2012 Jeep GRAND CHEROKEE

Problems, Recalls & Reliability Report

Avoid This Year

Quick Summary

The 2012 Jeep GRAND CHEROKEE has 2323 owner complaints filed with NHTSA — that's 29.0x the segment average of 80. The most common issue is electrical problems (36% of all complaints), specifically: i bought my band new 2012 jeep grand cherokee overland 7 months ago - brand new from the chrysler jeep dealership and about a month after i bought it i started to notice the acceleration is not 100%, the windows stop rolling up or down for hours at a time at random time, the brakes sometimes don't w. ⚠️ 139 fire reports filed.

139 fire reports 50 crash reports 27 injuries

2323

Total Complaints

Recalls Issued

—/5

Safety Stars

29.0x

vs Segment Avg

Known Problems

ELECTRICAL

837 complaints

36%

• I BOUGHT MY BAND NEW 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE OVERLAND 7 MONTHS AGO - BRAND NEW FROM THE CHRYSLER JEEP DEALERSHIP AND ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT IT I STARTED TO NOTICE THE ACCELERATION IS NOT 100%, THE WINDOWS STOP ROLLING UP OR DOWN FOR HOURS AT A TIME AT RANDOM TIME, THE BRAKES SOMETIMES DON'T W
• ON JUNE 2 AFTER CLEANING THE CAR AT THE CAR WASH (MANUALLY) ON THE WAY BACK TO OUR HOME ALL THE LIGHTS OF THE DASHBOARD LIT UP FOR ALL SERVICES TO BE DONE AND THE WIPERS ACTIVATED BY THEMSELVES. THE SAFETY BELTS ARE NO LONGER WORKING AND THE LIGHTS OF THE CAR ARE NOT FUNCTIONAL. YOU DO NOT HAVE BLIN
• HUSBAND DRIVING MV TO STORE, STARTED SMELLING SHARP SMELL OF WIRES BURNING, WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM AREA AROUND THE VISOR ON DRIVERS SIDE, CAME RIGHT HOME WITH IT, SINCE SMOKE WAS BURNING HIS EYES AND NOSE, OPENED SUNROOF TO LET SMOKE OUT, IT CONTINUED SMOKING THEN STARTED TO BURN THRU MATERIAL SURR

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 97 fire reports💥 5 crashes

“I BOUGHT MY BAND NEW 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE OVERLAND 7 MONTHS AGO - BRAND NEW FROM THE CHRYSLER JEEP DEALERSHIP AND ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT IT I STARTED TO NOTICE THE ACCELERATION IS NOT 100%, THE WINDOWS STOP ROLLING UP OR DOWN FOR HOURS AT A TIME AT RANDOM TIME, THE BRAKES SOMETIMES DON'T W”

— NHTSA complaint filing

BRAKES

308 complaints

13%

• YESTERDAY, 5 JAN 12, AS I APPROACHED A STOP LIGHT I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN AS EXPECTED. IT WAS AS IF THE ENGINE WAS FIGHTING ME. I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND THE RPMS SHOT UP TO ABOUT 5000 AND THEN WENT BACK DOWN. THE CRUISE CONTROL WA
• PREPARING TO BACK FROM MY GARAGE, I STEPPED ON THE BRAKE AND PLACED THE SELECTOR IN REVERSE. DESPITE MY HOLDING FIRMLY ON THE BRAKE, THE JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE MOVED BACKWARDS AS IF SLIDING ON ICE. IT COLLIDED, AT A SLOW SPEED, WITH A CAR PARKED OPPOSITE ON THE DRIVEWAY. WHILE CONTINUING TO APPLY TH
• 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. CONSUMER STATES PROBLEM WITH VEHICLE BRAKES *TGW THE CONSUMER STATED HE HAD SEVERAL CLOSE CALLS WHEN HE SUDDENLY HAD TO SLAM ON THE BRAKES AND THE VEHICLE SEEMED TO TAKE ADDITIONAL TIME TO STOP.*JB THE CONSUMER STATED WHEN THE DEALER PLACED THE VEHICLE ON THE HOIST, THEY

