CarComplaints.com Notes: The 2012 Grand Cherokee hasn't seen the same complaint volume as the 2011, at least not yet.
It's worth noting both model years are part of a class-action lawsuit that focuses on a defective TIPM and a long wait for replacement parts.
The 2012 also received national attention after it failed a Swedish Magazine's "moose test". The test measures a vehicle's ability to swerve out of the way of an obstacle you wouldn't want to hit while driving down the road ... like a moose.
7.0
pretty bad
Typical Repair Cost:
$100
Average Mileage:
52,850 miles
Total Complaints:
16 complaints
Most Common Solutions:
not sure (6 reports)
replace cylinder head (5 reports)
replace cylinder head, all 6 plugs and coil packs (1 reports)
Check engine light was on. Code read cylinder 2 misfire. I had all 6 plugs and all 6 coil packs replaced. Check engine light was cleared by the shop when they did the work. Check engine light comes back on the next day. Cylinder 2 misfire. I returned the POS to the dealer and told them to fix it. They replaced the drivers side head.
Update from Sep 16, 2020: Had it for one day and check engine light came back on. Returned it and dealer said it needed two O2 sensors and a maf sensor. They replaced those. We’ll see how it goes from here...
Update from Nov 30, 2020: After replacing drivers side head and fixing the misfire problem I started having catalytic converter issues. Replaced both catalytic converters and all 4 oxygen sensors. So far so good...
Engine light, miifire p0300,p0302,p0304,p0306. There is an extended warranty from Jeep about this issue and there are countless recalls for other issues. Will call dealer in a few days and see the outcome. Jeeps are not the same as ODL ones, in fact they are crap. Investigate before buying any car these days, also do not purchase any car that has CVT transmission, they are crap.
Thankfully I have an extended warranty with a dealership. This $40(max) part is in one of the worst places possible. Watched YouTube video from Motor City Mechanic. I'll give the dealer $100 (my deductible) and they can fix it (and warranty it). Why put this part in such a difficult spot to access? As a life-long GC owner, this is something I should learn to accept by now. I'll update this post when the problem is fixed in 2 weeks. Earliest appointment I could get. No, I'm not getting a loaner car either. That is easily a 1 month wait.
At 100,000 miles we began doing routine maintenance on this vehicle - replace spark plugs, new battery. Still got "check engine" light and hesitation starting. Back to service, "bad lifters"! But wait...no parts available and an 11,000 unit backorder and no idea when or if the parts will ever be available. AND...the local dealership service department won't return our calls... WTF! Surely to goodness we are not the only folks out there with this issue - 11,000 unit back order with no availability date in sight?!?
Have a 2012 Jeep Cherokee Limited has 122,000 miles and the check engine light came on we then noticed we had loss of power. Took it to the mechanic found out it was a senor in the tranny and cracked water pump. (We had already replaced the water pump in 2016). Got it back from the mechanic had the same issue check engine light and loss of power about 12 miles from the shop. Took it back to the mechanic he isn't getting any codes off the car re-programmed the engine took it for a test drive ran great. Left the shop and again about 12-14 miles down the road experience loss of power and the check engine light. Pretty frustrated at this point especially because we have about $800 into it.
Anyone out there with this issue?
- Melissa O.,
Cordova, NM, US
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Went in for regular oil change and to ask about check engine light. I paid for several "flash updates" and the oil change; they claimed it was resolved. The next day the check engine light comes on again. I go to AutoZone to have them check the code, it comes up as cylinder 4 is misfiring. I bring it in again... and they need to replace cylinder 4. Car drove much smoother after replacement and towing mileage increased.
Dealer said: cable to computer is bad, should be replaced. Cost $100.
Have not done this: problem did not occur later.
I think big picture:
- have also problem with gas cap indicator light coming on at will
- have problems with car starting, probably the famous TIPM problem
I think all these problems are related. Have not replaced cable, light did not come back on (so far...)
Our fourth Jeep, was very happy, then this. I am not certain what the outcome will be, however, after reading the post on this sight, I am thinking I should have not purchased another Jeep. Far too many problems and the company does not seem to be offering any acceptable solutions, which is by far worse than the issues. Sure, most cars will have problems, it is the manner, the customer service, that defines the better/best companies.
I do hope that the check engine light coming on is a very minor issue, or will be saying good bye to Jeep for good.
The check engine light seems to randomly come one and is difficult to reproduce when at the dealership. They consistently cannot reproduce and state they cannot read the engine code and gain any information without the light currently being on.
16,000 miles and a cylinder head needed replacing. The car also had transmission issues where it would hesistate at approximately 20-25 mph, dealer stated that was normal. Rear window leaked. Fixed, Leaked, Fixed. Each time it was leaking from a different spot.
