10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
5 / 3
Injuries / Deaths:
4 / 0
Average Mileage:
18,378 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.

2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee transmission problems

transmission problem

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2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Owner Comments (Page 1 of 4)

problem #71

Nov 122012

Grand Cherokee 4WD 8-cyl

  • 71,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while unoccupied and running, the vehicle erroneously accelerated and crashed into the contact's residence. There were no injuries. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted about the failure. The failure mileage was 71,000.

- Lincoln, NE, USA

problem #70

Jul 062011

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 87,000 miles
I believe this recall applies to my vehicle. I have the V6 and same transmission it affected over 100,000 vehicles. A mechanic looked at the vehicle and confirmed the leak and shutter of the torkconverter. I bought the vehicle around the date of the recall issued and perhaps the dealership did not perform the fix prior to sale. Please help I don't want my car to go on fire. Recall id # 05V396000 - power train:automatic transmission recall date: Sept 14, 2005 component: Power train:automatic transmission model affected: Grand Cherokee units affected: 101925 summary: 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. Consequence: 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.

- Lake Wylie , SC, USA

problem #69

Jan 032010

Grand Cherokee

  • 60,000 miles
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee has major transmission issues. I searched online to see if other people have had the same issue and found many leads. I called the Chrysler recall number and they told me there was a recall in 2005 that has already been done on my vehicle in 2005. I took my car to the dealership for a diagnostic and they inquired me with a total of $1700 to get this repaired. My car gets stuck in gears, won't accelerate correctly, gets stuck in neutral, revs up on it's own, and it doesn't shift correctly. This is a safety issue that many people have had. This problem occurs every time I drive it.

- Rogers, AR, USA

problem #68

Mar 032011

Grand Cherokee

  • 115,000 miles

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

The contact owns a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving approximately 35 mph, smoke was present underneath the hood. When the contact stopped the vehicle in order to inspect it fire was under his feet, under the hood and the entire under carriage of the vehicle. The contact was able to remove a child passenger from the vehicle without any injuries. The fire department arrived to assist with extinguishing the fire. An investigator with the manufacturer took pictures of the vehicle three weeks ago and the contact had not received a follow up call. The insurance company provided the contact with a copy of the recall notice and stated that they were unable to assist him since the failure was mechanical. The contact stated that the vehicle was not completely destroyed but it was severely damaged. There were no warning lights illuminated prior to the failure. Case # 20554289 was filed with the manufacturer. The manufacturer did not confirm if his VIN was a part of NHTSA recall 05V396000, power train automatic transmission although the failure was identical. The failure mileage was 115,000.

- Brake Grove , NY, USA

problem #67

Jan 252011

Grand Cherokee 4WD 8-cyl

  • 37,000 miles
My Jeep transmission is defective and keeps blowing filter off or splitting them...when this happens I am traveling down the road at 60 mph..my vehicle jolts as if I have slammed the gears in park...this could result in major injury if the wheels lock while im going that rate of speed...after extensive research online I have found that many consumers who have 05 Jeep Grand Cherokee are having the same problem however the dealerships seem to deny the fact that there is an issue with the components of the transmission...I have found many consumers have had issues with the transmission control module, shift solenoid, and the filters for the transmission.. this has been a ongoing issue and I am surprised that this has not been recalled...this can happen at any time...while driving down the road...or pulling out in front of traffic....I am worried that I will crash or someone else will crash into me in the event that my transmission fails again...I have had it repaired 6 times over 3 years now for the same issue and no longer feel safe while driving...I would like to have this matter investigated with Chrysler, llc so that they may recall the products and take the time to repair these defective transmission components..

- Delco , NC, USA

problem #66

May 172010

Grand Cherokee 4WD 6-cyl

  • 62,000 miles
Rubber/plastic piece that rides along when shifting became bunched up and couldn't shift into park or drive. Had to cut out the bunched up piece as car was in middle of road. This rubber/plastic piece is part of the shifter bezel trim that keeps dust and dirt from getting into the shifter area. Nothing has been done as dealer wants $720 for the part plus labor!!"?!!?" this is ludicrous!!!!!!

- Farmington Hills, MI, USA

problem #65

Jul 182008

Grand Cherokee

  • Automatic transmission
  • 62,000 miles

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

I have a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, 3.7L engine, automatic transmission. When driving, the vehicle will just shut off as if the key was turned off, losing all power. The vehicle will start afterwards and the check engine light will stay on for a few hours this has been going on for a couple years. This problem is similar to the recall on the 2008 Grand Cherokee stalling and I think this problem is more wide spread than Chrysler wants to admit. I have an appointment with a Jeep dealer who recently relocated in my area next week.

