Steering complaints by model year
| Year | Complaints | Share of year's complaints | Typical mileage |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 3 | 6% | — |
| 2021 | 3 | 2% | — |
| 2020 | 22 | 7% | 22,000 miles |
| 2019 | 120 | 7% | 12,000 miles |
| 2018 | 30 | 4% | 25,000 miles |
| 2017 | 45 | 3% | 39,000 miles |
| 2016 | 54 | 4% | 49,000 miles |
| 2015 | 59 | 3% | 21,000 miles |
| 2014 | 119 | 4% | 26,000 miles |
| 2001 | 16 | 7% | 107,000 miles |
| 2000 | 22 | 6% | 85,000 miles |
| 1999 | 24 | 7% | 125,000 miles |
| 1998 | 12 | 3% | 83,000 miles |
| 1997 | 11 | 3% | 108,000 miles |
| 1996 | 37 | 8% | 146,000 miles |
| 1995 | 22 | 4% | 198,000 miles |
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Heated steering wheel suddenly became too hot with no adjustment option. Minor burning on hands. Turned off the function. Driver heated seat suddenly became too hot, turned down to low but still too hot, caused burns requiring medical attention.
I am submitting this complaint regarding a persistent and unresolved issue with the left front axle of my 2022 Jeep Cherokee X, which has been present since the day I purchased the vehicle new. Shortly after purchase, I brought the vehicle to the dealership due to a noticeable clicking sound coming from the front end. The dealer retained the vehicle for several days but stated they were unable to identify the source of the noise, although they indicated that a repair had been performed. Immediately upon leaving the dealership, the clicking sound was still present. I returned the vehicle, at which point it remained in their possession for approximately one week. During that visit, components in the left front end were replaced. Approximately one year later, while pulling out of a driveway under normal driving conditions, the left axle failed completely. …
After approximately 30 minutes of operation, the vehicle begins to develop an intermittent steering play. The best way to describe it is like when a torque wrench reaches the torque setting and breaks. A slight steering correction suddenly breaks a small amount. It makes maintaining lane position much more difficult. The condition also seems to be induced when descending down a grade. It becomes noticeable at speeds above 45 MPH. I have taken the vehicle to both Jeep dealerships in Tucson, AZ and I opened a STAR case. The vehicle checked out normally through physical and computer diagnostics. The dealerships had a hard time re-creating the problem as one dealership would not drive it on the highway and the other dealership didn't have available driving situations to accurately recreate the problem. …
I bought the car in 7/23 at Auto Savvy Sta fe New Mexico, after 3-4 weeks the power steering wheel light on I called the dealer so they checked n then they said nothing is wrong so after that the lights . The car were 3 times at the dealer and the last time was there for 9 weeks. So they said they changed the steering column, the clock spring and the lights came back. So one time I lost the control, on the high way so after that I haven't used the car.
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked the driver attempted to accelerate forward and the vehicle erroneously made a sharp left turn and crashed into a construction zone causing damage to the vehicle and the construction site materials. No further information was available. During the incident, no injuries were reported and no police report was filed. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the steering rack gear had fractured. The steering rack gear was replaced and the failure was remedied. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but no assistance was offered. The contact was later informed that the VIN was not included in the NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V637000(Steering). The contact indicated that the vehicle had experienced that same failure listed in the recall. The failure mileage was 22,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 30 MPH, the "Steering Wheel with an Exclamation Mark" was displayed. The contact stated that the steering wheel was difficult to turn to the left or right. The contact pulled over and turned off, and restarted the vehicle; however the steering function failed to respond as needed. The vehicle was left on the side of the road. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer. The contact stated that a mobile mechanic went to the vehicle; however, the mechanic was unable to retrieve a fault code with a handheld scanner. The mechanic advised the contact that there was a recall associated with the steering for the make and model. The vehicle was not repaired. …
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. …
The contact owns a 2019 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while reversing out of a parking space at approximately 5 MPH, the vehicle lost power steering functionality. The contact used an excessive amount of effort to maneuver the steering wheel. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a certified mechanic who failed to diagnose and remove the steering gear rack and pinion. The mechanic determined there was a short circuit in the electrical system for the power steering. The contact stated that the short circuit had caused the rack and pinion to burn out and fail. The mechanic then replaced the wire and the rack and pinion again. Approximately 3 days later, while driving approximately 30 MPH the failure reoccurred. The vehicle was returned to the mechanic who then brought the vehicle to the dealer who would be better equipped to repair the vehicle. …
Related recalls (2)
Steering › Rack and pinion › Rack
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The steering rack gear may break, possibly causing a loss of steering control.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403.
Steering › Gear box (other than rack and pinion)
During assembly of the frame, a fillet weld that joins the inner steering gear attachment reinforcement to the frame rail, was omitted.
Remedy: Dealers will inspect the vehicles for cracks in the frame rail. Vehicles that show cracks will be equipped with reinforcement plates.
NHTSA investigations
Steering column assembly
On January 25, 1994 Chrysler conducted a safety recall to correct the steering shaft assembly in model year 1993 grand cherokee and grand wagoneer.the recall population was 115,000 vehicles.the defect was the molded plastic pin which connects the upper steering column shaft and the lower steering column shaft which May have been sheared/damaged prior to the installation of the steering assembly into the vehile.if…
Frequently asked questions
Which Jeep Cherokee years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2019 (120), 2014 (119), 2015 (59), 2016 (54) and 2017 (45) model years. Steering complaints make up 7% of all complaints for the 2019.
Is there a recall for Jeep Cherokee steering problems?
Yes — 2 recalls, including 19V-637 (rack, Aug 29, 2019); 97V-069 (gear box (other than rack and pinion), Apr 28, 1997). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Jeep Cherokee steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 37,000 miles; 67% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the steering wheel/handle bar (33 mentions), followed by the gear box (other than rack and pinion) (19).
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.