Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
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).
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle occasionally stalled while at a complete stop. The contact stated that the vehicle was able to restart after several attempts, approximately 15 minutes. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the failure could not be duplicated; however, the contact was informed that the vehicle could be experiencing a fuel pump relay failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 19V813000 (Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The dealer and the manufacturer were not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 158,660.
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that on multiple occasions the vehicle would not start while pressing the START/STOP button. The contact indicated that the failure was corrected while tapping the TIPM and then pressing the START button. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who was unable to duplicate the failure and no issues were found. The contact indicated that on several occasions the vehicle stalled without warning. On one occasion the vehicle lost motive power while entering an intersection. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 104,941.
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stopped, turn the vehicle off, and then opened the door to reset the system. The contact restarted the vehicle and started to drive under 50 MPH to prevent the failure from reoccurring. The vehicle was taken to the dealer seven times and diagnosed with a failed thermostat. The contact stated that the thermostat had been replaced seven times. The manufactured was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 90,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle inadvertently lost motive power. The contact was able to pull to the shoulder of the roadway, where the vehicle failed to restart. No warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was not taken to the dealer or an independent mechanic. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was 126,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where the contact was informed there was a manufacturer's engine cylinder defect. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure however, no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 136,000.
The contact owns a 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle stalled. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to several independent mechanics who was unable to determine the cause of the failure. The contact stated that the failure recurred. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 197,000.
Malfunction of the engine RPM governor, adaptive cruise control, or Electronic Throttle Control (ETC), or some combination of all of the above. On June 7-9, 2022, spontaneous high engine RPM occurred, which resulted in vehicle speeds that were above urban speed limits unless heavy braking pressure was applied. Additionally, on rural highways, the speed setting for the adaptive cruise control was exceeded without driver input. This also required manual breaking in order to control speed. During this situation, the "driver override " message would appear although no accelerator pedal pressure was being applied. Additionally, the ETC warning light would randomly light up and then clear. When the vehicle was stopped and placed in park, the engine would rev to approximately 4000-5000 RPM. Especially in congested traffic conditions, this runaway engine RPM condition is a terrifying situation. …
Carbon like smell entering cabin, engine stalling, and check engine light on. Ginn Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Covington Georgia stated they performed the recall repairs for the fuel relay wiring harness in June 2022 and the brake booster recall fix last week. The break booster recall is still showing unrepaired, and the stalling, fumes entering the inside of the Jeep is worse. The Jeep did not have a check engine light show up until after it left the CDJR service center. Due to dispute with the dealership that sold the vehicle putting an extended warranty in the paperwork, that I was not provided in writing yet its cost was added to the Jeep, the CDJR service center claimed the Jeep required $5700 worth of work to its HEMI V8 5.7L engine but they could not begin the work until I consented to the warranty providers $450.00 fee to teardown the engine for further diagnostics. …
On February 3, Tuesday drove home from work. The battery light came on. I Drove to AutoZone and they placed it on Diagnostic reader. The diagnostic reader said that the battery had no charge. They told me I need a new battery. I replaced the battery. The next morning, I placed the jeep into auto start. So the Jeep can warm up. When I went outside, there was smoke coming from underneath the hood of the Jeep. I quickly turn off the Jeep and pop the hood. My husband open the hood and can see smoke coming from the alternator. He turned around to turn off his vehicle that was running. I started to video recording the incident and stopped it right away when I started to see flames coming out of the alternator. My husband and I quick action was to grab snow that was next to the Jeep to throw it onto the alternator to put the fire out. …
I contacted Keffer Jeep Chrysler in Charlotte, NC when I received the recall notice. This dealer ship has a poor service department and they almost never answer calls but use the voice recorder for messages. I left two messages regarding the recall but never received a return call. Today I tried again and got the voice mail again, so called through the manager's line and finally spoke to someone in service. At first they were very helpful, but when I mentioned the recall it changed and I was informed that it would be more than two months before they could arrange to make the recall repairs (the end of November). I have encountered this before where dealers do not feel that they are properly compensated for recall work and thus try to shift off to another dealer through delays. …
Engine complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 359 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 22% of the model year's 1,642 complaints. The component named most often is cooling system › fan (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling 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 engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 67,000 miles, and 12% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 9 fires and 2 injuries to engine & cooling 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.