Reliable Auto DB

2018 Jeep Cherokee reliability

Is it reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2018 Jeep Cherokee holds 684 complaints after 9 years, a rate of 103 per year. Cherokee years here cluster close together — the other years’ median is 102 complaints per year. NHTSA has 7 recalls on file, including Powertrain, Front underhood wiring, and Axle shaft.

2014 Jeep Cherokee
Photo by Kevauto, resized from the original. Wikimedia Commons CC BY-SA 4.0
Complaints

684

Per year

103

Recalls

7

Years on the road

9

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (293 of 684), then Electrical system (190) and Engine (155). Those filings include 11 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Next to 2017 and 2019

The 2017 Cherokee has 1,334 complaints, 136 per year, and the 2019 has 1,640 complaints, 205 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019.

The complaint rate is complaints filed in this year’s first 3 years on the road, divided by however many of those years have passed. Recalls are a separate count. The numbers are for the US-market 2018 Jeep Cherokee. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (7)

Recall Powertrain 2025-04-29 · NHTSA campaign 25V011000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power and/or loss of park function.
Remedy Dealers will update the drivetrain control module and PTU software and replace the PTU, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning February 19, 2026. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 01C.
Recall electrical system, wiring, front underhood wiring 2018-08-09 · NHTSA campaign 18V524000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.
Recall powertrain, axle assembly, axle shaft 2018-07-26 · NHTSA campaign 18V494000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee all-wheel-drive vehicles. The bearing cage for the right front halfshaft assembly may not have been properly heat treated, possibly resulting in the bearing cage breaking and a potential halfshaft assembly failure.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front right halfshaft assemblies, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U78.
Recall electrical system, wiring 2018-05-17 · NHTSA campaign 18V332000
Summary 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, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.
Remedy 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 may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.
Recall gasoline fuel system, delivery, hoses and fittings 2018-05-01 · NHTSA campaign 18V282000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a 2.4L engine. These vehicles may have been manufactured with a fuel tube that may leak fuel into the engine compartment.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel tube, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U39.
Recall Engine 2017-10-24 · NHTSA campaign 17V670000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee and Compass vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines. The engines may have a cracked oil pump housing that can result in oil pump failure.
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the oil pump, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 5, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T65.
Recall Labels 2017-08-31 · NHTSA campaign 17V543000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The tire and rim size information required to be on the Certification label was omitted during manufacturing, which may result in an incorrect tire and rim combination being installed on the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Remedy Chrysler will notify owners and will provide a corrected certification label, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T53.

Complaints by component (684 total)

Powertrain
293
Electrical system
190
Engine
155
Service brakes
34
Steering
30
Fuel and propulsion system
26
Speed control
20
Air bags
16
Electronic stability control (ESC)
15
Suspension
8
Forward collision avoidance
6
Engine and engine cooling
4
Structure
4
Seat belts
3
Visibility and wipers
3
Wheels
3
Back-over prevention
2
Exterior lighting
2
Hydraulic brakes
2
Parking brake
2
Equipment
1
Lane departure
1
Seats
1
Show 15 more Show less
Crash-flagged

11

Fire-flagged

5

Injury reports

3

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

2201735201812820191442020752021512022432023612024892025562026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that on a rainy day while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle almost spun out of control due to a lack of traction. The message "4WD System Service Required" was…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-22
  • "My 2018 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk is subject to FCA Recall 01C/NHTSA 25V-011 for two-speed PTU failure. I have experienced 3 serious drivetrain events requiring towing. In April 2024, before the recall was announced, the…"
    Powertrain, Unknown or other · filed 2026-09-03
  • "Noticed that while going slow and turning heard popping from the rear end. Had 3 different certified shops give me different answers to the cause. Had to attempt to find my wife a way to work. As stated previous We…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-08-26
  • "I have a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The exact component causing the problem is UNKNOWN. While driving, a “Service Shifter” warning appeared on the dashboard and all of the gear indicator lights illuminated at the same time.…"
    Electrical system · filed 2026-08-13
  • "The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights were illuminated on the instrument panel, and the transmission was shifting very…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-07-24

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2018 Jeep Cherokee SUV 2WD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2018 Jeep Cherokee SUV 4WD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars

Stars are how this vehicle did in NHTSA crash tests. They are a safety result, separate from the complaint record. Not rated means that test was not run for this version.

