2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee: sudden loss of power

Filed Aug 19, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · MA

On November 23, 2025, I was driving approximately 60 mph in the middle lane of I-495 near Exit 62 in Marlborough, Massachusetts, with a passenger in the vehicle. I signaled to change lanes to pass a slower vehicle, selected Sport Mode, and accelerated. The engine RPM increased sharply and, almost immediately, I heard an extremely loud bang from the engine area. Multiple warning lights began flashing on the instrument panel, the vehicle made abnormal noises, and the engine lost power. The loss of propulsion was immediate while I was traveling at highway speed. Because that section of I-495 slopes slightly downhill and I was already close to Exit 62, the vehicle's momentum allowed me to reach the exit and pull onto the shoulder. Had this occurred in heavier traffic or in a location without a safe shoulder or exit nearby, the sudden loss of propulsion could have resulted in a collision. The vehicle became inoperable and required towing. It was later inspected by an authorized Jeep dealership. The dealer documented a hole in the side of the engine with engine fluid leaking out and determined that the engine requires replacement. The vehicle had approximately 94,298 miles at the time of the incident and had been regularly maintained. The same vehicle had previously experienced a significant engine problem in 2023 at approximately 67,987 miles, involving white smoke, a head gasket leak affecting cylinder 5, and replacement of the cylinder head. I am reporting this because the catastrophic engine failure caused a sudden and complete loss of propulsion at highway speed. The vehicle and failed engine remain available for inspection.

Filed May 12, 2026 · Engine, Transmission · IL

My 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee just completely lost power again and almost got hit by the car following me. Almost got hit again coasting to the side of the road! This has happened before and the repair shop tried updating software which did not fix it. Why was the 2017 not included in your recall of the Power Transfer Case? Repair shop diagnosed problem the last time it happened as the PTC! I am an Attorney and want this included in your 2019-2023 recall! Please do not force me to file a lawsuit to fix this safety issue!

Filed Jan 15, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · AK

There have been several issues that have occured over the course of the last 3-4 years . Just this winter alone , i have had my 4wd serv needed maintenance , the air conditioning doest get cold the heater doesnt heat up , i have checkee fluids && cleaned necessary components , i have checked all fuses . My vehicle seems to start most of it's issues once the temperature starts to his below 30degrees F . Tthermostat , ABS light had just turned on recently , unable to add gasoline to tank .airbag light for service , changed both batteries but no changes in performance, tire pressure sensor does not read even with correct amoount, parking sensor , rear view camera visibility blurry , driver side window rolls up with down && down for up . Power loss , battery drainage , headlight harness wont allow any bulb to light up , . I have done all necessary procedures in order to verify all issues , scanner wont reset or delete any old codes . Battery removal has no effeft in change . All these mechnical , electrical && suspensiom issues , have occured making vehicle unoperable through out majority of the year . About 6-8 months out of 12 . Way too many issues for me to rememeber , let alone list on here . The whole vehicle has unfortunately been nothing but a big maintainence issue .

Filed Nov 15, 2025 · Acceleration, Engine · CA

Car lost power while driving. Related to recall notice received Feb 2025 with no update still. recall 01C related to PTU power transfer unit. Recall is past due solution and available parts from Chrysler and POSES A MAJOR SAFETY ISSUE!

Filed Feb 12, 2025 · Transmission · PA

Lost power(ability to accelerate) while jeep was still in drive. I had to switch to neutral and back to drive to regain power. This happened 2x in the past 3 weeks. Jeep felt slightly rough driving about 5 miles leading up to incidents. If this happens in certain driving conditions there is great chance for accident. Both times it happened, I had been at a stop light, then accelerated 5 to 15 miles per hour. Please recall my vehicle.

Filed Dec 28, 2022 · Driver assistance, Electrical · 58,000 miles · TX

The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle experienced unknown electrical failures. Additionally, the vehicle lost power steering functionality, and stalled. The contact stated that the instrument panel was flickering, and the speedometer and gauges became inoperable. The contact stated that the windows randomly rolled down and the headlights would flash off and on. The contact stated that the traction control warning light was illuminated, and the vehicle was difficult to steer. The contact stated that the failure usually occurred after 30 minutes of driving. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic who replaced the battery and window switch; however, the failure persisted. The local dealer was notified of the failure. The manufacturer was not yet notified. The approximate failure mileage was 58,000.

