Reliable Auto DB

2020 Jeep Cherokee reliability

Is it reliable?

Owners have filed 303 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Jeep Cherokee over 7 years — 17 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Cherokee years here — under the median of the other years, which is 103. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Powertrain, Camera, and Rack.

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

303

Per year

17

Recalls

3

Years on the road

7

What owners report

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (174 of 303), then Engine (43) and Electrical system (34). Those filings include 9 that report a crash, 6 that report a fire, and 6 that report an injury.

Next to 2019 and 2021

The 2019 Cherokee has 1,640 complaints, 205 per year, and the 2021 has 162 complaints, 17 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2021.

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 2020 Jeep Cherokee. How we count. Data as of .

Recalls (3)

Recall Powertrain 2026-05-07 · NHTSA campaign 26V290000
Summary Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may fail.
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.
Recall back-over prevention, sensing system, camera 2020-09-10 · NHTSA campaign 20V191000
Summary 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."
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.
Recall steering, rack and pinion, rack 2019-08-29 · NHTSA campaign 19V637000
Summary 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.
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.

Complaints by component (303 total)

Powertrain
174
Engine
43
Electrical system
34
Service brakes
24
Steering
22
Fuel and propulsion system
10
Forward collision avoidance
8
Speed control
8
Air bags
7
Suspension
7
Wheels
5
Engine and engine cooling
4
Parking brake
3
Structure
3
Back-over prevention
2
Lane departure
2
Seats
2
Tires
2
Visibility
2
Visibility and wipers
2
Electronic stability control (ESC)
1
Exterior lighting
1
Hydraulic brakes
1
Latches, locks, and linkages
1
Traction control
1
Show 17 more Show less
Crash-flagged

9

Fire-flagged

6

Injury reports

6

Death reports

0

Complaints filed per year

120192020201320211620223020233020241012025922026
Excerpts from recent NHTSA complaint filings
  • "Engine caught fire while parked"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-24
  • "Power transfer unit failed similar to recall on other 2020 Jeep Cherokees, though our Jeep was not covered under the existing recall."
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-24
  • "On September 23, 2026, my wife was driving our 2020 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk on I-65 South at mile marker 105.1 when the vehicle lost drive power and could no longer be driven. She became stranded on the side of the…"
    Service brakes, Engine, Fuel and propulsion system · filed 2026-09-23
  • "The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 26V290000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The manufacturer was contacted by…"
    Powertrain · filed 2026-09-23
  • "While driving my 2020 Jeep Cherokee Latitude Plus (2.0L turbo engine), the check engine light illuminated and the vehicle began misfiring with a severe loss of power and abnormal engine noise. A compression test…"
    Engine · filed 2026-09-20

NHTSA crash ratings

Version Overall Front Side Rollover
2020 Jeep Cherokee SUV 4WD 4 stars 4 stars 5 stars 4 stars
2020 Jeep Cherokee SUV FWD 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 3.2L, 6-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 19 27 22 MPG $2950
Cherokee four-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 21 29 24 MPG $2700
Cherokee four-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 21 29 24 MPG $2700
Cherokee four-wheel drive Active Drive II 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 20 27 23 MPG $2800
Cherokee four-wheel drive Active Drive II 3.2L, 6-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 18 26 21 MPG $3100
Cherokee front-wheel drive 2.4L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 22 31 25 MPG $2600
Cherokee front-wheel drive 3.2L, 6-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 20 29 23 MPG $2800
Cherokee front-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed Front-wheel drive 23 31 26 MPG $2500
Cherokee Trailhawk four-wheel drive 2L, 4-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 20 26 22 MPG $2950
Cherokee Trailhawk four-wheel drive 3.2L, 6-cyl Automatic 9-speed All-wheel drive 18 24 21 MPG $3100

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 2019 Jeep Cherokee Next year 2021 Jeep Cherokee See every Jeep Cherokee model year →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Jeep Cherokee reliable?

Owners have filed 303 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Jeep Cherokee over 7 years — 17 per year. That is fewer complaints per year than most Cherokee years here — under the median of the other years, which is 103. NHTSA has 3 recalls on file, including Powertrain, Camera, and Rack.

What are common problems with a 2020 Jeep Cherokee?

The complaints owners file most often name Powertrain (174 of 303), then Engine (43) and Electrical system (34). Those filings include 9 that report a crash, 6 that report a fire, and 6 that report an injury.

Is the 2020 Jeep Cherokee more reliable than the years next to it?

The 2019 Cherokee has 1,640 complaints, 205 per year, and the 2021 has 162 complaints, 17 per year. The 2020 has fewer complaints per year than the 2019. The 2020 has about the same number of complaints per year as the 2021.

Has the 2020 Jeep Cherokee been recalled?

The 2020 Jeep Cherokee has 3 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 2020 Jeep Cherokee?

Owners have filed 303 complaints about the 2020 Jeep Cherokee with NHTSA.

What mpg does a 2020 Jeep Cherokee get?

EPA-rated combined fuel economy for the 2020 Jeep Cherokee is 23.1 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).