2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee: stuck in gear or won't shift

Filed Nov 19, 2025 · Transmission · WA

Transmission failure at 19,481 miles in my 2021Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited 4x4 V6. The vehicle has not been abused, and the mileage is low for its age. The symptoms—erratic shifting, limp mode, and “Service Transmission” warnings— are consistent with a known defect pattern affecting multiple FCA vehicles using the same transmission.

Filed Dec 29, 2023 · Electrical, Transmission · VA

Started noticing hard reverse shift when vehicle was cold. Took to the dealership, tech could not find any issues other than it shifted hard in reverse. Tech found no leaks, performed PCM reflash. Still no problems found. Tech did not check transmission fluid level on vehicle. Must be checked at the dealership. Tech recommended replacing transmission even though could not find any issues. A few days later while driving at highway speed the vehicle suddenly downshifted to 3rd gear nearly causing me to loose control. Vehicle would not shift into fourth gear. Had to limp vehicle home.

Filed Feb 24, 2023 · Transmission · NY

We were stopped for redlight at busy multilane intersection, light turned green, went to accelerate vehicle revved to over 3000 rpms but would not shift out of first gear, got to side of road put vehicle in neutral and then back into drive and was able to proceed. Took vehicle to Chrysler Jeep Dodge dealer service center after doing diagnostic they did computer update; they then got a diagnostic code to replace transfer case. The vehicle did this again about 3 months later took it to dealer they did diagnostic unable to find anything. Vehicle did it again about 2 weeks later took it to dealer and they performed a computer update. This is a very dangerous situation when vehicle will only barely move at busy intersections, and you are in a middle lane and can't get into and outside lane and off the road in a timely manner. When this happened the first time the vehicle only had a bit over 10,000 miles on it, it currently has slightly over 12,000 miles on it. This problem is intermittent, and the dealer has not been able to replicate it. Anytime that it happened there were no light indicators on dash.

Filed Jul 14, 2022 · Transmission · WI

The transmission was slamming into gears while attempting to accelerate onto a road way from a mall parking lot and any time we met a hill of even the smallest incline, the transmission would be slamming gears again so we struggled when met with needing to accelerate. When attempting to accelerate, transmission began slamming into gears, would and wouldn't shift, transmission would go into limp mode rendering the vehicle unable to operate safely and causing us to loose speed. Any inclines we would lose the ability to accelerate and would hope we'd make it up the hills. Any time I attempted to accelerate, the transmission would begin jerking the car in a forward and backward like motion while it was attempting to find what gear it needed. When that would happen, the tack would jump all over the place as would the gear number on the dash (I have video of all this) Our safety was put at risk due to other oncoming traffic and my vehicle unable to accelerate as it should have and was expected to, putting risk to us getting hit by multiple other motorist not realizing we were experiencing a malfunction with our transmission not permitting us to accelerate as we normally should of been able to. Vehicle is going in later today (07/14/2022) to be looked at after it's oil change and tire rotation. I was told if it can't be replicated, there is nothing they can do about it. I showed them a video of what was happening (a video I took while on a non-busy side road with no traffic) and the Service manager told me that it doesn't matter if I have a video - if their tech can't replicate it, then there's nothing they can do. I no longer feel safe pulling out into other traffic with this vehicle due to this situation coming on completely unexpectedly. There were no warning signals, alarms or anything. The problem randomly began happening and it lasted for over 54 miles as we were just trying to get back home from being an hour away from home with our child in the car.

Filed Feb 6, 2022 · Electrical, Lights · NY

Vechicle was purchased on 11/6/21 att smithhaven jeep in nys. The next day I noticed substansial condensation in both the head lights and rear brake lights. I took the vechicle to the dealer right away and they stated "its normal and it will go away", that being said I still have this issue and it has not been resolved. On approx 12/13/21 the vechicle's radio froze and I was unable to use it for several days. A message prompted me to call sirius xm radio, however they stated it was a vechicle issue and not a satelite radio issue. I looked up online and found how to hard reset radio and I have to do that occasionally to clear the unresponsive radio. The most recent issue was a complete trasmission failure on 2/1/22. While attempting to move vechicle the transmission would not go forward past the 1st gear and would not go into reverse nearly causing a major accident. Dealer is not privy to this issue and does not have an eta for repair. Jeep corprate has been contacted with no resolution. This was a major mechanical malfunction and the vechile is only 3 months old with 2,300 miles. I am unable to upload pictures or videos however I have them to submit if needed.

Filed Dec 18, 2021 · Electrical, Steering · OH

Second incident in less than 2 months on Grand Cherokee L that has 2K miles. Vehicle experienced limp mode when stabilizer system malfunctioned when going 45mph. Began to stall and lost acceleration. Gas pedal was unresponsive. Second incident (~500 miles later) Power Steering Failure. Could not get vehicle out of garage. Luckily this malfunction did not occur on the highway. Was able to get it to dealer the next day and they fixed with software updates for only the effected power steering module. What other updates are needed and what happens if the braking system is next? I have lost all faith in Jeep’s ability to design a safe and reliable vehicle for my wife and 2 kids. My wife has anxiety driving her own car as well. The roll out of the L and Grand Wagoneer may be coming with potentially fatal flaws.

Filed Nov 11, 2021 · Electrical, Transmission · NY

During the first 3,000 miles of owning the vehicle, on 3 separate occasions, the vehicle has failed to shift from first to second gear, appearing to get stuck in neutral. Because this is occurring when the vehicle is first beginning to accelerate this is happening when entering intersections, changing lanes, and crossing lanes causing the vehicle to rev while either coasting (due to the positive motion prior to shifting) or sit motionless when on-coming traffic is approaching. The only way to get the vehicle back in motion is to completely stop the vehicle (irrespective of the dangerous location) put the vehicle in park, then back in drive, and try accelerating again in hopes that the vehicle will shift on a second attempt. One one of the three occasions so far, this occurred while exiting a parking lot but before entering a changing lane on a busy street. On another occasion it caused me to get stuck on a blind curve. The issue occurs intermittently and to date I have not been able to get the dealer to remedy the issue. Their text msg response at TransitTowne Jeep Chrysler Dodge RAM in Elma, New York, is that "..there is no codes in the system and there is no updates available for the software. There is nothing to diagnose if there is no code and everything checks out in the system. ... The Jeep does have an 8 speed transmission that is all electronically controlled and it can take some getting used to." This is the response I received after dropping the vehicle off at 10 a.m. and receiving a call the same day that my car is ready to be picked up at exactly 1:03 p.m. (which included the time to perform an oil change, tire rotation, resolve a missing trim issue, and investigate an issue with the tailgate). The only warning was the beep that goes off when the car is in close proximity of an impact (due to the other cars approaching as I try to get the back in motion) but the warning is useless until I can get the car back in motion to avoid an impact.

Filed Apr 25, 2021 · Electrical, Fuel system · 121 miles · TX

I was driving my new grand cherokee with 121 miles on the odometer. As I was moving forward with the vehicle in drive and was attempting to turn around to- re-enter a highway the engine stopped. I immediately put the vehicle in park and attempted to restart the vehicle numerous times with no luck. The vehicle was stuck in park with the wheels turned to the left. The rest of the electronics worked but the the vehicle locked in park it could not be moved. This represents an extreme hazard to the motoring public as if I had gone 10 feet further and the engine stalled I would have been in the middle of a busy highway. This is totally unacceptable engineering by jeep. Two towing companies attempted to unlock this vehicle from park with no success. Very hazardous and disappointing work by chrysler.