Filed Oct 13, 2022 · Engine · WA

Purchased the car brand new back in 2017. In 2020, while driving normally, the car loss power and would not accelerate and started to have rough idles then auto stop/start came on followed by check engine. Brought it to the mechanic for diagnose and told me that there is a misfire on cylinder 2 and VVT sensor needs to be replaced. Brought it to the dealer and they fixed the issue. Two years after (present) at 100K miles, The car started to have the same issue. Yes it was high mileage but it was driven responsibly along with timely and proper maintenance from the dealer. The car started to have rough starts and white smoke on cold start. And on August 26, 2022 the car would not start. Got it towed to the dealer and told me that it has a bad starter. I was quoted for almost $2000. Once they got it to start after 3 weeks, they noticed the white smoke, the diagnosed it and told me that It has a blown head gasket. The car was driven responsibly and never overheated. They quoted me for $4600 just for the head gasket replacement. They still have my car and haven't decided what to do as it is very frustrating to think that in a short period of time, the car just gave up on us and will leave a huge hole in our pocket. It is our family car and now realized that Jeep (FCA/Stellantis) don't care about their customers because I have seen the same exact reports like mine. I don't get why it's not a recall yet. Please! Make this a recall because it's leaving families to have more financial hardship because of faulty engines that Jeep brand created.

Filed Jun 3, 2022 · Engine · MI

On April 11, 2022, after driving home from work I noticed oil dripping onto my driveway. I opened the hood of the vehicle and discovered that my cooling system was completely filled with oil and there wasn't any noticeable coolant left in the system. I then checked the oil level via dipstick, and found there to be an extremely low level of oil in the engine. Prior to pulling into the driveway, there were no warning lights, no check engine light, or low oil lights on the dashboard. Nothing to indicate a potentially serious issue. The vehicle was then towed to a Jeep dealership for repair. The dealer indicated, both on the paperwork and over the phone, that the Engine Oil Adapter Housing (Mopar Part 68308741-AF) was leaking internally, causing the oil to be redirected into the cooling system and displacing the coolant (see attached invoice from Jeep). Most of the cooling system had to be replaced due to oil contamination. This part failure could have been catastrophic had I been traveling down the road or the freeway, as a loss of oil in the engine and a cooling system not properly functioning, could have caused the engine to fail while at speed leading to a loss of power steering and braking, and possibly resulting in a crash. Additionally, as previously mentioned, no warning lights or indicators were visible at any time. From talking to the dealership and researching online, this part failure is common on all 3.2L and 3.6L Pentastar V6 engines. The dealership, at the time of my vehicles repair, had three other FCA/Stellantis vehicles in for the exact same issue. This component is made of plastic and is located directly on top of the engine block, and below the intake manifold. This area can get very hot and cause the plastic to become brittle and crack without warning. The original failed component was taken by the dealership, and I do not have it on hand. The vehicle has been serviced by the dealership, and it currently in working order. FCA is aware of the issue.

Filed Feb 13, 2022 · Electrical, Transmission · GA

The vehicle had a complete shutdown while being driven. While driving on the highway, several dashboard warning lights began to appear. Within seconds afterwards, the headlights went out, along with the dashboard lights and radio. The vehicle became difficult to steer and then the vehicle lost all power, and could not be restarted. The vehicle was picked up from the dealership the day prior to this occurrence, and the PCM had just been replaced. The vehicle had been towed to the dealership just short of two weeks earlier, after it wouldn't start, having replaced the battery, and experiencing the passenger front window to randomly go down. This incident fortunately did not result in any crash or injury, however, it is only a matter of time if it isn't correctly diagnosed and fixed, as this problem results in an extremely hazardous condition.