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 2 fire reports💥 22 crashes

“YESTERDAY, 5 JAN 12, AS I APPROACHED A STOP LIGHT I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN AS EXPECTED. IT WAS AS IF THE ENGINE WAS FIGHTING ME. I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND THE RPMS SHOT UP TO ABOUT 5000 AND THEN WENT BACK DOWN. THE CRUISE CONTROL WA”

— NHTSA complaint filing

ENGINE

301 complaints

13%

• I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 20-25 APPROACHING A SIGNAL LIGHT. I LET OFF THE GAS AND APPLIED THE BRAKE AS THE LIGHT WAS RED. AS I LET OFF THE GAS, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV HIGHER AND AS I APPLIED THE BRAKE I HAD TO APPLY IT HARDER AND HARDER AS THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV EVEN HIGHER. I BEGAN TO SMELL T
• WE PURCHASED A NEW JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE WITH 5 MILES ON IT. UPON LEAVING THE DEALERSHIP THE ENGINE BEGAN MAKING A STRANGE NOISE. WE BROUGHT THE CAR BACK TO THE DEALER AND THE MECHANIC TOLD US TO LEAVE THE CAR. IT'S 5 DAYS LATER AND ALL WE KNOW SO FAR IS THAT THEY HAVE REMOVED THE FRONT END OF THE
• TURNED ONTO STATE HIGHWAY WHEN ENGINE BEGAN TO MAKE SEIZURE NOISE AND TEMPERATURE MOVED TOWARD H WITH SHAKING AND LOST POWER FROM ENGINE. I PUT ON EMERGENCY BLINKERS, REMOVED FOOT FROM ACCELERATOR, TAPPED BRAKES, WITH NOISE CONTINUING, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO ACCELERATE AGAIN WITH NO POWER OCCURRING.

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 18 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 20-25 APPROACHING A SIGNAL LIGHT. I LET OFF THE GAS AND APPLIED THE BRAKE AS THE LIGHT WAS RED. AS I LET OFF THE GAS, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV HIGHER AND AS I APPLIED THE BRAKE I HAD TO APPLY IT HARDER AND HARDER AS THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV EVEN HIGHER. I BEGAN TO SMELL T”

— NHTSA complaint filing

FUEL SYSTEM

249 complaints

11%

• I STARTED THE ENGINE OF MY 2012 JEEP AND AS SOON I BEGAN TRAVELING WITH THE JEEP FLUIDS POURED FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE ENGINE. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS UNTIL I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING 10 MINUTES. THE COMPUTER DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF AN ERROR OR ENGINE TROUBLE. WHEN I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND
• PROBLEM DEVELOPED JUST AFTER 10,000 MILES WITH MILD VIBRATION ON ACCELERATION. PROBLEM PERSISTED AND GOT WORSE. I HAD VEHICLE CHECKED BY DEALER AND HEAD MECHANIC AT 15,000 WHEN IN FOR OIL CHANGE. DEFINITELY WAS A PROBLEM, TOOK A DAY TO DIAGNOSE WITH HELP FROM JEEP. /CHRYSLER SAID IT WAS FAILURE OF T
• THIS JEEP HAS REMOTE KEY-LESS ENTRY/ENGINE START. THE ENGINE CANNOT BE TURNED OFF UNLESS THE GEAR SHIFT IS IN PARK. IF THE THROTTLE STAYS OPEN CAUSING UNINTENDED ACCELERATION, ONE CANNOT TURN THE ENGINE OFF. THIS COULD RESULT IN ONE OR MORE DEATHS AND/OR SERIOUS INJURY! IF ONE HAD AN ACCIDENT CAUSIN

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 1 fire reports💥 4 crashes

“I STARTED THE ENGINE OF MY 2012 JEEP AND AS SOON I BEGAN TRAVELING WITH THE JEEP FLUIDS POURED FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE ENGINE. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS UNTIL I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING 10 MINUTES. THE COMPUTER DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF AN ERROR OR ENGINE TROUBLE. WHEN I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND ”

