2016 Jeep Cherokee Problems, Recalls & Reliability
2,046 owner complaints sit in the federal file for the 2016 Jeep Cherokee, alongside 9 recall campaigns and 2 defect investigations. It scores 52/100 on the trouble index — a below-average year for this model. Transmission & drivetrain leads the reports, typically around 50,000 miles.
Below average
Where 2016 sits among all Cherokee years
What owners report
“Transmission light will come on. Then I'll lose power. I've taken it to my local jeep shop who have said it's a bad PTU.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Cherokee
“Service shifter light came on. Having to replace shifter and shifting harness. When warning came on all lights came on and was not able to use shifter.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Cherokee
“Engine stalls while driving because of low oil. Jeep is 2 1/2 yrs. Old with 50,000 miles and should not be burning oil. Many people complaining of the same thing.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Cherokee
“Only 60k on my jeep cherokee and shifter light comes on. This remained on the 21 miles to my job.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Cherokee
“The parking brake will sometimes activate while driving the vehicle, I happens twice driving loosing control of the vehicle.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Cherokee
“Does not hold the selected speed when going down hill with cruise control set. Transmission shifts down but does not stay in one gear, shifts up and down.”— owner report to NHTSA, 2016 Cherokee
Mileage when trouble shows up
Among the 1,204 reports that include an odometer reading, problems most often appear around 45,000 miles. Half of those reports fall between 25,749 and 64,077 miles — a useful range to weigh against the mileage of the exact car you're looking at.
Recalls (9)
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2016 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a power liftgate. An electrical short in the power liftgate module may lead to a vehicle fire with the ignition on or off.
Fix: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will relocate the power liftgate module and add a water shield. In addition, dealers will…
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power or loss of park function.
Fix: FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 11, 2023. Owners may contact FCA USA LLC customer service at…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a two-speed Power Transfer Unit (PTU). Relative movement in the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) between the differential input splines and the transmission output shaft may…
Fix: FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update that will maintain vehicle propulsion by engaging rear wheel drive and prevent rolling in Park by activating the electronic…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500,…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling various Dodge, Chrysler, and RAM vehicles equipped with Kidde Plastic-Handle or Push Button 'Pindicator' Fire Extinguishers. A list of the affected trailer models is available at:…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners instructing them to contact Kidde for a replacement fire extinguisher, free of charge. The recall began February 14, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2014-2016 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured July 29, 2013, to February 5, 2016. The seat fasteners on the first or second row seats may not have been tightened to the proper torque specification.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the seats or seat sets, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during September 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at…
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured September 30, 2015, to October 2, 2015. The left halfshaft may have been incorrectly manufactured causing it to fracture without warning.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the left halfshaft, free of charge. The recall began on June 30, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler's customer service at 1-800-853-1403.…
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 3, 2015, to March 22, 2016. The right halfshaft may have been incorrectly manufactured causing it to fracture without warning.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the right halfshaft, free of charge. The recall began on June 30, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler's customer service at 1-800-853-1403.…
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2015-2016 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 18, 2015, to September 10, 2015 and equipped with the power liftgate option. In the affected vehicles, water may leak into the Power Liftgate Control…
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the module and connectors for corrosion, replacing the damaged components as necessary. The mastic shield will be removed and the module will be…
Federal defect investigations
Still open as of the last data refresh. An investigation is not a recall; it may close with no action. All open investigations →
Component: AIR BAGS:FRONTAL:DRIVER SIDE:INFLATOR MODULE
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade,…
Technical service bulletins
450 manufacturer communications — service bulletins, the biggest share on electrical and transmission & drivetrain — are on file for the 2016 Jeep Cherokee. A TSB is factory repair guidance, not a recall — the repair is not automatically free.
See the 2016 Cherokee TSB list →
Complaint history for this model year
When owners filed their reports — a long tail means problems kept surfacing for years.
Questions buyers ask
Is the 2016 Jeep Cherokee reliable?
The 2016 Jeep Cherokee drew 2,046 complaints in federal safety records — a below-average year for this model. Its trouble index is 52/100, scored against the model's worst year (2014).
What are the most common 2016 Jeep Cherokee problems?
The top reported problems for the 2016 Jeep Cherokee are transmission & drivetrain (630 complaints), other (347), and engine (319).
At what mileage do 2016 Jeep Cherokee problems show up?
Owners most often report 2016 Jeep Cherokee problems around 45,000 miles. Half of all reports that include an odometer reading fall between 25,749 and 64,077 miles.
Does the 2016 Jeep Cherokee have recalls?
9 recall campaigns apply to the 2016 Jeep Cherokee. At least one carries a do-not-drive or park-outside warning — check your VIN before driving.
Every number on this page is a count of records in the federal complaint, recall, and investigation files published by NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation. Check any specific vehicle's open recalls by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.