Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was leaving work and made a right turn. The vehicle steering and breaks locked up and I hit a telephone pole. No warning lights illuminated. The vehicle did not stall. Serious injury could have occurred. Police report and involvement happened as it was a large accident.
The engine power cuts of randomly while driving with no warning at all. When it happens the steering locks up veering the vehicle to the left so you have no control and at the same time the power brakes lock up and you are unable to stop the vehicle. Everything else works when this happens lights, radio, heater, air conditioning. No warning lights display. I had the vehicle with a mechanic that kept it for over 4 months to test drive and see if it would occur. It happened while he drove it but no codes show up to determine the cause. I had it towed back to my home and contacted Jeep Chrysler and they gave me a claim number to bring to my local Jeep dealer. They had it for over a week and unfortunately the jeep ran fine so once again no resolution to be able to fix. …
While driving down a main road, the power steering went out, the brakes locked up, and the accelerator locked up. I had to put the car in park and then turn it off and back on. Yes, it is available for inspection. My safety was put at risk because since my brakes were not working, it means my brake lights also were not, meaning someone would not have seen me stopping and I could have been rear-ended. Others were put at risk because my car could have hit someone else. This has happened 4 other times on different dates and a Jeep dealer has done a fuel pump relay BYPASS twice, but the fuel pump itself was never replaced. There were no warning lamps or messages to warn me about the problem before it failed. I am terrified to drive my own car. This needs to be addressed asap.
2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo In August of 2020, I brought the vehicle to my repair shop due to a leak, and hard to steer at 75061 miles. They performed a repair of the rack & pinion, power steering hose, and an alignment. On 5/23/23, I had the vehicle in a shop to check on a sqeak while turning the wheel along with a clunking sound. They reported that the rack and pinion needs to be replaced at 107184 miles. I contacted the FCA-Jeep customer care. They wanted a diagnosis at Victory CDJR dealership. On 5/31/23 at 107701 miles, the dealership found that the steering rack, and both tie rods need replacement. I contacted the FCA immediately, and they determined not covered by warranty.
While driving the engine power randomly cuts off & steering & brakes lock up veering the vehicle to the left which causes me to have no control of my vehicle. Everything else stays on radio...lights...etc. There is absolutely no warning at all when this occurs. This has happened to me 3 times while driving almost causing me to crash. I brought it to a local Jeep dealer & they couldn't find any codes showing what the issue was. So in fear of getting into a crash that could possibly injure myself or others on the road I haven't been able to drive it safely.
A couple week ago noticed fluid on my garage floor. It seemed to be dripping from the left front of the car. Also noticed this oil on the garage shelf which is closed to the car when I park it in the garage. Today, May 23, 2023 went to have the oil change in the car, and was told the power steering fluid was low .
The engine / power cuts off with no warning causing steering to lock up to left & brakes lock up causing the vehicle to veer to the left and unable to use brake to stop vehicle. Happens randomly while driving which makes it unsafe to operate to drive.
Vehicle has inexplicably, and randomly stalled, and lost power steering and power brakes while operating. This has happened on multiple occasions, during random times of the day/season, while in movement, and while stopped at a traffic light/stop sign. There is no rhyme or reason to how or when this happens, and frustratingly cannot not be reproduced by a mechanic or dealership. When it happens, all other systems that were operating continue to operate (eg. radio stays playing, climate control (AC or heat), and the instrument panel doesn't indicate that anything is abnormal. Safety is a huge concern, as its difficult to control and/or slow the vehicle down, and we have barely avoided collisions. It has been taken to a dealer on multiple occasions, but to no avail, as the condition could not be reproduced. …
Year: 2012 Make/Model: Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 L V8, 4WD Mileage: ~140,000 miles Date of Incident: [Insert date] Location: McKinney, Texas (near U.S. 75 exit) Description of the Safety Issue: While driving normally, the Service 4WD System warning illuminated. Seconds later, the lightning-bolt symbol (Electronic Throttle Control) appeared, and the engine stalled abruptly without warning. All power steering and power-brake assist were lost while the transmission was still in Drive. The vehicle rolled backward on a slight grade as if in neutral. Attempts to restart the vehicle failed. Even CarMax technicians, at whose lot the vehicle came to rest, were unable to start it. A strong hot/burning electrical odor was present immediately after shutdown. This indicates a possible overheating or shorting event in the electrical or fuel-relay system (TIPM or throttle-body circuit). …
In 2016, my 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee laredo had about 38K miles when I found out that my vehicles rack and pinion had a "minor leak" that they service center recommended I "keep an eye on." this was something I really needed to save for because it would cost $3000 to repair and I had just purchased the vehicle! Less than a week later I was in an accident because I lost power steering while driving with my family. This forced me to replace the rack and pinion as well as further damage. This is pretty unusual for a car with mileage that low. Additionally, it is ridiculous that this issue hasn't been a sufficient impetus for investigation considering how ubiquitous that exact claim is among jgcl owners. These common claims suggest that the issue isnt caused by the driver, but is in fact, a manufacturers defect. Appropriately, the manufacturer is obligated to remedy this defect.. …
NHTSA investigations
Power steering hose failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) analyzed complaint data provided by Chrysler as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. ODI's analysis identified a total of 24 unique reports indicating power steering hose blow-offs resulting from a dislodged power steering cooler turbulator fin in some early production vehicles.According to Chrysler, a dislodged fin can occur when the turbulator is inserted…
Steering complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are steering problems on the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 100 complaints about the steering of the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 6% of the model year's 1,644 complaints. The component named most often is hydraulic power assist system (2 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee steering problems?
No. NHTSA lists no steering recall for the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee, though it has 10 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 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee steering problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 60,000 miles, and 11% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 5 crashes, 1 fire and 1 injury to steering 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.