- Cool Ridge, WV, USA

problem #64

Aug 012005

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
I have had the same complaint about my Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7L automatic transmision as the recall notice described below. That is, 8 out of 10 times, whenever I turn on the airconditioning (particularly in weather above 90 degrees) the car shutters if asked to pull forward or reverse. This problem is particularly bad and more predictable to occur if reversing; I.e., backing out of a parking space. Over the last 3-4 years, I have asked two or three dealerships to look into the matter, citing the recall below, but they said that there is no way my car could have the same problem. One dealer claimed to have adjusted the clutch assembly on the air conditioner -- this did not help. ----------------- NHTSA campaign id number: 05V396000 summary: 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. Consequence: 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.

- Laguna Hills, CA, USA

problem #63

Apr 022009

Grand Cherokee

  • 50,860 miles
My 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee gets stuck in first gear when starting up from a stopped position. This is random, and happens only once every 15 to 20 stops. The only way I can get it to shift is to manually shift gears. I have had it into the dealer four times and they cannot fix the problem. I called Jeep customer service and they told me to go to another dealer. As the car is on extended warranty it costs me $100 each time I take it in.

- New London, NH, USA

problem #62

Mar 042009

Grand Cherokee

  • 36,000 miles
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo with 36,000 miles on it, torque converter was replaced at 28,000 miles due to vehicle shuddering at various speeds upon acceleration, vehicle was fine until now, 36000 miles and is doing the same thing...

- New Columbia, PA, USA

problem #61

Aug 142007

Grand Cherokee

  • 17,000 miles

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

The 2005 Jeep Cherokee has severe problems related to the transmission. I bought this vehicle used with 10,000 miles on. I had 5 transmission related problems within 12 months. Two of these problems left the vehicle inoperable; one of which the vehicle almost caught on fire. They replaced the transmission and I was still not happy. I traded in for a 2007 Buick lucerne - which has been a great car. No more Chrysler products for me!

- Lewes, DE, USA

problem #60

Nov 102004

Grand Cherokee

  • 1,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo. While driving over 45 mph, the vehicle would jerk. The dealer replaced the torque converter and dropped the extended warranty deductible. The contact was informed that the vehicle was leaking transmission fluid caused by a seal failure. The dealer stated that this was common for the sealant to fail and cause the leak. The contact inquired about a tsb and was informed that there were no service bulletins for the vehicle. The failure mileage was less than 1,000 and current mileage was 33,000.

- Wilkes-Barre, PA, USA

problem #59

Apr 142008

Grand Cherokee

  • 67,000 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received a recall notice for NHTSA campaign id number 05V396000 (power train:automatic transmission). The vehicle was taken to the dealer to have the recall repair performed. A few months later, the failure recurred. When the vehicle was taken back to the dealer, they discovered that only part of the recall work was done. The dealer and the manufacturer are refusing to perform the recall repair because the contact is the third owner of the vehicle. The failure mileage was 67,000.

- Baton Rouge, LA, USA

problem #58

Apr 192007

Grand Cherokee

  • 52,794 miles
Purchased a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee on April 19, 2007 dealer advertised a 7yr./70,000 powertrain warranty on the window sticker, vehicle had current mileage of 52,794 during test drive heard clicking sound from steering wheel thought it was normal when you signal. This continues to happen randomly till this date. Oct.11,2007 took vehicle to Jeep dealership for air conditioning problems, would hear growling sound, shut off, and only run on high. Paid diagnostic fee $74.90. Could not afford to pay for repair which was an extra $183 over the next couple of months would notice random shudder or rough starts while idling and driving, heard weird winding sound and vehicle would stall. Check engine light came on and took to autozone, given transmission codes on 5/16/2008 took to dealership and requested diagnostic service because engine light on and having some kind of transmission problem according to autozone codes, and requested recall work done, was told we would have to pay $95. We informed them we have a warranty and should not have to pay the fee according to Chrysler cust. Service. They insisted. Told them just do recall work we could not afford fee. According to receipt tech only installed transmission fill tube oil seal. After service vehicle still shuddering and stalling on the way home. 7/17/08 took Jeep back to dealership to get transmission diagnosed, paid $95. Was told failure in the torque converter, internal failure, and codes are the same as the one autozone gave earlier. Repair solutions offered were an overhaul with a price quote of $3100 or replace for $3500. We called Chrysler about warranty they said we don't have one. We called the dealership we bought the Jeep from and they say we do have the Chrysler warranty. After they talked to each other dealer was informed about Chrysler's warranty policy and acknowledges telling us about warranty but has yet to offer repair service or any solution.

