The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The contact stated that three times while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle lost automotive power. The message “Service Transmission” was displayed. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the failure could not be duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 53,331.
2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L transmission problems
16 complaints (16% of all complaints for this car).
- owner complaints
- 16
- of this car's complaints
- 16%
- crashes
- 0
- recalls
- 0
Which part fails
Owners did not name a specific part.
At what mileage
Complaints by mileage at the time of the problem.
Jeep Grand Cherokee L transmission problems in other years
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
What 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
While driving on a public road with my two small children my Jeep suffered a sudden and catastrophic 100% total electrical blackout. The vehicle electrical system glitched, the engine shut down, the steering failed and the wheels locked up completely, leaving me stranded in a active intersection with non working hazardous lights. the vehicle completely lost auxiliary and safety circuits. There was zero warning of any sort on my dash prior to this happening, leaving me and my two small children in danger. The vehicle was towed to the dealership where I purchased it in February of 2026. Both Batteries where replace but multiple codes on the scan report are showing codes PCM P00FD, TCM P0563-00, RFH U0418-00 and along with other codes. These codes confirm a high-voltage surge that actively disabled core transmission, breaking and emergency lighting communication networks. The components are currently available for inspection at the dealership.
My 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Overland has experienced repeated and escalating safety‑related failures involving the electrical system, telematics/SOS functions, powertrain components, and suspension. These failures have continued despite major warranty repairs and now pose a significant safety risk. Timeline of Defects: In August 2026 at ~52,276 miles, the vehicle required over $10,000 in repairs. Failures included: no A/C cooling, compressor and fan not engaging, evaporator leak, low refrigerant, and A/C clutch not activating. The driver seat cooling failed, the seat fan dragged, and both massage seat modules were shorted. The engine had an oil pan leak, idler and tensioner noise, and collapsed engine mounts. Immediately after these repairs, in September 2026, new electrical and safety issues began. Jeep Connectivity stopped working, purchased WiFi failed, and both the Assist and SOS emergency functions became inoperative. The vehicle displayed incorrect warnings (low oil pressure, low tire pressure) and experienced intermittent no‑start conditions requiring towing. Multiple system alerts appeared at once, suggesting BCM, gateway module, CAN‑bus, or telematics control unit malfunction. On October 5, 2026, I received a recall notice stating the rear suspension coils were installed backwards, affecting vehicle stability. No replacement parts are available, leaving the defect unresolved. As of October 2026 (~55,700 miles), the vehicle continues to experience telematics failure, electrical instability, incorrect warnings, and intermittent no‑start conditions. The loss of SOS/Assist functionality, combined with suspension defects and electrical instability, creates a serious safety hazard. I request the federal safety agency investigation into these systemic failures and the unresolved suspension recall.
On or about 10/7/26, my vehicle suffered a simultaneous, unprompted failure of multiple safety and control systems. I believe this is due to a background manufacturer-initiated Over-the-Air (OTA) software update and is a well known issue on the Jeep Grand Cherrokee L . The exact date the update was pushed is unknown, as it occurred automatically via the telematics system. The symptoms appeared suddenly: the Forward Collision Warning and Pedestrian Emergency Braking (PEB) systems completely deactivated, leaving the 'FCW OFF' warning light permanently illuminated on the dashboard. Concurrently, the steering wheel paddle shifters ceased to function ('Paddle Shifting Disabled'), and the vehicle's digital display automatically reset its units of measurement. This constitutes a severe safety hazard. The vehicle’s automated crash mitigation features are completely disabled, depriving the driver of critical safety protections designed to prevent front-end collisions. Furthermore, the loss of transmission control via the paddle shifters restricts the driver's ability to manually downshift and use engine braking, which is essential for safely managing vehicle speed on steep declines or slippery road conditions.
