his manager. After checking with the manager, he came back and said it was okay to drive the car but it may lead to further damage. Following the call I Googled PTU and learned that there was a recall on Jeep Cherokee's, due to defective PTUs which could cause a loss of power when the vehicle is in motion - leading to a crash, prevent the driver from putting the vehicle in park, or causing the vehicle to come out of park. Given the large number of vehicles involved in the recall, 660K + it is not surprising that the part is on back-order. It is frustrating that this is a voluntary recall, and that the scope of the recall has grown from 2016/2017 to now include 2017/2019 but not yet 2020. Please consider including the cars manufactured in 2020, and changing this from a voluntary recall.
After having the issue diagnosed by an authorized service center, it has been confirmed that my PTU has failed and needs to be replaced. Upon further research, I discovered that the PTU part is recalled for vehicles manufactured between 2017 and 2019. However, as my vehicle is a 2020 model, it unfortunately falls outside of the recall window. Despite this, it appears that similar PTU failures are still occurring in vehicles manufactured in 2020 and beyond, indicating that the issue may not have been fully resolved in later models. I am deeply concerned about the safety implications of this issue, particularly the risk of losing power to the wheels while driving. This could lead to a serious accident, especially in adverse weather conditions or on the highway. As a result, I am requesting that you take immediate action to address this problem. I believe this issue is a design flaw or a defective part that has not been fully resolved, and it is in the best interest of both customer safety and brand reputation to address this matter promptly.
MY TRANSMISSION QUIT WORKING AND MY PARKING BRAKE TURNED ON WHILE DRIVING!!!!! This is the same problem that was recalled on jeep Cherokee years from 2017-2019, but my 2020 is not covered in the recall and my neighbor has the same exact car and year and has had to replace his put twice!!!!!! MY MODEL YEAR SHOULD BE INCLUDED!!!!!!!
The check 4 wheel drive light lit up on my dash. Shortly after, there was aloud noise coming from the front passenger side tire area. I replaced the front hub assembly as was the code it was throwing. 1 week ater, noise returned and I took it into Elkhorn Automotive in Waterloo, NE. They said it was throwing a code of C14A7-97...power transfer unit. Dealership said there are no active recalls for my 2020 jeep. Looks like Jeep has had issues with this PTU. What can I do to get my vehicle fixed.
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH, there was an abnormal popping sound coming from under the floorboards. The contact stated that the "Service 4-WD" warning light was illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle started losing motive power and the transmission unexpectedly downshifted. The contact was able to continue driving to the destination. The failure was intermittent but was a recurring failure. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic and was diagnosed with PTU failure. The contact was informed that the PTU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was informed by the mechanic that the failure was possibly related to the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 25V011000 (Power Train); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.
Service 4WD warning appeared 9/2025 on my 2020 Jeep Cherokee Limited with 37500 miles. Took it to my local mechanic. They suspected the PTU was the problem and advised to take it Jeep dealer as it should be covered under warrantee. However The car was put into service in 2019 so warrantee has expired. Dealer advised PTU repair ~$3000 but part is back ordered. I see a lot of complaints on this site for this same issue. This was a recall up to year 2019 Jeeps.
The Power Transfer Unit failed, needing repair. It is available for inspection upon request. My safety, and other's safety on the road, was put at risk because now the power can shut off while driving. The problem has been confirmed by the dealer, as we took it in when a warning light appeared. They confirmed it was a power transfer unit failure. They first appeared about a month ago, and today's date is 9/19/25.
The PTU AND PTU Actuator have failed. The repair is estimated to be App $3000 at a local independent repair shop. The parts are unavailable to do a timely repair. We still have to drive it because it cannot be repaired until parts are available, we were told it could be months because there are so many jeeps failing from the same thing. ( "a similar repair was done today after waiting for 3 months for parts"- Bob from Donelinger in Cohasset, Mn) We may be in danger every time we use the jeep but have no choice with it being needed for our transportation. The 4WD service lights are on or blink all the time. We only have 85,000 miles on this jeep we have had since we purchased it new. Please help speed up parts availability and a recall on these Jeeps.
