Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (accelerator pedal, throttle, sudden acceleration, cruise control).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
My 2008 jeep grand cheroke has caught on fire multiple times & started smoking. The rpms would always jump High and one day I went to go leave and it went real high causing it to accelerate on its own and went I went to go try to stop it my breaks failed and emergency brake would not work.
Electrical issues on a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee purchased June 2020. Car keeps cutting off. The ignition key seem to be sticking between the ON and START position. Constantly having to pull onto the side of the rode or having to hurry and put my hazard lights on because car cuts off. I have taken it to the jeep dealership 2-3 times , they couldn't diagnose my car. Only thing they did was put a new starter on. Problem still occurs. I've taken it to multiple mechanics. Problems unknown. A new starter , alternator & battery has been replaced. And recently my airbag light has came on. Which comes and goes. I've had this car since June 2020. and it's given me the same problem with no one able to tell me what's wrong with it and I've replaced the batteries in the key fob. Today the car was just blank when I put the key in. I'm so confused. Car won't go over 40 mph. …
the jeep goes into limp mode and gets stuck in 2 gear I have replaced the shifter solenoid and still happens I have read about this happing to the same jeep from 2005-2010 model and this is a safety issue that need to be recalled immediately. I was driving on the highway and the jeep shifted into 2nd gear mind I was going the speed limit of 65 and it went down to 30 MPH and it almost caused a pike up on the interstate.
Tl* the contact owned a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving at 30 MPH, the vehicle jerked. In addition, the brake pedal was depressed but the vehicle failed to stop. The contact also stated that the vehicle hesitated before accelerating. The ABS, ESP, bas and anti skid warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a dealer who diagnosed that the win module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. As a result, the contact crashed into the rear of another vehicle. The contact did not sustain any injuries. A police report was filed. The vehicle was destroyed. The VIN was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V567000 (electrical system) however, the part needed to repair the vehicle was unavailable. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 102,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving at 20 MPH, the vehicle accelerated independently, went into a ditch, and crashed into a tree. The air bags failed to deploy. The contact sustained an injury to the left shoulder, but did not require medical attention. A police report was not filed. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 14V567000 (electrical system) and the part needed to remedy the vehicle was unavailable. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 113,000.
My parents purchased a brand new 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee limited. I was driving the vehicle on July 11, 2008 in my neighborhood to pick up some food with my 8 months pregnant sister in law. As I drove the vehicle it accelerated without me pressing on the gas and I lost control and the vehicle hit approximately 3-4 parked cars, I landed in the trunk of another vehicle, on top of it. If it wasn't for the vehicles parked, I don't think the Jeep would have stopped. Luckily no one was hurt badly and the airbags were not even deployed. This incident has really affected me and the way I drive. I do not even like to be a passenger in Jeep vehicles anymore. In January, 2010 my mother dropped her car off at a garage to have it parked. She was called from the garage that the vehicle had been in an accident. …
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving 75 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle failed to respond. The contact was able to safely exit the highway, shut off, and restart the vehicle. The contact stated that the vehicle drove normally once restarted. The vehicle was taken to be diagnosed; however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. There were no fault codes from the diagnostic machine. The vehicle was included in NHTSA campaign number: 14V567000 (electrical system). The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 91,600.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving 40 MPH, the vehicle accelerated without warning. The contact depressed the brake pedal and shifted the gear into neutral, but the vehicle continued to accelerate. The contact coasted into a parking lot, turned off the engine, waited ten minutes, and restarted the engine. The contact was able to resume driving. The failure recurred numerous times. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 100,000.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving at 35 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed and the vehicle did not accelerate. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 108,000. The VIN was not available.
Tl* the contact owns a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving at 50 MPH, the accelerator pedal was depressed and failed to respond. The vehicle was taken to a dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 140,200.
Acceleration complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are acceleration problems on the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 27 complaints about the speed control & acceleration of the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 4% of the model year's 734 complaints. The component named most often is accelerator pedal (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee acceleration problems?
No. NHTSA lists no speed control & acceleration recall for the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, though it has 4 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 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee acceleration problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 89,000 miles, and 17% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to speed control & acceleration 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.