IllustrationPTU Failed. 4x4 service light came on weeks after warranty ended. I called jeep and was told if it is not driving bad I can take my time in repair. My car ended up not working on Jericho Tpke., Commack a few days before Christmas. I was not provided a loaner due to the holiday week.
2020 Jeep Cherokee
Owner reports · Recalls · Investigations
More warning signs than most Cherokee years
Owner complaints for the 2020 Jeep Cherokee are substantially higher than the model-year median of 113.
About this comparison →How this year compares
Owner complaints by model year
Compare all Cherokee years →Counts vary with age, sales and reporting. They are not failure rates.
What owners reported most
All reported categories
Tap a category to read its complaints. One report may name several components.
When problems were reported
Mileage at the reported incident
330–25K
1325–50K
2350–75K
1075–100K
7100–150K
1150K+
87 reports with mileage · 207 unknown
NHTSA’s mileage field refers to the reported incident, not necessarily the filing date. This shows report counts, not the likelihood of a failure.
What to inspect
Issues worth paying extra attention to based on owner reports.
- Power Train. Review the 169 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Engine. Review the 39 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
- Electrical System. Review the 34 owner reports in this category and discuss these concerns during a pre-purchase inspection. Read reports →
NHTSA owner reports · September 18, 2026 snapshot.
9 crash reports5 fire reports6 injury reports
What owners actually said
294 reportsOn June 24 ,2025 I was in a front end collision resulting in personal injury to with parties. From airbags not deploying on my vehicle. My car was deemed total loss from insurance company. Vehicle didn't have any prior electrical or and warning lamps on at time prior collision
No injury or incident yet. The PTU was diagnosed as failing at 46,500 miles on June 30, 2025. The vehicle is still being driven because the driver has no alternative, but no dealership has been able to confirm whether it is safe to operate in this condition. A failing PTU can result in sudden power loss, drivetrain lockup,…
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No injury or incident yet. The PTU was diagnosed as failing at 46,500 miles on June 30, 2025. The vehicle is still being driven because the driver has no alternative, but no dealership has been able to confirm whether it is safe to operate in this condition. A failing PTU can result in sudden power loss, drivetrain lockup, or loss of park function—especially in AWD vehicles. These symptoms match those described in NHTSA Recall 25V011000 affecting Jeep Cherokees. The lack of clear safety guidance and the delay in repair have created a potentially hazardous situation. This should be investigated as part of the broader PTU defect pattern.
SVC 4WD light turned on. Dealership said it may be ptu issue and would cost $1400 just to diagnose, not fix. This is a known issue for Jeep Cherokee 2017-2019. Mine is 2020 with less than 50k miles on it.
SVC 4WD light came on. Took it to Jeep dealership to have them look at it. PTU "power transfer unit" is bad. Got a second opinion at an automotive repair shop, they too diagnosed PTU is bad. Repair shop printed a Safety Recall with our vehicles VIN number. Went back to Jeep with the Safety Recall paperwork and Jeep won't honor t…
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SVC 4WD light came on. Took it to Jeep dealership to have them look at it. PTU "power transfer unit" is bad. Got a second opinion at an automotive repair shop, they too diagnosed PTU is bad. Repair shop printed a Safety Recall with our vehicles VIN number. Went back to Jeep with the Safety Recall paperwork and Jeep won't honor the safety recall.
Replaced transmission at 20,000 miles. Now at 55,000 miles it is going again. Powertrain warranty expired by 6 months.
Parking brake will automatically engage randomly while car is stopped at lights, stops signs, ect. The only way to reset is to put vehicle in park, turn off ignition and restart vehicle. Has happened several times over the last 3 months.
Hard shift 70-80 mph, lost drive power output. No response to gas pedal while engine remained on. I turned on hazards and moved to the emergency lane as the car was coasting to a stop. I caught a glimpse of 4WD or AWD something and it disappeared before I could read it all. I was about to approach an off ramp from the highway em…
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Hard shift 70-80 mph, lost drive power output. No response to gas pedal while engine remained on. I turned on hazards and moved to the emergency lane as the car was coasting to a stop. I caught a glimpse of 4WD or AWD something and it disappeared before I could read it all. I was about to approach an off ramp from the highway emergency when at a slow speed perhaps 30 mph or so output returned and I was able to complete driving home. This is the first time it was more than just jerky clunky shifting. Vehicle has 69,858 miles.
I bought my vehicle in summer of 2020 brand new. It currently has 66k miles on it. A week ago the 4 WD service light came on. I took it in for diagnostic and it came back with code C14A7-97 PTO motor operation. The motor is functioning obviously, but the trasfer case is not engaging. There is currently a recall on vehicles s…
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I bought my vehicle in summer of 2020 brand new. It currently has 66k miles on it. A week ago the 4 WD service light came on. I took it in for diagnostic and it came back with code C14A7-97 PTO motor operation. The motor is functioning obviously, but the trasfer case is not engaging. There is currently a recall on vehicles similar to 2020, on the same issue but none have been issued on mine yet. The PTU should be good for 100k miles but not even close to that & it’s a super pricey fix on a vehicle I still pay on monthly. PTU input spline is the power transfer unit, so basically my 4 wheeled drive vehicle is not gonna function in 4 wheeled drive. I am hopeful as I saw similar complaints to mine here, that this is the next batch of recalls for Jeep, as I doubt I am alone.
The power transfer unit, differential, spark plugs, and air induction failed. The vehicle is still having bad vibration problems at speeds above 50 mph despite $7,000 in repairs.
Official recalls
326V290000 · Power Train
May 7, 2026
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may fail.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A failed PTU may result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: Dealers will update the Drivetrain Control Drivetrain Control Module, PTU, and Electronic Park Brake software, and replace the PTU, as necessary, free of charge. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk were mailed June 25, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy becomes available. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 40D. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 14, 2026.
20V191000 · Back Over Prevention: Sensing System: Camera
Sep 10, 2020
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Gladiator and Jeep Cherokee, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, and Jeep Renegade and 2019 Dodge Challenger vehicles equipped with 8.4" or 12" radio displays. A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: The lingering rearview image can distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will update the radio display software, free of charge. Optionally, owners can choose to remotely update their software via an Over-The-Air (OTA) update available as of May 1, 2020. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W30-W37.
19V637000 · Steering:rack And Pinion:pinion Shaft; Steering:rack And Pinion:rack
Aug 29, 2019
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The steering rack gear may break, possibly causing a loss of steering control.
Consequence & remedy
Consequence: A loss of steering control increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V99.
Additional source detail variants (2)
Steering:rack And Pinion:rack
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The steering rack gear may break, possibly causing a loss of steering control.
Consequence: A loss of steering control increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V99.
Steering:rack And Pinion:pinion Shaft
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The steering rack gear may break, possibly causing a loss of steering control.
Consequence: A loss of steering control increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V99.
Model-level recall history does not show whether a particular VIN is affected or has received a repair. Check a VIN with NHTSA ↗
NHTSA investigations
0No exact-year investigations in this snapshot.