Fuel economy

Trim Engine Transmission Drive City Hwy Combined Annual fuel cost
Cherokee four-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 21 28 23 MPG $2800
Cherokee four-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 21 28 23 MPG $2800
Cherokee four-wheel drive 3.2L, 6-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 20 27 23 MPG $3200
Cherokee four-wheel drive Active Drive II 3.2L, 6-cyl Automatic 9-speed Four-wheel drive 18 26 21 MPG $3500
Cherokee four-wheel drive Active Drive II 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed Four-wheel drive 21 27 23 MPG $2800
Cherokee front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 21 30 25 MPG $2600
Cherokee front-wheel drive 3.2L, 6-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 21 29 24 MPG $3100
Cherokee front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 21 30 25 MPG $2600
Cherokee Trailhawk four-wheel drive 3.2L, 6-cyl Automatic 9-speed Four-wheel drive 18 24 21 MPG $3500
Cherokee Trailhawk four-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed Four-wheel drive 19 25 22 MPG $2950

Specs and fitment

KL generation, 2014–2023
Body styles SUV
Oil 0W-20 (2.4L Tigershark); 5W-20 (3.2L V6) , 5 qt capacity
Tire size 225/60R17 to 245/45R20 (trim dependent)
Towing capacity 4,500 lbs

Known issues for this generation

Early KL years (especially 2014) draw heavy NHTSA powertrain filings. Recall 19V-447 covers certain 2014 Cherokees with the 3.2L V6: if a clutch sticks, transmission software may shift to neutral and cut drive; dealers update transmission software (FCA V69). Recall 16V-529 covers certain 2014-2015 Cherokees with the 9-speed: insufficient crimps in the transaxle range-sensor harness can default the gearbox to neutral; dealers reprogram and replace the harness as needed (FCA S55). Recall 20V-343 covers certain 2014-2017 Cherokees with a two-speed PTU: spline wear between the PTU and transmission can lose drive or Park; dealers apply software that keeps rear drive and sets the electronic park brake (FCA W47). Recall 26V-290 covers certain 2019-2023 Cherokees for PTU failure with possible loss of drive or rollaway; dealers update drivetrain/PTU/park-brake software and replace the PTU as needed.

Compare

Previous year 2017 Jeep Cherokee Next year 2019 Jeep Cherokee See every Jeep Cherokee model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2018 Jeep Cherokee reliable?

NHTSA's file on the 2018 Jeep Cherokee holds 684 complaints after 9 years, a rate of 103 per year. Cherokee years here cluster close together — the other years’ median is 102 complaints per year. NHTSA has 7 recalls on file, including Powertrain, Front underhood wiring, and Axle shaft.

What are common problems with a 2018 Jeep Cherokee?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (293 of 684), then Electrical system (190) and Engine (155). Those filings include 11 that report a crash, 5 that report a fire, and 3 that report an injury.

Is the 2018 Jeep Cherokee more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2017 Cherokee has 1,334 complaints, 136 per year, and the 2019 has 1,640 complaints, 205 per year. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2017. The 2018 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019.

Has the 2018 Jeep Cherokee been recalled?

The 2018 Jeep Cherokee has 7 recalls on file with NHTSA. See the recalls table on this page for dates, components, and remedies.

How many complaints have owners filed about the 2018 Jeep Cherokee?

Owners have filed 684 complaints about the 2018 Jeep Cherokee with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2018 Jeep Cherokee get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2018 Jeep Cherokee is 23 MPG. See the fuel economy table on this page for city and highway figures by engine and transmission.

What oil does a Cherokee take?

0W-20 (2.4L Tigershark); 5W-20 (3.2L V6)

What does NHTSA recall 19V-447 cover on the Jeep Cherokee?

Recall 19V-447 covers certain 2014 Cherokees with the 3.2L V6: if a clutch sticks, transmission software may shift to neutral and cut drive; dealers update transmission software (FCA V69).

What generation is the 2015 Jeep Cherokee?

KL generation (2014-2023).