I took my Jeep Cherokee into the dealership, and they did the latest recall on it which was inspect PCM and TCM software. Reprogram PCM and TCM with new software 18-V6-91-84

I drove home and parked it, and the next day went less than 5 miles down the road and a service shifter message came on and I stopped. I turned around to go back home and park it and when I started to drive home after turning around, it lunged a couple times which it never had done before. I had never had any service messages prior to this one. I bought it brand new and just paid it off a few months ago. I take back in to the dealer and get a call that it had nothing to do with the recall they did and it would cost around $350.00.

At the end if that day, the dealership called back and said it was in anti theft mode and asked if I had a spare fob. I do but it's broken and the spare is what I've been using and it never worked, you have to manually start it with opposite end of where key is. So I'm informed for them to do repair I have to purchase a key fob which they said starts at $160. I'm disabled and only have disability income, I said I guess I don't understand if it let you do the recall and oil change and there wasn't an issue, why is there an issue now? I am currently waiting for them to call me back.

Starting 2015 Jeep has had a number of recalls relating to the transmission. The latest one was in August of 2020, w47. Since then, the transmission will not shift correctly and will randomly shift into neutral. The dealership believes the TCM went and with the w47 recall. The TCM was replaced and did not solve anything.

Now the dealer believes the valve body will cure and replacing the whole transmission for $4200 is the best option. From what I read that may not help. I have contacted the AG for my state and am waiting to hear from that office. I contacted Jeep and they said they have no "good will" to help cover this issue. I have contacted Jeep again and have not spoken with them yet, but I believe it will be the same response. I am trying to layout a trail of paperwork and maybe go to court.

Been back to Wetmore Jeep of New Milford several times for this shifting issue. It started with Flash updates until the PTU went on the vehicle. The PTU plus many extra parts were replaced and covered under warranty. Even after all the flash updates and part replacements - the clutches in the automatic transmission still slip and the clutch seems to pop into gear.

Chrysler Fiat, initially was supportive stating that the dealer will resolve all issues and they have a "Team" of technicians assigned to the case. After opening a case with Chrysler, they won't even return any calls. The dealer won't take the care for a test drive with me - but will claim that they test drove it and could not find repeat the issue.

I spoke to the head mechanic and he said that we believe you as these transmissions are crap and full of issues. He stated that the 2019 coming off the lot already need flash updates and all have issues and that fiat still has not fixed the problems - but - what they put on the receipt is that they cannot reproduce the problem and essentially passing the buck - have a nice day.

Jeep has lost my trust and I am stuck with this poorly designed transmission/drive train. This sucks! Never again will I endorse Jeep.

I've added myself to this long list of complainers about the poorly engineered 9 speed transmission. I've been through the same routine as many others: Complain to dealer, update software, set to "relearn" and send me on my way. All this to no avail. I drive as though there is a raw egg under the accelerator pedal when leaving a stop or cornering at slow speeds for fear of having my head jerked off when it finally shifts into gear. I am always the last person to leave a red light unless the person beside me is texting on their phone. Doesn't do it all the time???? Somewhere around 1 in 10 accelerations I would guess. I keep getting emails from the dealership about trading in for a new one. Thinking seriously about doing that.

In the summer of 2017, Wilson Dodge, Jeep, Chrysler in Winnsboro, SC replaced the transmission under the Powertrain warranty because of the transmission slipping and rough starting. However, one year later with the new transmission, it is slipping between the 5th and 8th gears. This is ridiculous. I remember that I purchased a 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited and the transmission went out on it and also had to be replaced under warranty. It appears to me that Jeep products are sub par and WAY overpriced for the low quality of the vehicles.

I had noticed it had been getting lousy gas mileage on the highway for 8 months and questioned my g/f why. She had no explanation, other than it was "finally getting up and going". I thought she had mistakenly activated Sport mode, but that should clear each time the ignition is turned off. We used to get 27 to 29 MPG when it was new on the highway. This occurred just after it hit 55,000 miles.

Upon receipt of the vehicle, I did notice very aggressive shift points, and it would NEVER enter 7th or above gears even at highway speeds of 80 MPH. Uphill or downhill, and we have some big hills here. It was averaging less than 20 MPG, but phenomenally great at acceleration, but diving down to 3 or 5 MPG during any acceleration, and RPM well over 3,000.

I have actively been working to get a more economical mode going with it (I had heard that the computer would "learn" how the driver operated the vehicle, and respond). Using the most gas conservative skills I could utilize, I have experienced 24 to 25 MPG, but any need for acceleration finds it reverting to the old shift points and lousy MPG for at least the next 20 miles. After 3,000 miles of working on this, I am feeling that something is not correct.

