I am reporting recurring safety defects in our 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Reserve, delivered XXX. Since delivery, it has exhibited severe bucking, jerking, rough running, unexpected surging, hesitation, and failure to accelerate when I press the accelerator. Before delivery, [XXX] Jeep replaced four main-chamber spark plugs on XXX, at only 4 miles (RO #104686). At approximately 1,400 miles, Douglas Jeep found excessive oil or unburned fuel on the plugs and replaced all eight (RO #XXX), without explaining or correcting the underlying cause. On XXX, at approximately 1,181 miles, the engine stalled completely after a jolt shifting from reverse to drive. On XXX, it nearly stalled at 25–30 mph near [XXX] and [XXX] with our granddaughter aboard. On XXX, it nearly stalled at approximately 45 mph on [XXX]. On XXX, at approximately 60 mph, it hesitated sharply and jolted, feeling as if it might stall. Also on XXX, in approximately five miles of stop-and-go traffic moving 5–10 mph, it repeatedly bucked, jerked, surged, and failed to accelerate normally, bringing us dangerously close to vehicles ahead. Forceful jolts pushed us hard against our seats. The Jeep was at Douglas Jeep XXX . The symptoms persisted after repair. On XXX, its service order recorded “chug and buck,” with no correction available. On XXX, the service director attributed the behavior to “atypical throttle engagement,” although incidents continue. The SOS/ASSIST system also repeatedly fails to connect; on XXX it displayed “Feature not active,” and the sheriff’s department contacted us about 15 minutes later. These frequent failures could leave us unable to summon help after a crash or breakdown. We request the federal safety agency investigate possible engine/powertrain defects, repeated plug fouling, stalling/loss of propulsion, and emergency-call failures. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee: engine stalls while driving
6 of the 36 complaints about the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee describe engine stalls while driving.
- owner complaints
- 6
- of this car's complaints
- 17%
- recalls
- 0
Engine stalls while driving by model year
What owners say
NEW SAFETY INCIDENTS – [XXX] – PREVIOUS COMPLAINT ON FILE I am reporting additional serious safety concerns involving my 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Reserve, purchased new on [XXX]. Since purchasing this vehicle, I have experienced repeated bucking, jerking, rough engine operation, hesitation, loss of power, and stalling. On [XXX], the vehicle completely stalled. On [XXX], it nearly stalled while traveling through a busy intersection with my granddaughter in the vehicle. The vehicle was at Douglas Jeep for approximately 24 days, from September 23 through October 16, 2026. The dealership replaced all eight spark plugs after discovering excessive oil or unburned fuel contamination on the plugs. Despite these repairs, the dangerous drivability problems continue. During a recent test drive, Douglas Jeep General Manager John Grupe personally experienced the vehicle bucking and jerking at low speeds. On [XXX], I experienced additional concerning vehicle movement. After shifting into reverse while backing out of my driveway, the Jeep moved backward at approximately 4–5 mph without my foot pressing the accelerator. When shifting into drive, the vehicle also moved forward without accelerator input, reaching approximately 5 mph and maintaining that speed until I applied the brakes. I recorded video evidence of these incidents. The vehicle continues to buck and jerk severely at low speeds, including while maneuvering, turning, and driving through parking areas. I am particularly concerned about pedestrians, children, and other motorists. Despite multiple repair attempts and approximately 30 days out of service, these problems remain unresolved. I have repeatedly notified Stellantis and the dealership about the continuing safety concerns. I am requesting that the federal safety agency document these new incidents in connection with my previous safety complaint and evaluate whether these recurring drivability problems represent INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
"I am filing this supplemental report to provide critical new technical information regarding a 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Reserve. This vehicle has experienced recurring engine instability, including rough idling, jerking, bucking, and loss of power. Most critically, on September 22, 2026, the vehicle nearly stalled while traveling 25–30 mph through a busy intersection, creating an immediate and severe safety hazard. Following this incident, an extensive investigation by Douglas Jeep, Stellantis STAR technical assistance, and a manufacturer engineer revealed oil contamination inside the engine cylinders and on the spark plugs. This is a recurring issue; the spark plugs were replaced prior to the vehicle's delivery in August 2026 and were replaced again in October 2026. Despite the involvement of a Stellantis engineer, the manufacturer has failed to provide a diagnosis of the root cause of the oil contamination or a permanent repair. The vehicle has spent approximately 30 cumulative days out of service since August 17, 2026. I am reporting this as a systemic mechanical failure that poses a significant risk of sudden power loss during operation."
