Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2019 Jeep Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owned a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated after parking the vehicle near her residence, she saw fire coming from the front passenger's side of the vehicle. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The contact exited the vehicle with her dog before the fire caused an explosion and consumed the vehicle. The fire department extinguished the fire. A police report was filed. The contact was not injured nor sought medical attention. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance provider. The contact called and notified the local dealer of the failure. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 28,000.
I was involved in a single vehicle accident at 5 am on October 5, 2023 on a rural road in Deland, Florida. I was on an unfamiliar road with a sharp curve and as I was trying to slow down the I was unable to slow down or steer the vehicle. It slammed into a cluster of trees and immediately the engine caught fire. I crawled out of the vehicle in pain from the force of the crash and was disoriented. A good Samaritan came to my aide and called the Volusia County Sherriff. I can remember my 2019 Jeep Cherokee Latitude was fully engulfed in very intense flames in less than 8 minutes. It was so intense it set fire to the wooded area. This wasn't the first problem I had with this vehicle. I purchased this vehicle new from a dealer in Bowie, MD in 2019. Since that time I replaced all 4 tires due to numerous flat tires starting around 20K miles. I replaced the battery at less than 25K miles. …
My family and I drove from San Antonio, TX to El Paso, TX on [redacted]. In the car were 4 passengers, including a 11 month old child. At the start of the drive, a warning message that read "4WD overheated. Temporarily unavailable" was seen. The alert showed 1 time and upon a quick search online, was seemingly insignificant. It never showed up again during the drive. We did leave around 4pm so the sun was out and hot, we believed it to be a temporary warning that would not affect our drive as we did not need 4WD during the drive. The jeep did not have a lot of miles on it and was only serviced at the dealership at appropriate windows as recommended by professionals. Once we reached El Paso, a strong smell occurred. Followed shortly by fire and flames coming from the front area, under the hood, near the engine. We pulled off to the side of the road while the flames grew bigger. …
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated the vehicle was hesitating while starting the vehicle and was jerking into gear while shifted into drive(D). The contact stated that the failure also occurred while stopped at a traffic signal. The contact stated that while depressing the accelerator pedal, the hesitated and then lurched forward. The contact stated that the vehicle also lost motive power and almost stalled while driving at various speeds. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer to be diagnosed and it was determined that the fuel pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred, and the check engine warning was illuminated. …
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle experienced reduced motive power and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact related the failure to the recall. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was test-driven. The dealer informed the contact that there was a coolant leak, and the dealer determined that the radiator needed to be replaced under warranty. The part was ordered. Additionally, the dealer informed the contact that upon scanning the vehicle, there was no indication of a PTU failure. The vehicle was not repaired. …
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the messages "Reset - Start Unavailable" and "START/STOP System Unavailable" were displayed. Additionally, the contact stated that while driving on another occasion, the vehicle inadvertently stalled. The contact was unable to pull over, and the vehicle was pushed to the side of the road with assistance. The vehicle was restarted after a while and was driven to the residence; however, the failure reoccurred. The battery was disconnected and taken to an Auto Zone Store, where it was determined that the battery voltage was low. The contact replaced the battery; however, the new battery drained prematurely. An independent mechanic diagnosed the vehicle at the residence, and the throttle body was replaced, but the vehicle failed to restart. …
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle shut off without warning. The vehicle was initially taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed with a defective alternator. The contact disputed the mechanics findings and contested that the vehicle would not restart if the defect was related to the alternator. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic and the vehicle was diagnosed with a defective oil sensor. The mechanic replaced the oil sensor and the battery; however, the failure returned soon after the repair. The contact then stated that several warning lights and messages appeared on the instrument panel. The vehicle was then towed to another independent mechanic who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that upon starting the vehicle, the engine sputtered. While driving and attempting to stop the vehicle, the vehicle occasionally lost automotive power. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer to be diagnosed, and the contact was informed that the battery, the front and rear brake pads and rotors, the water pump, and the harmonic balancer were faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, two days later, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle while accelerating. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed a second time, and the contact was informed that the PTU was faulty and needed to be replaced, and an alignment was needed. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact also became aware of a coolant leak underneath the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at various speeds and depressing the accelerator pedal, the vehicle hesitated to respond. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle was previously taken to the dealer, where the transmission was replaced twice; however, the failure persisted. Additionally, the contact stated that the dealer had previously replaced the engine due to the cylinders misfiring. The contact stated that the message "Engine Overheating" was recently displayed while driving. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the radiator needed to be replaced. The vehicle had not been diagnosed for the current transmission failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure via emails, and the contact also sent an email to the CEO of Jeep. …
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 65 MPH, the vehicle suddenly lost motive power following a loud screeching sound. The Check Engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle started to misfire upon depression of the accelerator pedal. The contact managed to drive the vehicle to the local mechanic, where diagnostic testing revealed a misfire in cylinder #3. Further investigation confirmed internal cylinder damage, which resulted in total engine failure. The mechanic ordered a replacement engine long block from Albany Chrysler Center, Inc. (34650 225th Ave, Albany, MN 56307). After a two-month wait, the part arrived; however, the dealer was sent a complete engine assembly instead of a long block, which required additional repair costs. The manufacturer has not yet been notified and the vehicle remained unrepaired. …
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling › Engine
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with 2.0L engines. The engines in these vehicles may be missing valve stem keepers, which can allow the valve to drop into the engine cylinder causing engine damage.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect and repair or replace the affected engine components, as necessary, free of charge. The recall began August 9, 2018.
Engine complaints in other Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2019 Jeep Cherokee?
NHTSA has 472 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2019 Jeep Cherokee, 28% of the model year's 1,669 complaints. The component named most often is engine › oil/lubrication › filter/screen (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2019 Jeep Cherokee engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 18V-344 (engine, May 25, 2018). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2019 Jeep Cherokee engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 17,000 miles, and 59% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 4 crashes, 11 fires and 2 injuries to engine & cooling 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.