Any suggestions or comments would be most welcome. This is a very good vehicle, though I suspect the transmission/CPU to be the culprits here.

=)

Bill

My question to all is has anyone else experienced this situation? Do I need to have the computer re-flashed to return back to the way it was when new?

The fact that ChryslerFiat could release such a garbage transmission for public consumption and use is criminal. Additionally, to not offer any form of real resolve is an additional slap to the face with this issue. The fact they continue to produce vehicles with this transmission is proof as to how little they care about the faulty machinery they are allowing the public to obtain and use. Every vehicle with this transmission should be recalled and replaced. To further elevate this, the fact that there isn't an oversight committee that hasn't flagged this is even more disturbing.

My vehicle drives worse than a 16 year old learning to drive stick shift. Not only does it shift hard but it will also grind the lower gears when accelerating SLOWLY.. not aggressively, but slowly. Shifts are mistimed, hard and downright horrible with only 2% of driving time seeing proper shifts.

ChryslerFiat or more specifically Jeep will watch the Cherokee, Renegade and Compass die because of this transmission. All great vehicles except for the fact that they simply can NOT shift in a safe and efficient manner. I guess this is the new "American Made".. insert eye roll here..

The 9 speed transmission in this jeep has never worked properly, The beast never knows what gear it wants to be in, slipping and sliding and skipping gears, once jumping from 1st gear into reverse which was a real exciting thing to experience, guest headed to windshield while the seatbelts engaged to catch us all, there was a loud explosion which made us almost pee out pants, finally got it off the road, thought someone had hit us from behind and got back in the car and drove off like nothing had happened, went straight to the dealer 3 miles away, they drove it said it was fine, and not codes so I must have lost my mind.

Taking off the a stop is interesting experience, you may a have lag of 30 seconds before you actually start to move, sometimes the people behind will blow there horn to wake the jeep up, then you may lurch forward or you may barely crawl slipping as you go, sometimes it will miss second gear or just hang out in second gear for a period of time and then lurch into 3rd. It is always a surprise and when you have guest with you, you need to explain you are not a bad driver and you mean no harm by all the lurching and bucking, reminds me of when I first learned to drive a stick shift, but I was smoother then this tranny is in shifting.

Also a big challenge is beach parking, backing out onto a busy highway is like playing Russian roulette with all the cylinders loaded. You back out quickly drop it into drive and walla!!! you sit there nothing no move and nothing, give it more gas and bamm it hammers into first and makes your teeth knock.

Been to the shop over a dozen times usually take the damn thing in for a monthly flashing and have it flashed each time I go for an oil change. No codes ever appear and the dealer thinks I am nuts!!!

Just recently had it in and this new dealer tells my husband the problem is I drive differently then he does so the transmission is confused. Ha HaSso we have a good argument about which of us is the most aggressive driver. My decision is the dealer is confused!

Now for the last little episode. Stopped a a light tranny was doing good that day, fingers crossed, light turns green, touch the gas a load explosion and lurch and then nothing. Give it gas nothing! Put car in reverse, nothing, drive nothing, put car in park go to get out car starts rolling down the road Sh*t!!!! jump in hit the brakes get the damn thing stopped apply the emergency brake call the tow truck haul the damn thing away!

Power train module blown new one installed in 2 weeks, recall shows up today for a PCM flash that if you are using the cruise and it fails you may speed up, what the hell else can happen to this p of s tranny.

Wish me luck, car will be done in a week, we shall see.

Update from Jul 24, 2018: Great news I am happy to say the PCM must have been faulty from the day I purchased this car. They replaced the PCM that blew up and my Jeep runs like it never has before!! There are no jerky stops and starts, there is no lag at the stop when accelerating. The gas mileage has improved by 2MPG, The Jeep actually downshifts when going down the hills and holds it's speed, not like the runaway train that it was before. You actually can feel the smooth shifting in all the gears, and no longer 1st gear to 5th or 6th gear. What a difference! I had my doubts on this fix, and actually had a new car picked out to trade this one in on as soon as it got out of the shop, but I will keep it as long as it continues to run this way, too bad it took over 3 years to have a brand new car start to run like a brand new car. Folks insist they replace the PCM, not just keep flashing it if you have these problems, I had mine flashed so many times I lost count. Good Luck!!!!!

