Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2016 Jeep Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving mid day today and I noticed my display on the dash had gone dim as if the headlights had turned on and the dash lights dimmed expecting it to be dark inside. I then got a ding about the auto shutoff when stopped feature not working (this has been dinging for a few years and hasn't worked since shortly after I got the vehicle in 2018, however it's been working the last few weeks). I was pulling into a grocery store looking for a spot when all of a sudden the car died. I lost brakes and power steering but luckily was going slow. I turned off the key, put it in park, and it turned right back on. I pulled into a spot and then noticed the engine light on. I've read countless forums about this exact issue. Other owners have experienced this since their Jeep was brand new. I've had this for 5 years without issues until lately. …
On July 18, 2018 I went outside to get an item out of back of my vehicle which was stationary and I couldn't get liftgate to lift and I noticed there was smoke in my car, I opened the drivers side door and smoke billowed out. After a few minutes, I got in the vehicle and moved it back away from my house and noticed I had no A/C, radio or anything working on dashboard. I looked in back of vehicle and it was burnt in the back left corner of lift gate. I immediately called my insurance company and they had it towed to mike smith auto group in beaumont. The smell in the vehicle was awful, a combination of burnt rubber and plastic. There was a recall on this vehicle for back left liftgate in 2015 of which I took it in and supposedly it was repaired. I also immediately called the dealership of which they were no help at all and very unconcerned. …
The service shifter light keeps coming on and all the lights on the shifter l lights up red. Sometime the emergency break sets itself when this happens. I took it to the dealership where I purchased it and they tell me the shifter bezel and wiring harness fault repair is needed which is almost $300 and not covered under warranty. My car has less than 36,000 miles and has been doing this for several months now; it seems to be getting worse. While researching I've noticed many Jeep owners are having to same issue and that's how I discovered to write up this claim. I feel it could be a safety issue if it happens while driving and locks up. I haven't had it repaired because I can't afford a rental while it's being repair at this time; I need to make arrangements to be dropped off by family and friends to have it fixed. …
Vehicle has a front wobble or shimmy when accelerating from stop. On loose or slick pavement wobble replicates wheel slip and has caused me to over correct my steering and acceleration on multiple occasions. Vehicle steering wheel is wrapped in leather. The leather is loose near center spokes of steering wheel. Fingers have snagged on the loose leather on multiple occasions causing a dangerous control issue. Vehicle delivered with non functioning blind spot monitor mirror on passenger side and normal mirror on driver side. Assuming the passenger side was equipped with blind spot assistance I was nearly in an interstate collision during the night drive home immediately following delivery.
Light-emmiting-diode lamp which indicates when the parking-break is engaged is not visible in daylight [I.e. Peak bright southern california sunshine]. And, the LED color is non-optimal for human observation. The LED which is illuminated when the parking-break is set is not visible in day light. Please consider fixing or repairing this problem asap. I routinely need to cover the area with my hand and squint in order to see if the LED is lighted. This is a serious problem that could easily be fixed. Perhaps someone during assembly used the wrong resistor??? I hope that Chrysler Jeep used pwm to control the LED brightness, so that this issue can be fixed with a software update.
The headlights on this car are extremely dim and make driving at night, in the rain or snow very hazardous. I took the car to my dealership and they agree they are dim but said that they are in working order. They get this complaint frequently. So no fix or upgrade available. No my eyes are not the problem. Chrysler made standard very bright lights on all of the 2017 models. Not a coincidence. This is a dangerous situation. I drive on dark back roads in the hills frequently. It isn't just a nuisance but a truly dangerous situation. Chrysler needs to address this immediately.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving during night time, when making a left or right turn, the headlights independently turned off. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer mall of georgia Chrysler Dodge Jeep (4345 buford dr, buford, ga 30518, [phone]) where the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact stated she continued to experience the failure. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 30.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at night, the high beams failed to operate as intended. The vehicle was taken to the lia Chrysler Jeep Dodge Ram colonie auto repair & service center dealer, located at 2116 central ave, schenectady, ny 12304, where it was stated that the vehicle performed as designed. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Jeep Cherokee. While driving at various times, the projection headlights failed to project far enough to see ahead without warning. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but the technician was unable to provide a remedy for the failure. The contact stated that there was a manufacturer default in the design. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The VIN was unknown. The failure mileage was approximately 1,000.
The first time I drove my 2016 Jeep Cherokee at night I could not see as well as with my other cars ,I thought something was wrong wiyh my headlights so I started looking on line and found lots of other people with the same problem.I talked to the service dept.and they told me there isnt any recalls on this problem.I think Jeep should do something about this before somthing serious happens.
Headlight complaints in other Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are headlight problems on the 2016 Jeep Cherokee?
NHTSA has 20 complaints about the lights of the 2016 Jeep Cherokee, 1% of the model year's 1,411 complaints. The component named most often is headlights (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2016 Jeep Cherokee headlight problems?
No. NHTSA lists no lights recall for the 2016 Jeep Cherokee, though it has 9 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2016 Jeep Cherokee headlight problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 1,000 miles, and 77% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 1 fire and 0 injuries to lights problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.