— NHTSA complaint filing

OTHER

129 complaints

• FUEL PUMP CONTINUES TO RUN AFTER CAR SHUT OFF. RESULT IS A DEAD BATTERY AND MY CAR IN THE SHOP. *TR
• 2012 GRAND CHEROKEE LAREDO, CONSUMER STATED MANUFACTURERFOUND A DEFECT IN THE BRAKE BOOSTER, WHICH PREVENTED THE VEHICLE FROM STOPPING. UPDATED 9/11/17*CN
• I HAVE CONTACTED LARRY MILLER CHRYSLER JEEP IN THORNTON COLORADO IN JUNE 2014 ASKING TO HAVE MY VEHICLE SERVICED FOR THE RECALL (S). I WAS TOLD THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO ORDER THE PART. IN OCTOBER 2014 (5 MONTHS LATER) I CALLED TO SEE WHY I WAS NOT GETTING CALLED IN FOR THE RECALL SERVICE. A VERY RUDE

Typical onset: 50K miles Est. repair: $500🔥 6 fire reports💥 5 crashes

“FUEL PUMP CONTINUES TO RUN AFTER CAR SHUT OFF. RESULT IS A DEAD BATTERY AND MY CAR IN THE SHOP. *TR”

— NHTSA complaint filing

Estimated Repair Costs

ELECTRICAL(~50K mi)

$500

BRAKES(~50K mi)

$500

ENGINE(~50K mi)

$500

FUEL SYSTEM(~50K mi)

$500

OTHER(~50K mi)

$500

Estimates based on average reported repair costs. Actual costs vary by location, shop, and severity.

🔍 Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist

Based on 2323 owner complaints for this specific year, here's what to check or ask about:

☐
ELECTRICAL: I BOUGHT MY BAND NEW 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE OVERLAND 7 MONTHS AGO - BRAND NEW FROM THE CHRYSLER JEEP DEALERSHIP AND ABOUT A MONTH AFTER I BOUGHT IT I STARTED TO NOTICE THE ACCELERATION IS NOT 100%, THE WINDOWS STOP ROLLING UP OR DOWN FOR HOURS AT A TIME AT RANDOM TIME, THE BRAKES SOMETIMES DON'T W
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
BRAKES: YESTERDAY, 5 JAN 12, AS I APPROACHED A STOP LIGHT I REMOVED MY FOOT FROM THE GAS AND APPLIED THE BRAKES. THE VEHICLE DID NOT SLOW DOWN AS EXPECTED. IT WAS AS IF THE ENGINE WAS FIGHTING ME. I PUT THE CAR INTO NEUTRAL AND THE RPMS SHOT UP TO ABOUT 5000 AND THEN WENT BACK DOWN. THE CRUISE CONTROL WA
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
ENGINE: I WAS GOING APPROXIMATELY 20-25 APPROACHING A SIGNAL LIGHT. I LET OFF THE GAS AND APPLIED THE BRAKE AS THE LIGHT WAS RED. AS I LET OFF THE GAS, THE ENGINE BEGAN TO REV HIGHER AND AS I APPLIED THE BRAKE I HAD TO APPLY IT HARDER AND HARDER AS THE ENGINE CONTINUED TO REV EVEN HIGHER. I BEGAN TO SMELL T
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
FUEL SYSTEM: I STARTED THE ENGINE OF MY 2012 JEEP AND AS SOON I BEGAN TRAVELING WITH THE JEEP FLUIDS POURED FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE ENGINE. I DID NOT NOTICE THIS UNTIL I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AFTER DRIVING 10 MINUTES. THE COMPUTER DID NOT SHOW ANY SIGNS OF AN ERROR OR ENGINE TROUBLE. WHEN I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND
Typically appears around 50K miles. Repair cost ~$500
☐
General: Get a pre-purchase inspection from an independent mechanic ($100-$200)