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 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving for approximately 10-minutes, there was an abnormal knocking sound coming from the vehicle while depressing the accelerator pedal. The RPM lowered and the vehicle failed to respond while depressing the accelerator pedal. There was no warning light illuminated. The failure persisted, and the contact coasted into a parking lot and there was an excessive amount of yellow-grayish smoke coming from the engine compartment. The contact exited the vehicle and became aware of an unknown liquid pouring onto the ground underneath the vehicle, with little pieces of debris and sparks igniting underneath the vehicle. While the contact was on the phone with 9-1-1 Emergency Services, there was a popping sound coming from the vehicle and underneath the hood and over the windshield became engulfed in flames. …
The contact owned a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while unloading groceries out of her vehicle with the vehicle in park(P) and the engine on, grayish-white smoke began to emit from the vehicle without warning. The contact turned off the vehicle and checked under the hood, where she saw flames in the engine. The contact then ran to the fire department, which was nearby, and informed them of the fire. The fire department arrived at the scene with a fire truck and extinguished the fire. The police department also arrived at the scene, and a police report was filed. No injuries were reported due to the fire. The vehicle was destroyed as a result of the fire, but was not towed. The dealer or manufacturer had yet to be notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 74,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 55 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently stalled and lost electrical power. The message "Check Your Transmission" appeared on the instrument panel. The contact stated he veered to the side of the road and was able to restart the vehicle after 20 minutes. The contact continued to drive the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the dealer who diagnosed that no issues were found. The contact stated that the failure reoccurred while driving. The vehicle was taken to a second dealer Normandin Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram FIAT (900 Capitol Expressway Auto Mall, San Jose, CA 95136) who diagnosed that the alternator and water pump needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure reoccurred several times while driving with the vehicle becoming overheated. …
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee with 55,575 miles was parked in a parking garage all day in Brooklyn NY and when the vehicle was move to the front of the garage by parking attendants the engine started smoking and caught fire. There were no leaks, dashboard symbols or open recalls to cause the fire; additionally the car was linked to a iPhone App CarRx that can scan for any issue and no issue noted. This engine fire not only put all of the other vehicles in the park garage at risk of catching fire but the parking garage sits under a luxury apartment building putting the working and residents at risk. Additionally I commute between Brooklyn and NJ 3x a week and cant imagine what would have happened if I was driving the vehicle over the Brooklyn Bridge, on the Brooklyn Queens Express or in the Holland Tunnel during high commuter rush hour traffic. …
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 35 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle started hesitating and then stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, and the mechanic had the vehicle towed to the dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the throttle body needed to be replaced. The throttle body wiring was replaced, and the codes were reset. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer, and it was suggested that the vehicle needed to be retested. The vehicle was repaired again. The contact stated that after retrieving the vehicle from the dealer, several unknown warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle accelerated independently while depressing the brake pedal. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled while coming to a stop. …
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 35 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated after the Auto/Start unavailable message was displayed and became inoperable. Upon starting the vehicle, the Auto START/STOP unavailable message was displayed. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V838000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the camshaft kit needed to be replaced. The dealer informed the contact that the part was on backorder. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer opened a case and attempted to expedite the parts. The failure mileage was approximately 71,500. …
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle had failed to start. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was later able to be restarted and taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with a warped head gasket and an overheated radiator. The dealer replaced the left and right cylinder heads, head gasket, timing cover gasket, valve cover gasket, cam sensor gasket, upper and lower intake gaskets, exhaust gasket, EGR, spark plugs, performed an oil change, and refilled the coolant. The contact stated that her husband, who owns another 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee, had experienced the same failure, and had the vehicle repaired at the dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 85,599.
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that since the vehicle was purchased, there was an abnormally strong coolant odor coming from the vehicle. The dealer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the coolant reservoir was recently refilled, and the odor might be due to an overflow. The contact stated that the failure persisted, and the vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the water pump was replaced. The contact stated that the water pump had been replaced approximately nine times under warranty due to the strong coolant odor and a water pump leak; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 125,000.
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while, driving at various speeds the vehicle stalled on multiple occasions. There were no warning lights illuminated. The pull over, shift to park, and restart vehicle message was displayed. The contact was able to restart the vehicle. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer and he was informed there were diagnostic trouble codes for the brake and accelerator pedal however, the mechanic was unable to determine the exact cause of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was concerned about having an accident. The manufacturer was contacted however, no further assistance was provided. The approximate failure mileage was 37,007.
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the START/STOP, and check engine warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that one of the spark plugs was misfiring and the ignition coils might need to be replaced. The independent mechanic requested to perform another diagnostic test on the vehicle and discovered that there was a blown head gasket and the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 95,000.
Related recalls
Engine and engine cooling
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Ram 1500 and 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 3.0L Diesel engines. The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate, causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the fuel injector pulses and cam shaft timing, possibly resulting in an…
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 3, 2023.
Engine and engine cooling › Exhaust system › Emission control › Gas recirculation valve (EGR valve)
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with the 3.0L EcoDiesel engines. The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler may crack and allow pre-heated vaporized coolant to enter the EGR system. This mixture may combust inside the intake manifold.
Remedy: FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EGR cooler, free of charge. Dealers will also inspect and, as necessary, replace the intake manifold. Parts are not currently available.
Engine complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 141 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 16% of the model year's 855 complaints. The component named most often is cooling system (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 23V-411 (engine and engine cooling, Jun 8, 2023); NHTSA recall 20V-699 (gas recirculation valve (egr valve), Nov 12, 2020). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 25,000 miles, and 49% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 6 crashes, 4 fires and 1 injury 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.