On April 24,2026 , as pull out my driveway heading to work only to get a 1/4 mile from home car stopped in highway. As I power and restarted tried to select a different gear never went in gear. Towed by to dealership as confirmed transmission was stuck with inly 67000. They replaced with new transmission & drive shaft, costing over $7,000. Warranty company paid part of rent car but still out of $300
I brought my 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L to the dealership for its scheduled ~40,000 mile service. During that visit, I specifically reported that something felt off with the transmission/drivetrain. The dealership inspected the vehicle and stated that no issues were found. Approximately one week later, the vehicle experienced a sudden and severe drivetrain failure. While driving approximately 45 mph on a surface street and accelerating to cruising speed, the vehicle began shaking violently. There were loud mechanical noises from underneath the vehicle consistent with components coming apart. At the same time, the vehicle lost all ability to accelerate. Pressing the accelerator produced no forward movement. Due to the loss of power, I was forced to coast out of active traffic and onto a side street where I was able to safely stop. The condition was sustained and the vehicle was not drivable after the incident. When attempting to assist the tow truck driver, I shifted the vehicle to drive and pressed the accelerator. The engine revved but the vehicle did not move. When shifting back to park, the vehicle displayed an error message: “Cannot shift to Park, vehicle moving too quickly,” despite being stationary. This failure created a safety hazard due to loss of acceleration and unpredictable vehicle behavior. This is particularly concerning because a drivetrain issue was reported during a service visit shortly before the failure and was not identified. There were no warning lights or messages prior to the failure. The issue occurred suddenly and without advance indication. The vehicle had recently been serviced and cleared by the dealership despite a reported drivetrain concern. A failure of this nature at speed could significantly increase the risk of a crash, depending on traffic conditions.
While stopped at a red light, the auto start/stop feature of the vehicle failed to re-start the car causing complete failure. My wife was the first vehicle at a the light in a busy intersection with a [XXX] old in the vehicle. The electronics of the vehicle completely failed causing complete shutdown and unable to restart. Vehicle was towed after blocking intersection for 30 minutes. This has happened before but not for total and complete failure. This failure caused a complete battery drain leading to the need for two new batteries. The vehicle has a history of electronics/software issues and failures and associated start/stop system issues. This failure was diagnosed to be caused by a faulty relay and costed me $2000 in repairs. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Vehicle: 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Issue Type: Electrical System / Loss of Power / Braking System While operating my 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L on Interstate 40 at approximately 70 miles per hour, with two minor children in the vehicle, the vehicle suddenly and without any prior warning began to rapidly decelerate, despite continued pressure on the accelerator pedal. At the time the deceleration began, there were no warning lights, alerts, or indications of any malfunction. The vehicle exhibited a significant loss of power, and it felt as though it was being mechanically restricted or “dragging,” severely limiting its ability to maintain highway speed. Only after the vehicle had already begun to decelerate did a brake system warning indicator appear on the dashboard. This sequence of events indicates that the warning system did not provide advance notice of the failure. This sudden and uncommanded deceleration created an immediate and serious safety hazard, particularly given the vehicle’s speed and surrounding interstate traffic. The inability of the vehicle to respond appropriately to acceleration input placed occupants at risk of a rear-end collision or other serious traffic incident. Although the warning indicator later turned off, the vehicle continued to operate abnormally, with ongoing reduced acceleration and diminished responsiveness. This incident occurred without prior warning, and the delayed activation of the brake warning indicator raises serious concerns regarding a potential defect involving the vehicle’s electrical, braking, and/or powertrain control systems, including possible failure of system monitoring or alert mechanisms. Given the circumstances including highway speed, sudden loss of propulsion, delayed warning notification, and the presence of child passengers. I respectfully request that this issue be formally investigated as a safety-related defect.
At 78,800 my truck started experiencing "stuttering" trying to pick up speed like the transmission wouldn't shift into gear and the Uconnect stopped working simultaneously. Also seems to be burning through more oil. It happens every single time you take off from a stop until the vehicle finally shifts into gear, it's very scary and very dangerous when you're trying to merge onto a beltway and you can't pick up speed correctly.
The contact’s wife owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee L. The contact was informed that the “Service 4WD” message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer to be diagnosed; however, the contact was not informed of which part had failed or needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired because parts were not available to perform the repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was opened. The failure mileage was 75,700.
Questions about the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L transmission
Does the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L have transmission problems?
Owners have filed 16 complaints about the transmission of the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L, 16% of all its complaints.
At what mileage do 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L transmission problems start?
Not enough complaints include the mileage to tell.
Was there a recall on the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L transmission?
There is no recall for this problem on this model year.
Other 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L problems
Electrical 28Driver assistance 22Steering 20Suspension 17Engine 10Lights 6Seats 6Brakes 5Acceleration 3Airbags 3Fuel system 2Seat belts 2Visibility 1Wheels 1
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