PTU unit has went out. 4wd light on shows needs service. Currently with dealership and told ptu needs replaced, but told there's only 112 available in the nation with over 1200 orders for one Currently. It looks that this has been an ongoing problem with Jeep Cherokees with under 100,000 miles. Mine only has 88.000. Other year models have been recalled in fact up to Feb. 2019 for manufactured cherokees. I missed it by a year. With this Increasing problem, it sure looks as though they should recall since the odds are becoming greater for failure and people are out thousands of dollars and still making payments on it in this economy for not being able to have confidence in a vehicle and company. Thank you for your attention and action!
PTU failure at 65,000 miles. Unknown timeline for the replacement part
A light appeared on the dash that said AWD Failure. After 2 weeks of being at the dealership, I was told it was a complete PTU failure. Other VINs have been recalled but not mine. This was after I had already taken the car because it just stopped while driving and wouldn’t start. I was told then it was the starter needed to be replaced. I am just happy it wasn’t my [XXX] that was driving. I believe it was the PTU the whole time. The car also will not start after stopping at a stop light unless I turn the Automatic setting off. Dealership says PTU is on back order with ETA of 45-60 days. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
While driving my 2020 Jeep Cherokee, my four-wheel-drive light came on and the car felt like somebody had rear-ended me after checking the code that came on. It says it was a PTU failure. It is a known issue with Jeep, but no resolution has been made the same issue has been recalled for other VIN numbers, but not mine. This is a safety issue because when the car did this, if someone was behind me, they would’ve actually hit me in the rear end because the car like actually stops.
The transfer case failed at 30,000 miles. There is a 3 month backlog on the part, so the vehicle is off the road until at least December 10. This part was recalled on the 2017-2019 models.
“Service 4WD” warning light came on. Took vehicle to mechanic who said error code indicates power transfer unit failure. Car is clearly unsafe to drive.
Every time I drive 20-30 my service 4wd light comes on. I got it scanned when the light was not on but it was showing no code
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, there was a grinding sound coming from the vehicle while accelerating, while the vehicle was idling, and while depressing the brake pedal. The failure was intermittent but became more frequent. The traction control warning light was intermittently illuminated. The contact stated that the START/STOP button intermittently failed to start the vehicle, requiring several attempts to start the vehicle. The "A" for the Start/System remained illuminated long after the button was pressed. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic, who diagnosed that the failure might be caused by a failure of the power transfer unit. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.
I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2020 Jeep Cherokee Limited which has now been undrivable for over 3 months due to a part that is on national backorder. The issue began in May 2025 when I brought the vehicle to a Jeep dealership for repairs related to the Power Control Unit (PCU). Since then, the part has not been available, and the car has remained at the dealership with no clear repair timeline. I have been told by Jeep corporate that I am only eligible for rental coverage and nothing more. This delay has left me without a working vehicle for over 90 days, and I am concerned that this issue may involve a defect or systemic parts shortage that is affecting multiple vehicles. I also believe this is a safety-related issue, as a failure of the power control unit could result in sudden loss of power or drivability. I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate: Whether this part shortage is linked to a wider defect or recall Whether Jeep (Stellantis) should be required to take further action If any safety recalls should be issued for this model and issue I have already filed a complaint with the New York Attorney General. Jeep is not a participant in BBB Auto Line, and I am left without a reliable resolution while still paying for a vehicle I cannot use. Please let me know what further information is needed.
PTU failure. Car was manufactured in 08/2019, Mopar recalled Jeep’s manufactured until 02/2019. Please extend recall.
Component: Power Transfer Unit (PTU) The power transfer unit has failed. This appears to be a manufacturing defect identical to those listed under the recall. Left me stranded in traffic.
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