Jeep Grand Cherokee overheating problems

Filed Nov 5, 2026 · Engine · NJ

September 1: The vehicle triggered diagnostic trouble code P0306 (Cylinder 6 Misfire). It was immediately taken to an independent mechanic where the spark plugs were replaced to address the misfire. September 30: The engine suddenly refused to crank or start. The vehicle was towed back to the independent mechanic. The technician diagnosed a completely blown starter motor and noted thick white smoke billowing from the tailpipe upon replacement. Further testing revealed that engine coolant had flooded into Cylinder 6. Present: The vehicle was towed to an authorized Jeep Dealership for a comprehensive engine teardown. The dealership technicians confirmed that both the cylinder head and the engine block deck are permanently warped due to extreme localized thermal stress. Dealership advised coolant was not low and no codes on the computer to show that there was overheating occurring. All oil changes were done at the dealership and stellantis don't want to help with the replacement of the engine goodwill offered 10,500 digital imaging says no my fault I drove it overheating Coolant not low per dealership and no lights how was I to know it was overheating

Filed Nov 3, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · CA

I am filing an urgent safety complaint regarding my 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Plug-in Hybrid. During inspection, the mechanic discovered that the electrical connector and wiring associated with the fuel pump were burned and melted inside the gasoline fuel tank. The entire fuel pump assembly was subsequently replaced. Before the failure was discovered, the dashboard indicated approximately 110 kilometers of remaining gasoline driving range, but the mechanic found the fuel tank completely empty. The vehicle also experienced engine vibration and an illuminated check engine warning light. The mechanic suggested that operating without gasoline may have damaged the fuel pump. However, the exact cause of the electrical overheating and melted wiring has not been established. I am extremely concerned about the potential fire hazard associated with electrical damage inside the gasoline tank. I request that the federal safety agency investigate the cause of this failure, the accuracy of the fuel level indication, and whether other Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe vehicles may be affected.

Filed Oct 31, 2026 · Engine, Fuel system · NC

Hybrid engine failure. Jeep vehicle is unsafe to drive as the electric engine doesn’t work due to overheating and charging error codes, which causes power to jump between electric and gas engine spontaneously causing speed control to be unpredictable and unsafe. There is also the question that there is a serious defect with the battery and unsafe to park this vehicle in a garage attached to a dwelling unit.

Filed Oct 26, 2026 · Engine · OK

Oil Filter Housing/Oil Cooler Failure Causing Oil and Coolant Contamination, Serpentine Belt Failure, and Engine Overheating My 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo E, equipped with the 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine, has developed a significant oil leak originating from the oil filter housing/oil cooler assembly. A mechanic has identified this assembly as the source of the oil leak and confirmed that its failure is allowing engine oil to mix with the coolant. In addition to internal oil and coolant contamination, engine oil is leaking externally onto surrounding engine components, potentially including the serpentine belt and pulley system. The vehicle recently experienced a complete serpentine belt failure while driving, resulting in engine overheating and requiring me to pull over immediately to prevent additional engine damage. I am concerned that oil leaking from the housing assembly may have contributed to the premature deterioration and failure of the serpentine belt. The oil contamination of the cooling system presents additional safety concerns, including reduced cooling efficiency, damage to cooling system components, and the possibility of severe engine damage or unexpected vehicle disablement. The combined risks of external oil leakage, internal coolant contamination, serpentine belt failure, and engine overheating create a potentially dangerous situation, particularly during highway driving. I am concerned that the oil filter housing/oil cooler assembly may have an underlying design or manufacturing defect. I am requesting that the federal safety agency investigate this issue in 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with the 3.6L Pentastar engine and determine whether a safety recall or other corrective action is warranted.

Filed Oct 12, 2026 · Electrical, Fuel system · PA

Vehicle: 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland, 3.6L V6 Incident Date: [XXX] Location: [XXX] Safety Complaint: On [XXX], while driving my 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland on [XXX], the vehicle suddenly lost accelerator response while traveling on the highway. The engine initially remained running, but pressing the accelerator pedal produced no response. Multiple warning indicators illuminated simultaneously, including the electronic throttle control, ABS, traction control, airbag, and four-wheel-drive systems. The vehicle also exhibited unusual electrical behavior, including unexpected activation of the high-beam headlights. The vehicle subsequently became completely inoperable and would no longer crank or start. The sudden loss of propulsion while traveling in highway traffic created a serious safety hazard and placed me at risk of a collision. This incident follows an extensive history of significant mechanical failures and repairs to this vehicle, including: Replacement of the cylinder head following repeated overheating and engine misfires. Complete transmission replacement following transmission-related failures. Replacement of the radiator and cooling fan assembly TWICE within approximately one year, most recently during a trip to North Carolina. Additional mechanical concerns, including a camshaft-related diagnostic trouble code. Despite these major component replacements, the vehicle continues to experience serious reliability and operational failures. These repeated problems have occurred despite attempts to address them through dealership repairs and manufacturer warranty assistance. Stellantis previously extended the vehicle's warranty as a goodwill gesture following earlier issues. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

