Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that after purchasing the vehicle from the dealer, she attempted to shift the gear selector to neutral, however, the gear shifter failed. The contact stated that the steering wheel ceased. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was not drivable. The local dealer diagnosed the vehicle and informed the contact that the quadra drive needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that the dealer attempted to repair the steering twelve times however, the failure persisted. The contact stated that recently the brake warning light was illuminated, and the contact was unable to turn on or turn off the vehicle. …
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle hesitated while depressing the accelerator pedal and attempting to overtake another vehicle. The RPM was extremely elevated; however, the vehicle failed to respond as intended. The contact pulled over to the shoulder of the roadway and restarted the vehicle before resuming normal driving. The contact became aware that, when shifting between automatic and manual driving modes, the vehicle operated normally without hesitating. The vehicle was taken to several dealers on several occasions; however, the dealer was unable to duplicate the failure or determine the cause of the failure. In addition, the headlights occasionally shut off unexpectedly while driving at night. The contact would pull over and wait for the headlights to return before resuming normal driving. …
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving approximately 25 mph, the vehicle decelerated and stalled with the check engine warning light illuminated. The vehicle was restarted and moved to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer to be diagnosed. The contact was informed that the transmissions lines had detached from the transmission cooler and there was fluid leaking from the vehicle. The vehicle was repaired. The contact called another local dealer Faulkner Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram FIAT (6643 Carlisle Pike, Mechanicsburg, PA 17050, [phone]) and was informed that they were unable to service the vehicle for approximately two weeks. The manufacturer was contacted and referred the contact to the NHTSA for assistance. The approximate failure mileage was 82,060.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that on two separate occasions, the vehicle failed to accelerate after shifting from reverse(R) into drive (D) without warning, with the RPM revving without the vehicle responding. The contact had the vehicle towed to a dealer after the second failure; however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The contact also stated while going downhill at low rate of speed, the vehicle independently downshifted twice without warning, which brought the vehicle to a near stop. The contact stated that the vehicle lunged forward with her foot on the brake pedal with an abnormal cranking sound coming from the transmission. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 15,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the ESC and "Service 4WD" warning lights illuminated, causing the vehicle to shake abnormally. Additionally, the transmission unexpectedly shifted to 4WD Low while driving. The steering wheel vibrated while making a turn, and the vehicle jerked. The vehicle also intermittently failed to start immediately and made a clicking sound. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, who determined that the ABS had failed, and that the drive train control module and transfer case control module needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 34,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, the vehicle jumped. The contact stated that while driving 8-9 MPH, the vehicle jerked, and there was an abnormally loud sound coming from the vehicle. In addition, the air bag warning light was illuminated. The dealer was made aware of the failure. The failure was not duplicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure reoccurred. In addition, the contact stated that the transmission was replaced in 2025. The contact was informed that the air bag was not covered under unknown recall. The failure mileage was approximately 42,000. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that after his wife had parked and turned off the vehicle in the driveway, the vehicle inadvertently rolled down the driveway. The contact restarted and parked the vehicle in the driveway again, and activated the parking, but the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and Golling Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram (2405 S Telegraph Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48302); however, both dealers were unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,500. The VIN was unavailable.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 60 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the engine compartment and the vehicle started shaking violently. The vehicle then briefly lost motive power and was unable to accelerate as intended before returning to normal functionality; however, the failure became a regular occurrence. The check engine warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was 18,000.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 50 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power before stalling and shutting off. During the failure, the check engine warning light was illuminated. The messages "Service Shifter" and "Transmission Temperature High" were displayed. The vehicle was later towed to the local dealer and was reprogrammed; however, after retrieving the vehicle, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 36,899.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that on two occasions while driving approximately 55 MPH, the vehicle lost motive power and failed to accelerate as intended. The contact stated that the message to" Shift to Park and Restart" was displayed. The contact stated that the vehicle stalled but was able to restart. The vehicle was taken to a dealer during the first failure however, the failure was not duplicated. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 8,100.
Transmission complaints in other Grand Cherokee years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
NHTSA has 59 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 14% of the model year's 409 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee transmission problems?
No. NHTSA lists no transmission & drivetrain recall for the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee, though it has 12 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 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 28,000 miles, and 46% before 25,000 miles.
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.