Your vehicle report
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee
The problems owners report. The recalls to check. The evidence behind each.
Your vehicle at a glance
Complaint patterns and official recall records, kept distinct.
- Owner complaints
- 2,052
- Received Nov 2004 to Oct 2026
Owner reports
Most reported problems
- 1Rear door latch fails to open or close472 complaints · 23% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 2Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving332 complaints · 16% of this vehicle’s complaints
- 3Engine suddenly shuts off while driving78 complaints · 3.8% of this vehicle’s complaints
Official NHTSA records
Recalls to check
- Recall #14V438000This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, drivers should adjust their seat to allow clearance between the driver's knee and the ignition key, and remove all items from their key ring, leaving only the vehicle key. Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to July 5, 2007, and 2006-2007 Jeep Commander vehicles manufactured January 31, 2005, to July 5, 2007. In the affected vehicles, the driver may accidentally hit the ignition key with their knee, unintentionally knocking the key out of the run position, turning off the engine.
- Recall #13V175000Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, through March 9, 2010; and 2006-2010 Jeep Commander vehicles manufactured January 31, 2005, through March 10, 2010. A transfer case electrical failure may result in an unintentional shifting of the transfer case into the neutral position.
BrakeNews signals
Flagged complaint patterns
Unusual complaint patterns with no matched recall yet. A flag does not mean a recall will happen.
No problems currently meet BrakeNews’s flagging criteria. This is not a safety rating.
How flags are identifiedComplaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA, not failure rates or a reliability ranking. Reported in these complaints: 82 crashes, 24 fires, 74 people injured, 0 deaths.
Explore by system
Where do owners report problems?
Choose an area on the car or a system below to explore the reported problems.
Illustrative only; not this vehicle’s exact design. Areas represent complaint categories, not confirmed defective parts.
Showing all 20 listed problems by system.
Engine & powertrain
Brakes
Electrical & lights
Airbags, belts & seats
Steering, suspension & tires
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Body, doors & glass
Driver assistance
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Other
No problems in this category meet this page’s listing criteria. This does not establish that the system is free of problems.
Complaint history
When NHTSA received these reports. Changes in reporting alone do not establish a change in failure rates.
Show as a table
| Year | Complaints |
|---|---|
| 2004 | 5 |
| 2005 | 81 |
| 2006 | 87 |
| 2007 | 53 |
| 2008 | 55 |
| 2009 | 31 |
| 2010 | 107 |
| 2011 | 193 |
| 2012 | 102 |
| 2013 | 112 |
| 2014 | 231 |
| 2015 | 675 |
| 2016 | 118 |
| 2017 | 59 |
| 2018 | 43 |
| 2019 | 37 |
| 2020 | 25 |
| 2021 | 12 |
| 2022 | 10 |
| 2023 | 8 |
| 2024 | 3 |
| 2025 | 3 |
| 2026 (to Oct 2026) | 2 |
| Total | 2,052 |
Problems owners report
Listed groups have at least 3 complaints. The page includes the 20 largest groups plus any additional flagged groups; some complaints are not assigned to a group.