Filed Sep 15, 2026 · Engine · MO

Service engine light came on and code read misfire. Tech said that ignition coil one needs replaced and it needed a tune up. They replaced all ignition coils, spark plugs and intake manifold gasket with tune up. Tech said that coolant looked low and checked the reservoir. He said there's a lot of chunks and dried out looking coolant in the reservoir. Recommended a coolant flush at the dealership. Tune up cost almost 1000 dollars. A few days later my teenage son was driving on the highway at 70 mph and out of nowhere a engine overheating warning flashed and the temperature went all the way up and then down and back and forth. My son had to try and get pulled off of the busy highway while overheating. Car was blowing out white smoke. He was stranded over an hour away from home. Had to have car towed. Was told by the mechanic the next day that the plastic oil cooler had cracked and the oil got into the coolant. Causing the engine to fail at only 104,807 miles! Cost for a new motor was 10,400! Shop said he just had the same thing happen on another vehicle with the same engine the week before mine! I had to pay out of pocket for the new engine. Obviously there's a safety defect in the plastic oil cooler causing several people to experience the same thing happening! There was no warning before the oil got into the coolant. Why is the same thing happening to so many people but nothing is being done about it? Having to replace the engine at 104,807 miles is insane. How many times does it have to happen before they recall the problem?

Filed Sep 3, 2026 · Engine · MA

We found a huge spillage in our driveway and it had a color of yellowish Brown. Took it to the dealership tech found oil and coolant were mixed together and coming out of the overflow tank. Because the oil in the coolant mixed together, it went through all the components in the engine and it is a total loss. The car does not work and it needs a new engine. Had another independent car shop. Look at the car in they agreed. We had no signs of warning of anything being wrong with the car. It ran fine. The temperature gauge remained normal and never overheated. I am reading about a class action lawsuit about this situation that happened to multiple Jeep Grand Cherokees. Since the dealership told us it's a total loss. If you wanted to fix it, it will cost us over $10,000. The mechanic told us that this is not drivable even if you try to drive the engine will 09lock up and you can get into a major accident or even cause one.

Filed Aug 19, 2026 · Engine · WA

Component Failure & Inspection: The engine water pump assembly failed. This specific failure is a documented factory defect explicitly covered under manufacturer Technical Service Bulletin (TSB) #9100212 and tracked under the federal safety agency ID #10244344. The failed component was replaced by an authorized dealership; the physical part is not available, but full diagnostic logs and proof of failure are stored in the manufacturer database under University Auto Center invoice #6044139/1. Safety Risks: The water pump suffered a sudden, catastrophic structural failure while operating at highway speeds—a known vulnerability detailed in TSB #9100212 and the federal safety agency ID #10244344. This caused an immediate loss of engine coolant and a rapid spike in engine temperature. The vehicle lost power and was forced to make an emergency pull-off onto a busy highway shoulder, stranding occupants in a highly vulnerable position. A sudden cooling failure at highway speeds creates an immediate risk of engine seizure, vehicle fire, or traffic collision while disabled on the roadside. Dealer Confirmation & Inspection: Yes. The failure was inspected, reproduced, and confirmed by an authorized manufacturer dealership (University Auto Center). The dealer confirmed that the water pump assembly completely failed and required replacement, perfectly mirroring the defect parameters outlined in TSB #9100212. Warning Lamps & Prior Symptoms: There were no prior symptoms, noises, or early warning indicators. The component failed instantly without warning. The first indication was a sudden, rapid flashing of the engine temperature warning light and an "Engine Overheating" message on the dashboard cluster, immediately followed by a loss of power.

Filed Jul 29, 2026 · Engine · 125,000 miles · VA

The contact's daughter owns a 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle was repaired under previous ownership under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 20V699000 (Engine and Engine Cooling); however, the recall repair failed to prevent a recall-related failure 15,000 miles later. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, there was an abnormal coolant odor entering the cabin of the vehicle. The contact stated that upon further inspection, there was coolant leaking onto the floor. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer and remained with the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.

Filed Jul 23, 2026 · Engine · NY

2019 Jeep grand Cherokee, noticed to have leaking water pump, engine showed no signs of overheating. Water pump and thermostat changed due to a small fluctuating of temp gauge but never over the half way mark. Took it in for diagnostics, which, after reading many reviews of ongoing issues with head gaskets in jeeps, even after Jeep said they remedy it in 2016, I asked for diagnostics done on my radiator and head gaskets to only see it was in fact leaking head gaskets. There was no signs other than a leaking water pump and small fluctuation when the water pump started to leak, but engine never read that it was overheating nor did oil temp. Seems to be an ongoing issue with the 3.6L engines that Jeep is still selling and a lot of people are paying for major engine repairs, at such lower mileages.