Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (doors, hood, frame, rust, paint and trim).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
While driving, an electric fire started in my Jeep due to a vanity lamp short (NHTSA Campaign Number: 15V879000) which is a known issue: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) recalled certain model year 2011-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured December 3, 2009, to September 1, 2012. "In the affected vehicles, the wiring for the vanity lamp in the sun visor may short circuit, after having been remedied for a prior recall for the vanity lamp wiring." I had this recall completed in November of 2017, which was confirmed by the manufacturer during my phone conversation today. There were no warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure. My safety and others was at extreme risk as I was driving when this fire occurred above my head and I had to quickly pull over and exit my vehicle in a very busy area. …
My paint on the roof of my Jeep Grand Cherokee started bubbling and visible rust started appearing. After about a month my windshield cracked all the way across starting from where the rust made the paint bubble, this is the only part of the vehicle with any rust. I had USAA send Safelite to come repair my windshield and what I thought was minor rust damage. To my horror the damage from the bad paint/seal was extensive and the windshield can't be replaced until the body of the Jeep is fixed. The windshield needing replaced is the original from the factory no part of my Jeep has ever been replaced, the only reason it needs to be fixed is because of the faulty paint/seal. I now have no windshield or drivable car. I have reached out and there are quite a few Jeep owners that experienced this same issue in the same exact location. …
Car was illegally parked in the middle lane, with no indicator lights on or any lights whatsoever. Speed limit was 45mph, I glanced to off to the side of the road where 3 gentlemen were standing and turned back to looking forward seeing a car parked with no lights in front of me. I rear ended the Ford focus going about 45mph. The driver of the first car (hungry howies delivery driver) was deemed at fault due to mechanical issues and being illegally parked in the middle of the road with no hazard lights on! The airbag never deployed in my 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee (massive recall with Chrysler cars, and Takata supplied parts) the accident occurred on 5.19.15 at 12:15 am while on my way home from work ( hilton suites. Auburn hills pd arrived on the scene and I was taken to mclaren hospital in Pontiac, mi in the ambulance.
On May 28, 2016 while navigating my driveway, my car suddenly accelerated forward and crashed into the back wall of my garage. Damage was done to my home and my car. I had no control over the vehicle. Hitting the brake and trying to hit the ignition button did nothing to stop the vehicle. On another occasion, about two weeks earlier, I had parked the car at walmart, pressed the brake and the ignition button to turn it off. While in park and the engine off, the vehicle lurched forward and bumped the SUV sitting in front of me. I am now afraid to drive this vehicle! I have reported this incident to my local auto dealership and chysler corp. The damage is being repaired at my cost.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving at approximately 70 MPH, the driver side sun visor and headliner caught fire. The contact extinguished the fire. The contact sustained serious burns to his left hand that required medical attention. A police report was not filed. The vehicle was serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 14V391000 (electrical system) but the remedy failed to repair the vehicle. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 54,000. Updated 11/20/15 updated 1/14/2016, updated 4/11/18
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving approximately 25 MPH, an abnormal odor emitted from the overhead of the vehicle on the driver side. Also, the windshield wipers activated without warning. The headliner above the driver's left shoulder started to emit smoke and ignited into flames. The materials from the ceiling were dropping onto the driver seat and burned the seat. There were no injuries. The vehicle was towed to a storage lot. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 18,500.
Tl* the contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. When the contact started the vehicle, flames appeared from the roof on the driver side. In addition, the instrument cluster lost power. A fire and a police report were filed. The firefighters sustained injuries while extinguishing the fire, which required medical attention. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 31,000.
SUV entered intersection on a city street.and was struck on the right front panel. I believe the car spun to the left and clipped the rear end of the truck. SUV came to rest with front end against a tree. I was doing approx 25 MPH. The truck that struck me appeared to be going a bit faster. None of the airbags deployed. I suffered broken bones in my neck. The consumer provided photos.
I received notice by mail in December that my 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee had a recall (p36 sun visor wiring) and there was a risk of fire due to a wiring issue. I immediately took my car to dadeland Dodge Chrysler Jeep in miami, fl to get the recall fixed. My car was at the dealership for about 24 hours being repaired and the next day I was called to go pick it up because the recall had been done and the car was good as new. Fast forward to Tuesday, April 14th and I am driving and stopped at a red light. My car filled with smoke and I could not breathe in the car. I had no idea where the fire was coming from so I started opening all the windows and noticed there was a fire by the sun visor. All of the electrical functions on the center console and the steering wheel had disabled and I was unable to open the sunroof to let the smoke out. …
The leather covering on the dashboard shrank, crumpled and wrinkled popping the air vent coverings out. The problem not only restricts air flow (defrosting, etc) it also May prevent the deployment of airbags. It looks horrible and decreases the value of my car, but it presents safety issues. The company has acknowledged the problem and approved my vehicle for repair, but they have also restricted the number or repair kits available and I have been waiting for months and am told it could be months more. They will not give a date.this was a manufacturing defect. I need it to be fixed and they have deliberately restricted the number of parts available to customers with defective automobiles. In addition, my vehicle has a fuel pump relay recall. This part has also not been available for months and has no predicted delivery date. …
Body complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are body problems on the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 43 complaints about the body & structure of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 3% of the model year's 1,642 complaints. The component named most often is body (32 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee body problems?
No. NHTSA lists no body & structure recall for the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, though it has 6 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 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee body problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 53,000 miles, and 23% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 5 fires and 12 injuries to body & structure 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.