| Problem | Complaints | Share | Share ratio | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rear door latch fails to open or close | 472 | 23% | – | |
| Jeep Cherokee stalls while driving | 332 | 16% | – | |
| Engine suddenly shuts off while driving | 78 | 3.8% | – | NHTSA recall #14V438000 |
| Ignition key sticks or will not turn | 58 | 2.8% | – | |
| Headlights dim or fail at night | 42 | 2.1% | – | |
| Automatic transmission shifts unexpectedly or slips | 37 | 1.8% | – | |
| Unintended acceleration despite braking | 37 | 1.8% | – | |
| Airbag warning light stays on | 36 | 1.8% | – | |
| Transmission fails or loses power while driving | 35 | 1.7% | – | |
| Seat belt fails to latch or retract | 26 | 1.3% | – | |
| Airbags fail to deploy in crashes | 26 | 1.3% | – | |
| Transfer case shifts into 4-wheel drive unexpectedly | 22 | 1.1% | – | NHTSA recall #13V175000 |
| Vehicle catches fire from wiring | 19 | 0.9% | – | |
| Engine won't start or cranks intermittently | 19 | 0.9% | – | |
| Check engine light comes on repeatedly | 15 | 0.7% | – | |
| Instrument cluster or speedometer fails | 12 | 0.6% | – | |
| Brake lights fail or stay on | 10 | 0.5% | – | |
| Fuel tank or line leaks gasoline | 9 | 0.4% | – | |
| Brake pedal sinks due to leaking lines | 9 | 0.4% | – | |
| Vehicle suddenly loses engine power at speed | 9 | 0.4% | – |
AI groups complaints by meaning; the groups are approximate. Share ratio compares the problem’s share of this vehicle’s complaints with its share on other vehicles over the last 24 months (shown from 3 recent complaints). A 2× ratio means twice the complaint share, not twice the failure risk. Flags mark unusual shares or recent surges after an AI review of the complaint content. “First signal” does not mean the pattern has persisted continuously.How recall estimates are calculated.
Recalls
NHTSA recall #14V438000July 21, 2014649,353 vehicles affected
electrical system: ignition: switch
This defect can affect the safe operation of the airbag system. Until this recall is performed, drivers should adjust their seat to allow clearance between the driver's knee and the ignition key, and remove all items from their key ring, leaving only the vehicle key. Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2005-2007 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, to July 5, 2007, and 2006-2007 Jeep Commander vehicles manufactured January 31, 2005, to July 5, 2007. In the affected vehicles, the driver may accidentally hit the ignition key with their knee, unintentionally knocking the key out of the run position, turning off the engine.
If the ignition key inadvertently moves into the OFF or ACCESSORY position, the engine will turn off, which will then depower various key safety systems including but not limited to air bags, power steering, and power braking. Loss of functionality of these systems may increase the risk of crash and/or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch, free of charge. Chrysler sent interim notifications to owners in September 2014. The recall began on October 9, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P41.
NHTSA recall #13V175000May 7, 2013295,345 vehicles affected
electrical system; power train: transfer case (4-wheel drive)
Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, through March 9, 2010; and 2006-2010 Jeep Commander vehicles manufactured January 31, 2005, through March 10, 2010. A transfer case electrical failure may result in an unintentional shifting of the transfer case into the neutral position.
If the vehicle shifts into neutral, it may roll away increasing the risk of a crash or personal injury.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the final drive controller which governs the transfer case, with new software, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N23.
NHTSA recall #05V396000September 14, 2005101,925 vehicles affected
power train: automatic transmission
On certain sport utility vehicles equipped with 3.7L engines and NAG1 automatic transmissions, the air conditioner evaporator condensate water may enter the transmission at the fill tube grommet seal. This Can result in shudder during torque converter clutch engagement.
It Can lead to increased transmission operating temperatures, boiling of the water, and a subsequent purging of transmission fluid into the engine compartment potentially resulting in an underhood fire.
Remedy
Dealers will inspect the transmission for leakage at the fill tube grommet seal. If no leak is detected, a new fill tube grommet seal and water deflector shield will be installed, and proper alignment of the fill tube verified. If the presence of a leak is detected, the vehicle will be evaluated for shudder during torque converter engagement. If no shudder is detected, the transmission will be triple flushed, and new fill tube grommet seal and water deflector will be installed and proper alignment of the fill tube verified. If shudder is detected, the torque converter will be replaced, a new fill tube grommet seal and water deflector will be installed, and proper alignment of the fill tube verified. The recall began on october 31, 2005. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.
Other model years
About this data
NHTSA complaints and recalls through October 2026. Complaints are counted once each, however many components they name. Original complaints are on NHTSA's page for the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
Problem groups are formed by AI and may be approximate. BrakeNews flags unusual complaint patterns; they are not official defect findings. Investigation reports are written and checked by AI, with no human review. Owner reports do not establish that a defect exists.
Read the methodology and track record · Check current recalls by VIN