Update from Nov 19, 2018: The Transmission Modular finally went Kabam and stopped in the middle of a light on a hill, well folks I put it in park and I was on a slight downslope got out as a cop pulled behind me and off the car went, no gears no park, no reverse no nothing and it was coasting downhill ran and jumped in and got it stopped, but did I feel stupid it shifted into park like normal, but it was like there was not tranny in the car. Modular was replace and the car ran like a top better than it ever did since new, no remember I have had trouble since day one with this tranny. Well luck be not on my side the great running lasted all of 3 wks and then we started with the skipping and hard take offs and not knowing what gear it wanted to be in, so off to the Chev dealer I went and got a new Colorado Z, tired of going to dealer and never getting a fix.

I picked up my Cherokee in November of 2014. Within the first month of driving it I started noticing that the transmission would hesitate when coming out of a complete stop. I would hit the gas to go and the car just would not move, and then it would catch and the tires would screech and the entire car would jerk forward. This has been a constant problem. It has been recalled twice for supposed software corrections, but none have made a difference.

The problem is so severe that it almost caused an accident when my car froze for several seconds when I was trying to pull into a busy intersection, causing me to miss my window, only to then jerk forward right into the path of an oncoming semi. I have complained multiple times to jeep dealerships and have been told everything from "we could not replicate the problem" (which is BS because they took it on the highway. Not surprising you couldn't replicate a problem starting from a dead stop when you drove it on the highways for 90 percent of your test run) to "That is how the transmission is supposed to work". Which is equally laughable.

Car does not shift smoothly and lunges and jerks. It even would not move from start from a stop and the "D" started blinking (this happened twice). First time at the dealer they said they did a PTM and TCM update. I checked the VIN on Mopar website for the S55 recall and it said all fixes have been implemented. This was before the first trip. Acted the same and now were at Second time back to the dealer.

I spoke with the service manager who said they don't know what it is and that he was waiting from STAR. The service advisory who is dealing with my girlfriend says the service manager couldn't find what was wrong and was going to drive it home to see if he could reproduce the issue. This is after he told me he was waiting on STAR.

Sounds like there giving us the run around. Bought used but with power train warranty. Any thoughts?

I was driving at approximately 25 MPH when the transmission warning lights, ABS and traction control lights all came on and warning signs signaled. The car automatically shifted to a lower gear and was hard to drive. I pulled over. The dash read "CHECK TRANSMISSION" and "PUT VEHICLE IN PARK AND THEN SELECT GEAR". I turned vehicle off and restarted a couple of times. After a few minutes, only the engine light came on. Vehicle remained in a low gear, was drive-able. I drove home and made an immediate appointment with Jeep. Jeep provided a software update, flashed the TCM (update #21). Apparently this transmission engine problem has been occurring since this vehicle hit the pavement and Jeep does not know how to fix, hence having 21 different updates. I am concerned that all Jeep did was to put a band-aid on a large wound. I am afraid to drive my vehicle and if this happens on the highway, I know that I am risking being in an accident.

Update from Oct 1, 2017: The day after I got my car back from Hall CDJR Service Department, I got in the car and started it up to see that all the warning lights were on again (engine, check transmission, stability and ABS). I put the gear in Reverse and the car would not drive. I had shut the car off and started it again. This time, only the engine light came on but when trying to change gears, there was a repeated clicking noise. The vehicle jerked when I placed it in reverse. Needless to say, I had contacted Hall CDJR Service Department and got authorization to have the vehicle towed to the service department. I had to fight to get a loaner car since they will be keeping the vehicle over the weekend. From reading all of the horror stories about this transmission, I have made an appointment with a lawyer. This is a defective product and I do not feel safe keeping this car. There is no fix for this transmission.

I live on a tight budget. Very tight. As a result, there is no room for error. The purchase of this Jeep was an error. I traded in my 2011 Ford Ranger with 168,000 miles on it. It needed to go. I commute 100 miles a day for work and I need a reliable vehicle. I wanted a Jeep and the Cherokee is the only one I could barely afford to get into. I purchased it from Auto Lenders in Lakewood, NJ. All of the vehicles they sell are Certified Pre-owned.

This Jeep, according to CarFax, had no previous problems and was previously leased and turned in with just over 35K miles. I am the second owner. I purchased this Jeep in August 2017. My wife has driven it a couple of times a couple of weeks ago and she said she noticed some clanking and noises coming from the transmission when she put it in gear. I've noticed a few things here and there but nothing severe. Then on December 22, I went to get gas, after I filled up I pulled out of the station and wham! There was nothing. No power as I tried to accelerate into traffic. Then it bucked and clanged and banged... every light on the dash lit up and the "Service Transmission" warning kept flashing. The "D" light was flashing on the dash as well. I limped home after several traffic light close calls.