4.9

definitely annoying
Crashes / Fires:
0 / 0
Injuries / Deaths:
0 / 0
Average Mileage:
21,219 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2018 Jeep Cherokee drivetrain problems

drivetrain problem

Find something helpful? Spread the word.
Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2018 Jeep Cherokee:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

2018 Jeep Cherokee Owner Comments (Page 1 of 10)

problem #190

Jan 012025

Cherokee

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Cracked Oil housing pump failure Fuel tube leak The car shifts while in drive it jumps like it gets stuck in a gear.

- St. Charles , IL, USA

problem #189

Dec 212024

Cherokee

  • miles
Power take off unit (PTU) failed, causing loss of power while driving.

- Portland, OR, USA

problem #188

Nov 062024

Cherokee

  • miles
# 1 PTU went out and can not get it repaired at the dealer parts not available. # 2 got stuck in snow storm on the way home and had to spent the night in a rural area as four wheel drive stopped working. #3 yes it has been confirmed by a independent Jeep etherized shop and there were no warning lights.

- Calhan, CO, USA

problem #187

Dec 122024

Cherokee

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Oil leak found on driveway. 2018 Jeep Cherokee Limited taken in for an oil change and diagnosis. Jeep Cherokee has oil leaking into the oil filter housing. Oil filter housing is plastic and needs to be replaced with a metal housing and new gaskets, along with a coolant change and oil change. This appears to be a common failure. Repairs are costly.

- Swedesboro, NJ, USA

problem #186

Jul 102024

Cherokee

  • miles
PTU failure.

- Glencoe, IL, USA

Search CarComplaints.com for these popular complaint phrases...

problem #185

Nov 292024

Cherokee

  • miles
Complete power failure of the vehicle occurred while driving on the highway. Vehicle stalled while in a driving lane, and the driver was not able to recover onto the shoulder. Huge safety risk. After towing vehicle to the mechanic, they confirmed it wasn-??t a battery issue (battery just replaced 3 months prior). Appears to be a starter system failure - no warning provided. There have been similar issues from other owners of this make and model.

- Washington, DC, USA

problem #184

Sep 232024

Cherokee

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

The component that has failed on my vehicle is the Power Transfer Unit that allows the vehicle to engage in 4 wheel drive. In some instances, I cannot safely navigate without access to my 4 wheel drive. In winter weather, I would be forced to use my Front Wheel Drive only increasing the likelihood of me getting stuck or losing control. I also use the 4 wheel drive on my farm land, and it is essential (part of why I bought it) for navigating the hills and turf safely. The problem was officially confirmed by an official Jeep dealership. No, the manufacturer of the part that failed has not inspected it, but it was inspected and deemed necessary to replace by a licensed Jeep dealership with certified technicians. There was no real warning leading up to the failure. Suddenly, one day, the Service 4 wheel drive light came on, flickered for a couple of days, then stayed on disabling my 4 wheel drive. Worth noting - I have done extensive research on this problem online. It is a very common failure that needs to be addressed or recalled. Jeep actually did do a recall for a portion of the PTU on models through 2017, but I have a 2018 and the problem persists for essentially every jeep cherokee model year since 2018. There are entire message boards online dedicated to this PTU failure issue. It is a very expensive repair to have done.

- Rock Hill, SC, USA

problem #183

Nov 232024

Cherokee

  • miles
I was driving and the service 4wheel drive light came

- Batavia, OH, USA

problem #182

Aug 292024

Cherokee

  • miles
PTU failure repair cost 3500$ out of pocket Milage 96K Pre-owned

- Irondequoit , NY, USA

problem #181

Nov 142018

Cherokee

  • 17,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the service shifter message was displayed on the instrument panel. The contact stated that the shifter lights had turned red. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer to be diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 17,000.