- Baton Rouge, LA, USA

problem #57

Jul 062008

Grand Cherokee

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles
Wife was driving our 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 5.7L, quandra drive II transmission. While driving yesterday a policeman on patrol noticed a sudden fire under her car. Officer said transmission fluid was leaking onto the exhaust system and caused ignition of fire. Occupants extracted themselves without problem. Entire car engulfed in flames and extinguished by local fire department. Car an entire loss. Very lengthy service history with the transmission in this vehicle prior to fire.

- Hinsdale, IL, USA

problem #56

Apr 282008

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • 39,000 miles
I own a 2005 Jeep, Grand Cherokee with 39,000 miles. I was driving the vehicle when suddenly I had total transmission failure. The vehicle would not move when applying the gas. I coasted the vehicle off to the side of the rode and applied the brakes to stop the vehicle. I put the vehicle into park and got off the brakes and the vehicle began to roll forward. I had to apply the emergency brakes to stop the vehicle from rolling even though it was in park. The vehicle had to be towed to the dealership for diagnosis.

- Antioch, TN, USA

problem #55

May 062006

Grand Cherokee 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 40,000 miles
I bought a brand new 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo, within weeks I started to notice the upholstery was not treated, it would stain with the slightest bit of condensation or rain. After about 8-12 months I started to feel it getting sluggish when accelerated but the problem was intermittent. Brought it in to dealership and they said no problem was detected. The real problems started after I had the vehicle 2yrs..check engine light would come on, gears would stick, engine would roar up to 4.5 rpms and would not accelerate. This would happen in rush hour traffic, on ramps to the higway, green lights etc.. I almost got creamed by an 18 wheeler. The vehicle would buck and sputter. If I kept my foot on the gas it would eventually clunk into gear.it had been to the dealership 6 times. At one point they replaced they transmission module..that did not fix the problem. It started to get tiresome, dealership was condenscending claiming "they could not duplicate the problem." No luck with GM's, serv mgrs, and the Chrysler Corp. Chysler does not honor their warranties or care about their customers. I feared for my life in the vehicle and just traded it in, upside down, yesterday. I had no fight left in me. This was the worst experience you could imagine buying a brand new SUV. Something needs to be done before someone is fatally injured.

- Raynham, MA, USA

problem #54

Sep 052007

Grand Cherokee

  • miles
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee purchased used with full warranty. 30,000 miles the transmission goes. Took to local dealership for repairs and was treated like dirt. They say they rebuilt the transmission but problem still exists. Clanking, banging, and not shifting at all apparently this is normal for Chrysler vehicles because the dealer says there is nothing wrong with it. Surprise now that the warranty is up I wonder if they'll figure out what is wrong. Disgusted with Jeep, Chrysler will never own another!!!

- Reynoldsville, PA, USA

problem #53

Feb 202005

Grand Cherokee 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 500 miles
The contact owns a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving 30 mph or greater, the vehicle hesitated when shifted into gear. The dealer was unable to diagnose the cause of failure. NHTSA recall # 05V396000 (power train:automatic transmission) was found. The recall work was performed. The contact stated that there was total transmission failure after the recall repair. The current mileage is 30,547 and failure mileage was 500.

- West Conshohocken, PA, USA

problem #52

Nov 062006

Grand Cherokee 4WD 6-cyl

  • Automatic transmission
  • 25,000 miles
2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4X4. The transmission failed at a busy intersection with wife and two children aboard in November 2006. The dealership had to call chhrysler prior to ordering parts because Chrysler had a hold"on the parts needed to make the repair. The hold placed on the parts was due to the fact Chrysler knew there was a problem with the transmission and wanted to make sure the dealership fixed the problem correctly. Since that time, the Jeep's "new" transmission hesitates when climbing hills, accelerating etc. I have taken the Jeep back to the dealership to have this problem corrected. The dealership and Chrysler have acknowledged the problem with the automobile. Chrysler described the problem to the dealership as "fish nipping at bait". Chrysler's technical team tells the dealership they are working on a new computer program to fix this problem. It has now been 2 months since the diagnosis, and who knows how long since Chrysler has been aware of the problem and I still am driving, and paying for, a vehicle that the manufacturer knows is faulty. In addition, I have not been able to receive any satisfaction by calling Chrysler's numerous 1-800 numbers. All I have been told is that the appropriate parties have been contacted. Who those are I do not know and they would not tell me! my dealership and Chrysler technical team have already been in contact and they are aware of the problem! I have been told that the defect the Jeep is experiencing will not harm the automobile. I have not once been concerned with the effect the defect has on the automobile but I have been concerned with the effect it has on my wife and I when driving the automobile. I want to know what Chrysler plans on doing about selling me a vehicle that has not worked properly for the majority of time I have owned it! their lack of concern regarding their product and the safety of those who drive their product is appalling.

- Hudson, OH, USA

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