Filed Oct 20, 2021 · Transmission · VA

We were driving up I95 and our Jeep made a weird noise. We thought we had hit something, but we had not. When we tried to put the car into gear it would not and we could not drive it. Jeep does not have a recall of this vehicle, but doing a simple search online I have found multiple sites that note 2017 Jeeps having the same issues with transmission. This is a costly repair that should be covered by the company because it is a well known issue. Here are some of the articles I found with their web addresses: Jeep RecallIn the middle of 2020, Jeep was forced to recall almost 100,000 Jeep Cherokees due to transmission problems. Fiat Chrysler promised to install and update the new software into the specific model so that the malfunctions will not occur again – and if they do, the driver will immediately be alerted to the ongoing problem.The affected Cherokee cars had a transmission concern that could potentially lead to a loss of power while driving, causing an increased risk of a crash and safety issues. The company issued a statement at the time of the recall, addressing the potential transmission slipping, loss of propulsion, and lack of transmission engagement.The Jeep Cherokees in the recall were produced between the 2014 and 2017 model years, with the affected models having an extremely high Jeep transmission repair cost and safety concerns. The models are almost exclusively all-wheel-drive options between 2014-2-17, with a two-speed Power Transfer Unit. https://www.cashcarsbuyer.com/jeep-transmission-repair-cost/ While the 2015 transmission receives a lot of notice, there are other vehicles in the Jeep Grand Cherokee lineup that have also had problems reported by consumers. One key complaint is repeated in the 2016 and 2017 model years.In these vehicles, the driver notes the vehicle lurches forward when the gas pedal is depressed, specifically when making a turn. This can increase the risk of an accident.Others report that while they are driving the vehicle

Filed Dec 11, 2019 · Engine · 98,000 miles · AE

I am a military service member serving in europe. I brought my 2017 jeep grand cherokee with me to europe in 2018. The vehicle has been meticulously maintained according to manufacture specifications. Earlier this year (2019) with approximately 98k miles on the odometer and while cruising on a german highway at approximately 85mph, the check engine light came on and the car suddenly and rapidly lost power. I coordinated for towing of the vehicle to the nearest jeep/chrysler/dodge repair shop. The vehicle has now been in the repair shop for almost four months and the logistical and technical network available in this medium sized german city has proven unable, at least up until this point, to successfully repair the vehicle. The diagnosis was complete valve train failure. I'm sharing the details of the event and the location for three purposes. 1. The sudden loss of power could prove dangerous no matter where it occurs 2. Service members serving overseas should be aware that the fiat chrysler network in europe is not adequately prepared to address other than routine maintenance for u.s, specification vehicles and you could easily find yourself in a very uncomfortable situation if you bring your u.s. Specification jeep with you overseas. 3. Even though the vehicle was past it's warranty based on mileage; complete valve train failure of a meticulously maintained 2017 jeep with less than 100k miles is more likely than not a manufacturing and or engineering defect versus anything that could be considered normal wear and tear.

Filed May 21, 2019 · Engine · 36,787 miles · PA

My car continues to stall and shut down while in motion. Extremely dangerous and terrifying when you're on a busy road and traveling at 30-35mph and you lose all power and your car stalls out. I have googled this issue and there are tons of complaints about this happening to many other people. Some while on highways. Some while at stop signs. We contacted our dealership yesterday and were told they can't see it for 2.5 weeks, in the meantime just drive it. I don't think so. It is a deathtrap. I have a 17 year old daughter that I do not feel safe putting behind the wheel of this car, nor myself. My husband and I decided we would just drive it to the dealership anyway and we stalled out 7 times in less than a 1/4 of a mile. It was too dangerous at that point to drive the distance to the dealership so we turned around and got it back home. From what it looks like based on other complaints, people are being told they needed oil. We know for a fact ours does not. It's coming up on an oil change due date but my husband checked the oil status and we are not low, so that is not the issue. We told the dealership it is unsafe to drive and we need a loaner. He explained to us they don't give out loaners until they can run the diagnostics, in 2 weeks! I am terrified to drive this car. I stalled out 4 times the day before in traffic, in motion and at an intersection, with my children in the car! I have been stopped at a red light. I was crossing a bridge. I was in middle of making a bend. All of these instances, my car just shut down. The steering locks and I lose total power. After several attempts of trying to turn the car back on, it will eventually go, for now.