- Birmingham, AL, USA

problem #180

Nov 132020

Cherokee

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Service shifter engine light at 20000 miles has done it on and off for two years

- Baker City, OR, USA

problem #179

Oct 202023

Cherokee

  • miles
My jeep will stall without warning. If i turn, it stalls out, brake it stalls, turn the vehicle on hit the gas to go and step off the gas it stalls. Sometimes it won-??t start or it will start then stall out. It-??s without warning and has had me left on the side of the road multiple times after pushing it out of the way or trying to get it to start again. I-??ve had the computer plugged up to it and even the mechanics said they haven-??t seen this before. I-??ve had the individual parts to the engine tested, they work just fine such as alternator. I will just randomly lose power while driving. I also have the random Gear Shifter Error that it seems every Jeep owner is going through.

- Collierville, TN, USA

problem #178

Sep 062024

Cherokee

  • 52,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, or while parking, the gear selector was depressed and all the gears were highlighted on the selector, making it unclear what gear was selected. The contact also stated that the "Service Shifter" message was displayed. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 52,000.

- Avondale, AZ, USA

problem #177

Sep 102024

Cherokee

  • miles
Service shifter alert

- Muskegon, MI, USA

problem #176

Jan 012019

Cherokee

  • 12,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power with the service shifter warning light illuminated. The vehicle was steered to the side of the road and turned off. The vehicle was restarted, and the service shifter warning light disappeared. In addition, the contact stated that the dealer could not diagnose the failure; however, the navigation system was not working correctly, and requested that the driver drive through a body of water. The contact also confirmed that the navigation system was providing incorrect information. The failure reoccurred. The failure mileage was approximately 12,000.

- Monroe, GA, USA

problem #175

Aug 232024

Cherokee

  • miles
SVC 4WD light and clunking noises code C14A7-97-Rear differential and ptu spline failure and replaced at 34,870 miles. Now 71,060 miles SVC 4WD light on and code is again C14A7 rear differential and spline failure. And was told this time the 48 month warranty on the parts has expired. Its been 52 months. I purchased this 2018 in 2017. Why is this not recalled like the 2017 for the ptu and differential?

- Lake Mary, FL, USA

problem #174

May 312024

Cherokee

  • miles
Car made a noise and the service 4wd came on. The shop I went to told me it was PTU and that when he called Jeep they told him it should-??ve been a recall with how many they do daily. My Jeep is well maintained and is a 2018. Jeep should be at fault to fix this

- Bristol, CT, USA

problem #173

Jul 152024

Cherokee

  • miles
Approximately 3 weeks ago had SVC 4WD light came on. I took it to my mechanic and was told they couldn't diagnose it because a special subscription has to be paid for to access what the Jeep code is. Was able to find a mechanic that could diagnose the Jeep code, turns out the PTU needs to be replaced at an estimate of $5,000. In researching it appears many others have this same problem and is a safety problem for those driving the car. Of course, part is back ordered so that indicates this is a major problem with Jeep.

- Hayward, CA, USA

problem #172

Jul 052024

Cherokee

  • miles
Vehicle started to make -??knocking-?? noises from front axle when going over bumps. Brought to a shop that stated the ball joints just needed to be greased up. The sound returned within 24 hours and become continuous while driving. The car begins to shake and feel unstable at speeds above 45/50mph. Brought vehicle in that day to a new shop, which diagnosed the problem as a faulty/broken Power Transfer Unit (aka transfer case). They advised that this piece was under a safety recall for my make and model. Upon contacting a local dealership, they informed me that the safety recall does not apply to my specific VIN, and that the part is on national back order. The second shop advised that I can still drive the car with the broken part, however I believe the car may pose a safety risk in its present form- especially considering the part in question is under safety recall for my make and model

- Pawtucket , RI, USA

problem #171

Jun 012024

Cherokee

  • 75,000 miles
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle, there was a chemical odor inside the cabin of the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local mechanic who diagnosed that the front passenger-??s side half-shaft assembly was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the VIN was not included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 18V494000 (Power Train). The failure mileage was 75,000.

- West Seneca, NY, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »

Not what you are looking for?