Headlight complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 4 | 8% | 29,000 miles |
| 2021 | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2020 | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2019 | 18 | 1% | 8,000 miles |
| 2018 | 2 | 0% | 35,000 miles |
| 2017 | 8 | 1% | 60,000 miles |
| 2016 | 20 | 1% | 1,000 miles |
| 2015 | 37 | 2% | 35,000 miles |
| 2014 | 47 | 2% | 25,000 miles |
| 2001 | 10 | 4% | 71,000 miles |
| 2000 | 7 | 2% | 118,000 miles |
| 1999 | 14 | 4% | 77,000 miles |
| 1998 | 13 | 3% | 231,000 miles |
| 1997 | 7 | 2% | 199,000 miles |
| 1996 | 9 | 2% | 206,000 miles |
| 1995 | 7 | 1% | 162,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (headlights, tail lights, turn signals, interior lights).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that the right turn signal fails to remain engaged intermittently. The failure had become more frequent as time progressed. The vehicle was taken to the dealer for another matter, and the owner was also informed about the failure. The dealer confirmed there was no recall attached. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact 24V239000 (EXTERIOR LIGHTING, STEERING) expressed the same failure. The manufacturer was informed and confirmed that the VIN was not included the build date was 2 weeks out. The manufacturer referred the contact to the nhatsa hotline ot file a safety complaint. The failure mileage was approximately 29,000.
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked in humid weather, the headlights were foggy, preventing adequate illumination. The dealer was made aware of the failure and related the failure to Technical Service Bulletin: 23-029-23 (Headlamp Condensation Clearing Procedure) however, the vehicle was not covered under the TSB. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 525.
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 at various speeds, the vehicle jerked abnormally. The failure was intermittent. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired, and the failure persisted. The contact stated that on a separate occasion, there was a large oil stain on the ground underneath the vehicle. The contact called a mobile mechanic to the scene since there was no oil in the engine and the vehicle could not be driven. However, no cause for the failure was found. The mobile mechanic placed seals on the gaskets. Most recently, while the vehicle was stopped and idling, the instrument panel failed to illuminate, and the screen remained black. …
Driving at night with headlights on: got warning "license plate light out." Needed to reverse shortly after and the car immediately applied the brakes because it said the backup camera was unusable without the license plate light. Shut the car off for a while and when I tried to start it again, it three the following codes in sequence. Park Sense Unavailable Service Electronic Stability Control Service Electronic Throttle Control License Plate Light Out Service Park Brake Then the start screen appears. Brake + Push Button to Start Doing that brings up "Service Transmission Restart in Park With Vehicle at Zero Speed. So again I pressed the brake and start Button. It then started, repeated all previous error codes leaving warning icons active for all related systems and rendered them all inop. …
I have a photo of this sticker. Inside on the car's body frame of the driver's side of my 2017 JEEP, there is a sticker that says: THIS VEHICLE MAY INCLUDE MERCURY -- added devices installed by the manufacturer: Video display (which I have to touch to operate the radio and phone call free feature) Navigation/Camera Display (which I have to touch to operate the radio and phone call free feature) HDI Headlamps (which I touch when I wash my car) Remove devices before vehicle's disposal. Upon removal of devices, please reuse, recycle or dispose as hazardous waste. When I travel (on a straight road like Interstate 5 in Washington and Oregon) for more than 3 hours, I get nauseous, dizzy, and do not feel well for hours afterwards. This has been an on-going scenario. …
The car has a service shifter light on and all the lights on the shifter are lit red for example the parking, reverse, drive, neutral. The car started driving really rough and now there is a rattling noise. Bought the car around 1 month ago and it is already giving problems. The car only has 19,000 miles and when I googled the problem I see several people had the same problem then the dealer fixed the problem charging some people but the problem came back as well as causing leaks or other problems. The vehicle was sitting at home then when turned on the lights came on and then turned off the lights went off a couple times by restarting the engine but now it always stays on as well as causes a rattling noise as well as very rough driving.
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. …
Related recalls (2)
Exterior lighting › Turn signal
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2022 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The turn signal self-canceling feature may not function properly. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Remedy: Dealers will inspect and replace the steering column control module as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 8, 2024. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Exterior lighting › Brake lights
U.S. Drive right is recalling certain model year 1994-1996 Jeep cherokee vehicles imported from January 2007, through April 2011 for failing to comply with federal motor vehicle safety standard no. 108, "lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment," for the high mount brake lamp assembly.
Remedy: U.S. Drive right will notify owners and mail kits along with instructions to have the vehicle repaired by a qualified mechanic of their choice, free of charge. The safety recall began on September 12, 2011.
Frequently asked questions
Which Jeep Cherokee years have headlight problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2014 (47), 2015 (37), 2016 (20), 2019 (18) and 1999 (14) model years. Headlight complaints make up 2% of all complaints for the 2014.
Is there a recall for Jeep Cherokee headlight problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 24V-239 (turn signal, Mar 28, 2024); 11V-279 (brake lights, May 6, 2011). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Jeep Cherokee headlight problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 44,000 miles; 67% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the headlights (27 mentions), followed by the headlights › switch (4).
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.