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 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that on multiple occasions while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where the failure could not be duplicated, and the contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The contact then stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. The check engine warning light illuminated. Additionally, the contact stated that on numerous occasions while attempting to start the vehicle, she heard a cranking sound under the hood before the engine turned over. The stated that the battery was faulty. The contact stated that the battery was replaced however, three weeks later the battery failed, and the vehicle was unable to be restarted. …
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. Several unknown warning lights illuminated on the instrument cluster. The vehicle was towed to the dealer and diagnosed with 45 error codes relating to the vehicle not being able to communicate with the blind spot and doors due to battery failure. The battery was replaced; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was towed back to the dealer. The contact was uncertain if the dealer diagnosed the vehicle with engine control module (ECM) or body control module (BCM) failure. The dealer informed the contact that the windshield seal was not installed correctly during manufacturing, which caused water to seep in and damage the engine control module (ECM) or body control module (BCM). The vehicle was not repaired and remained at the dealer. …
Driving down the interstate at 75mph, the vehicle all of a sudden lost the ability to accelerate and felt like it shifted into neutral. We were able to pull over to the side of the road safely and as we were getting out of the vehicle, we noticed flames shooting out from under the engine. My wife and I made it out safely and as we got about 100 yards away and looked back toward the vehicle, the entire front part of the vehicle was engulfed in flames. We sat along the side of the interstate and watched the vehicle burn for 20-25 minutes. We just had the vehicle in for service 6 days prior to get a new battery, a new aux battery, an advanced diagnostic, brake fluid exchange, and a fuel system service. The evening we picked up the vehicle from service, we got an email with a powertrain alert indicator. …
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 20 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle jerked and lost power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was then taken to another independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the camshaft, battery, and two oil valves in the starter needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was towed to a dealer, who provided the same diagnosis. The battery, starter, and two valves were replaced. The contact stated that the failures persisted while driving on several occasions, with the message "Oil Overheated" displayed, and the temperature warning light illuminated. The vehicle was then towed to an independent mechanic, where it was diagnosed that the camshaft needed to be replaced. …
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 50 MPH, the vehicle started shaking abnormally and stalled. The RPM increased to high. The contact was able to pull over and restart the vehicle. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed and determined that the water pump was leaking. The contact stated that the valves, cylinder, head gasket, gasket case cover, gasket head cover, oil intake manifold, and oil filter housing were replaced, but the failure recurred. The mechanic performed a pressure test. The contact stated that while at a stop light, the engine seized and failed to move. The vehicle failed to shift into gear. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed that the alternator ground wiring nut was corroded. The vehicle was repaired. …
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at undisclosed speeds, there was a misfire coming from the engine while accelerating, decelerating, idling, and while parked. The check engine warning light was intermittently illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed that the right-side intake camshaft on all 6 lobes had ground away and needed to be replaced. Additionally, metal was found in the rod bearings in the engine. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and opened a case. The manufacturer referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while starting the vehicle, the vehicle vibrated abnormally, and the contact noticed white smoke coming from the exhaust. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that there was coolant intrusion leaking into the engine, which caused engine failure. The contact was informed that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 77,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle failed to properly accelerate and experienced a loss of automotive power. Additionally, the temperature gauge raised abnormally and was almost indicating that the engine was hot(H). The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure, but no assistance was offered. The contact stated that the engine was previously replaced due to the same failure. The failure mileage was approximately 90,000.
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while her husband was driving approximately 45 MPH, the vehicle momentarily lost power and would not accelerate while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact stated that the failure also occurred a second time while making a turn. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The local dealer and manufacturer were not yet notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 26,500.
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that on multiple occasions while driving 30 MPH and various other speeds, an audible warning sound was heard inside the vehicle and the temperature gauge indicated that engine was overheating. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer and local dealer were notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 28,000.
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 complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 56 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 23% of the model year's 241 complaints. The component named most often is engine › engine control module (ecu/ecm) (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee engine problems?
Yes — NHTSA recall 23V-411 (engine and engine cooling, Jun 8, 2023). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.
At what mileage do 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 13,000 miles, and 60% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 0 crashes, 3 fires and 0 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.