On September 22, 2026, at 1,445 miles, my brand-new 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee suffered a sudden powertrain failure and almost stalled in a live traffic intersection. The vehicle experienced an active loss of motive power with no dashboard warning lights. I drove it immediately to Douglas Jeep, where the Service Manager scanned the vehicle and found active fault code P032F-00 (Insufficient Engine Torque) stored in the computer. The vehicle was grounded the next morning, September 23, 2026. Authorized technicians confirmed liquid engine oil intrusion into the cylinder head had flooded the main chamber spark plugs. This manufacturing defect causes sudden engine hesitation and loss of motive power in active traffic, creating an imminent crash hazard."
The contact owns a 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle was idling roughly, shuddering while turning, and hesitating while accelerating. The failures had occurred approximately three times. The contact stated that while his wife was driving approximately 15-20 MPH and attempting to merge onto the highway, several unknown warning lights illuminated, an alarm sounded, and there was an abnormal burning odor, prompting the driver to pull over to the side of the road, where the vehicle lost motive power. The vehicle was restarted after several minutes and operated as intended. Additionally, the contact stated that while making a left turn onto a street, the vehicle stalled, nearly causing a crash with oncoming traffic. The contact promptly shifted into Park (P), restarted the vehicle, and continued driving. The contact also stated that while going through a car wash with the gear shifter in neutral(N), the Auto Park mode engaged, and the vehicle was almost rear-ended. The car wash was shut down, and the vehicle was pushed with assistance before being restarted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer twice; however, the contact was informed that no trouble codes were retrieved. The spark plugs were replaced under an unknown recall, and the shuddering ceased temporarily, but the failures persisted. The failure mileage was approximately 357.
Final the federal safety agency Complaint Vehicle information * Year: 2026 * Make: Jeep * Model: Grand Cherokee * Trim: Limited Reserve * Engine: Hurricane four-cylinder * VIN: [XXX] * Current mileage: 1,199 miles * Incident mileage: 1,181 miles * Incident location: Parking lot in [XXX] * Manufacturer case number: XXX * Dealerships involved: Sarasota Jeep and Venice Jeep Complaint title Bucking, jerking, rough running, unexpected forward movement, and stalling in Reverse Complaint description I am reporting a possible safety defect involving my 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited Reserve equipped with the Hurricane four-cylinder engine, VIN [XXX]. The vehicle repeatedly bucks and jerks during acceleration, including at approximately 5 mph in parking lots. It also runs roughly and has demonstrated unexpected forward movement. These problems affect the vehicle’s ability to accelerate and operate smoothly and may create a safety risk near pedestrians, parked vehicles, other objects, and surrounding traffic. On XXX, at approximately 4:49 p.m., in a parking lot in [XXX], and with the vehicle at approximately 1,181 miles, I shifted the vehicle into Reverse. The Jeep shook severely and stalled. After I restarted the Jeep, it ran very roughly, continued bucking, and jumped forward unexpectedly. This created a potential risk of striking another vehicle, pedestrian, or object in the parking lot. The vehicle also continues to buck and jerk at approximately 5 mph in parking lots, creating an additional risk of unexpected movement near pedestrians, parked vehicles, and other obstacles. On XXX, at approximately 6:22 p.m., I contacted Jeep Customer Care and reported that the vehicle had stalled when I shifted into Reverse and that it ran very roughly after restarting. The manufacturer case number is XXX. I previously reported the bucking and jerking condition to Jeep dealerships. A service advisor at Sarasota Jeep stated INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
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Related recalls
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Questions about the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee stalling
Is engine stalls while driving a common problem on the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
6 of 36 owner complaints about the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee (17%) mention engine stalls while driving. The model year with the most reports is 2011.
Is there a recall or service bulletin for this on the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
There are 0 recalls and 65 service bulletins for the same area of the car. Check them below with your VIN.
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