Acceleration complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 1 | 2% | — |
| 2021 | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2020 | 8 | 2% | 12,000 miles |
| 2019 | 83 | 5% | 5,000 miles |
| 2018 | 20 | 3% | 25,000 miles |
| 2017 | 60 | 4% | 36,000 miles |
| 2016 | 76 | 5% | 35,000 miles |
| 2015 | 120 | 7% | 17,000 miles |
| 2014 | 185 | 7% | 26,000 miles |
| 2001 | 5 | 2% | 37,000 miles |
| 2000 | 10 | 3% | 21,000 miles |
| 1999 | 10 | 3% | 64,000 miles |
| 1998 | 11 | 3% | 117,000 miles |
| 1997 | 15 | 4% | 149,000 miles |
| 1996 | 13 | 3% | 114,000 miles |
| 1995 | 72 | 12% | — |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while engaging the cruise control at 60 MPH, the vehicle unintendedly accelerated to 80 MPH. The contact attempted to lower the speed on the cruise control setting; however, the speed failed to be reduced as intended. The contact pulled over to the side of the road and turned off the vehicle to deactivate the cruise control. After waiting for the digital display to completely shut down, the vehicle was restarted, and the cruise control was reset. The cruise control functioned properly after completely shutting off the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 37,211.
The first time- driving and the 'D' button on the shifter started blinking and got stuck in Drive, excellerated, couldn't stop. Shut car off! Rest after 15 mins and scheduled repair/check. Shifter box-assembly was replaced and found to be the problem. 2nd time- got stuck in reverse and wouldn't move. Took it to the dealer, scheduled repair/check, told to keep driving it. 3rd time- check engine light came on, stopped at dealer, told to keep prior appointment and not to clear it. Never checked it. 4th time- driving at speed of 65, car shut off, no power but had brakes. Towed to dealer car still not able to start. Currently at the dealer.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle randomly accelerated. The RPM had increased to a high level. The 4WD service message was displayed. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the PTU needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that while driving at an unknown speed, there was an abnormal dinging sound. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the same local dealer, where it was determined that the PTU was blocked and not working. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 114,000.
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to immediately accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle was hesitating while accelerating. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The failure mileage was 19,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to start. The contact placed the gear shifter in the park and the restart message was displayed. While driving at unknown speeds, the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. While making a turn, the vehicle was difficult to steer. Additionally, the key fob was inoperable. There was an abnormal rattling sound detected. While driving, the vehicle was swaying. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were flashing. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that a wiring harness was loosened. The vehicle was repaired but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 120,000.
Hi I bought a Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk 2018 at GM Motors (Old Bridge), I have on open recall and I take it to the dealer, Jeep Dodge Chrysler located at Bloomfiel, I talked to Tony the supervisor and they refused to fix it,this incident happened last July he told me come back in 6 months so in December when I get there he told me they have a lot of work call them in January, and when I call them last month they told me this recall have been released that was a lie, he told me any Jeep Dodge Chrysler have this part anywhere in the country, I said Oky I can try to get it I don't have to pay for the installation he said no cause the part should from Chrysler, when I didn't know yet if it was a recall whe I saw the light 4wd SVC coming up on my dash board he tried to charge me 1300$ for a recall they should repair for free
The contact owns a 2017 Jeep Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 25V011000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted and confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. While the contact's daughter was driving and approaching a stop light, the vehicle continued to drive forward while the brake pedal was depressed. Later, while driving the vehicle experienced reduced power with the check engine warning light and the ETC warning light illuminated. The vehicle was inspected by an independent mechanic who determined that the PTU was faulty and needed to be replaced. The failure mileage was 171,000.
Service Shifter light came on dash, all gears on shifter , red lights came on. I was driving at 55 mph and could tell the car wasn't accelerating and was slowing down . That's when I noticed the Service Shifter light on dash. I was in a lot of traffic and couldn't safely pull over , I was almost rear ended by the car behind me. I coasted to the side of the road and turned car off and back on . The light went off . This was yesterday , today I start the car and it starts rough ( which it usually doesn't ) and the service shifter light is back on. This is a very serious , dangerous and possibly deadly issue . I was so scared when it happened as I had no control of speed of the vehicle . I see many , many reports on this issue for several years and it shows past repairs have not corrected the issue. …
NHTSA investigations
Vehicle sudden acceleration
There is no summary currently available
Frequently asked questions
Which Jeep Cherokee years have acceleration problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2014 (185), 2015 (120), 2019 (83), 2016 (76) and 1995 (72) model years. Acceleration complaints make up 7% of all complaints for the 2014.
Is there a recall for Jeep Cherokee acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for any Jeep Cherokee model year. A widespread problem may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin, so ask a dealer.
At what mileage do Jeep Cherokee acceleration problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 26,000 miles; 73% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the accelerator pedal (12 mentions), followed by the linkages (10).
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.