Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (service brakes, ABS, rotors and pads, parking brake).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
Dash will read "ESP System Disabled" during this the engine light and red lightning in brackets ( ) turns on, on the dash. This affects the acceleration there is none and brakes work but is slow to come to a full stop. An inspection can be scheduled. This happens anytime and randomly, getting safely off the road is hard. First happened April 1, 2024 then April 3, 2024. Had a family mechanic work on it got it back and less than a day having it back and it happened 5 more times just driving to work on August 28, 2024.
I was entering a parking lot when I saw another car exiting. I pressed down on the brake and the vehicle went into sudden rapid acceleration. I pushed harder on the brake and the car sped up to at least 60 MPH. I hit the car that was coming out of the lot because I could not stop my car. The car that I hit hit a parked car. My vehicle then sped ahead hitting another car because I could not stop. I sped over the railroad tracks and my car finally came to a stop in a shopping center. This was the last experience with sudden rapid acceleration in this Jeep. No one in my household has driven the Jeep since. My daughter experienced the same rapid acceleration in February while she was parking. She was going in reverse to park between two parked cars. The Jeep accelerated so rapidly she hit the car parked behind. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving, the ABS and air bag indicators illuminated. In addition, the electrical brake system indicator illuminated. The brakes started pulsating, but the contact continued driving with no further issues. The contact had not driven the vehicle since and parked the vehicle at her home. Three weeks ago, the contact was involved in a crash because the brakes seized. As a result, the contact's vehicle slid into another vehicle at approximately 5 MPH. The front bumper of the contact's vehicle was cracked. The driver was not injured, but was treated by a doctor after the crash. A police report was filed. The vehicle was not towed. The contact felt that the crash could have been avoided if the braking failure were known of beforehand. There were no symptoms of a braking failure before the crash occurred. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving approximately 30 MPH, the brakes and the steering wheel seized. As a result, the contact crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The vehicle sustained significant damage to the front end, but the air bags did not deploy. A police report was filed. The driver suffered a fractured right foot and a forehead laceration that required medical attention. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the recall notice for NHTSA campaign number: 14V438000 (electrical system) was received in September of 2014, but the parts were not available. The failure mileage was 170,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received a recall notification for an unspecified NHTSA campaign number. The vehicle was not repaired due to the parts not being available. While driving at an unknown speed, the contact's wife experienced difficulty steering, braking, and unexplained acceleration, which resulted in a head on collision with a tree. The vehicle was destroyed and towed from the scene. The contact's wife struck her head and suffered loss of consciousness, which required medical attention. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed. The approximate failure mileage was 83,799.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while making a turn at approximately 15 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond. The vehicle accelerated independently without warning. As a result, the contact crashed into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries reported. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where the technician informed that the vehicle was operating as designed. The contact mentioned that the failure recurred several times. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 83,497.
Tl* the contact owns a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle decelerated and the brake pedal failed to respond when depressed. In order to come to a stop, the vehicle was driven up an incline. The brakes were engaged and the vehicle rolled backwards and crashed into a tree. There were no injuries and a police report was filed. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 237,000.
Tl* the contact owned a 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While changing lanes at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently without warning. The brake pedal was depressed and failed to respond. As a result, the contact crashed into another vehicle. The air bags failed to deploy. A police report was filed and there were no injuries. The vehicle was destroyed and towed. The manufacturer and the dealer were made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 73,000.
Recall p41 on 11/8/2015-I was driving my 05jgcl and I had a blow out in the r/f wheel causing me to bounce around and lose control of vehicle where my knee came in to contact with the igniton causing my vehicle to turn off- when trying to restart the Jeep the vehicle in front of me stopped short I then forced wheel to the right and I came into contact with a utility pole causing total loss of vehicle
I was leaving the car wash and after putting the Grand Cherokee in drive with my foot on the brake it accelerated on its own and the brakes were not responsive. Unable to stop or slow down, to avoid traffic, I crashed into a stone wall. The car is totaled and I had serious injury to my head as the airbag also did not deploy.
Brake complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are brake problems on the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 96 complaints about the brakes of the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 5% of the model year's 2,051 complaints. The component named most often is pedals and linkages (5 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee brake problems?
No. NHTSA lists no brakes recall for the 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee, though it has 3 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 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee brake problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 76,000 miles, and 30% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 19 crashes, 0 fires and 7 injuries to brakes 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.