Rear window latch stopped working and had to drive home in the rain with it rattling and leaking. Fixed, then same thing happened. Fixed.
Heater issues where the passenger side controls stopped working. Fixed. Happened again. Fixed. Happened again.
May 8th 2013, TRADED 2012 DODGE DURANGO IN FOR CHEVY CAMARO.
January 3rd 2014, TRADED 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE IN FOR A 2014 CHEVY TAHOE.
The odds of getting 2 lemons of different make/model bought by the same person, on the same day in the dealer ship has got to be astronomical. These vehicles were a pair of junks from day 1!!! It cost me $9000 to get rid of 2 vehicles that were not even 2 years old.
What did Dodge/Jeep say, "Wow what a freaky coincidence!".
I walked into the dealership in town, and explained the problem. Before I could ask what the issue was, they told me it was my cylinder head without even looking at the car. I brought it in the next day, they ran the code scan and indeed it was the left head mis-firing. They had to order the part plus the dealership mentioned they have been doing sooooo many of these. If this is the case, then a recall should be enforced. This problem takes about a week to fix, and will need a replacement car paid for by Chrysler. Unreal that this problem is happening on a brand new car. BEWARE!
Apparently this situation has now occurred frequently enough that Chrysler is replacing the bad cylinder head immediately (well as immediately as the dealer can get it done) instead of trying to mill the head. Apparently nobody has figured out how to make aluminum heads work, even with an aluminum block. Anyway, big pain in the ass.
Once again i do not understand why a new vehicle has these issues. I had vehicle at another dealer last month if the PCM needed an update why didn't they do it then.
Arrigo was very cutomer frienldy and gave me a rental car. Dealer was very good.
But I do not have the time to be doing this every few weeks. Do not buy this car. nice to look at but too many bugs.
I am keeping my fingers crossed that I do not have to go back again.
I bought the car brand new with 16 miles on it, after 700 miles i had to take the car back to the dealer because the it need a wheel/steering wheel alignment because it was pulling to the left when the steering wheel was straight, at 2600 miles and 4 months after the purchase the engine light came on, i took it to the dealer and they said that the chip or board or whatever that is needs to be upgrade they did the upgrade and the engine light went off but just for a week because it came back on yesterday, now i will have to take off from work tomorrow and take the car back to the dealer. I'm sure this will be the beginning of a nightmare i should not buy an American/Canadian car. lets see what are they going to say tomorrow when i take it back for the same problem
Update from Sep 11, 2012: today i took the jeep back to the dealer regarding the engine light been on, after they scaned the car for trouble codes de same code from last time came back on, code # 128., the mechanic said that since they already upgraded the chip or board they will replace a engine thermostat and see if that fix the problem, THE ENGINE LIGHT STILL ON!!!!!!! and the thermostat is on back order for 2 weeks because there are too many jeeps with the same issue they said...........so i guess i will have to take off from work again in two weeks..........
Check engine came on at 1/2 tank of gas (less than 500 miles driven). It's in the shop for smoke test for the third time, on the first first visit the dealer said it was an emission evac error code and the gas cap was the problem. After ensuring tight gas cap sealing the light came on two more times at 1/2 tank of gas. Was told the evac system has a tiny leak and an extended smoke test is needed to find the leak. They say this a difficult problem to solve. The remote engine start feature does not work with a check engine warning light on... It's in the dealer shop for the third time now for the fuel line vapor leak. This is not a good way for Chrysler to gain new customers-a check engine warning light with a brand new $48,000 vehicle is absurd, I could have bought a brand new Lexus for that money. Solution pending.
Update from Jul 20, 2012: July 20, 2012... Finally after three smoke tests the dealer found an evac leak in a small tube near the engine. They were advised by Chrysler to use a special type of soap added to the smoke, bubbles where discovered leaking from a small crack in a evac tube that enters the engine area. Note to the reviewers: please change the problem from fuel related to emission/evac problem (pollution control system).
A D V E R T I S E M E N T S
Check engine light was on. Code read cylinder 2 misfire. I had all 6 plugs and all 6 coil packs replaced. Check engine light was cleared by the shop when they did the work. Check engine light comes back on the next day. Cylinder 2 misfire. I returned the POS to the dealer and told them to fix it. They replaced the drivers side head.
Update from Sep 16, 2020: Had it for one day and check engine light came back on. Returned it and dealer said it needed two O2 sensors and a maf sensor. They replaced those. We’ll see how it goes from here...
Update from Nov 30, 2020: After replacing drivers side head and fixing the misfire problem I started having catalytic converter issues. Replaced both catalytic converters and all 4 oxygen sensors. So far so good...
- Thomas J M., Logan, US