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Jeep · NHTSA safety record

2020 Jeep Cherokee

Every safety complaint, recall and defect investigation the US government holds on this vehicle.

279

Complaints

9

Crashes

5

Fires

9

Injuries

0

Deaths

Owners of the 2020 Jeep Cherokee have filed 279 safety complaints with NHTSA between October 2019 and August 2026. The most complained-about system is the power train, named in 156 of them (56%). The typical failure was reported at 44,101 miles, the median across the 78 complaints that gave an odometer reading.

Complaints more than doubled year on year: 97 in the twelve months to 2026-Q1, against 45 in the twelve before.

NHTSA has issued 3 recalls covering this vehicle.

Recalls (3)

POWER TRAIN

26V290000 · May 7, 2026

The defect
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may fail.
The risk
A failed PTU may result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
The remedy
The remedy is currently under development. Interim owner notification letters explaining the safety risk are expected to be mailed June 25, 2026. Additional letters will be sent once the final remedy becomes available. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 40D. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov beginning May 14, 2026.

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) · up to 61,711 vehicles across all model years covered

BACK OVER PREVENTION: SENSING SYSTEM: CAMERA

20V191000 · September 10, 2020

The defect
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Gladiator and Jeep Cherokee, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, and Jeep Renegade and 2019 Dodge Challenger vehicles equipped with 8.4" or 12" radio displays. A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."
The risk
The lingering rearview image can distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will update the radio display software, free of charge. Optionally, owners can choose to remotely update their software via an Over-The-Air (OTA) update available as of May 1, 2020. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W30-W37.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) · up to 319,610 vehicles across all model years covered · fixed by software update

STEERING:RACK AND PINION:RACK

19V637000 · August 29, 2019

The defect
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The steering rack gear may break, possibly causing a loss of steering control.
The risk
A loss of steering control increases the risk of a crash.
The remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the steering gear, free of charge. The recall began October 24, 2019. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V99.

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) · up to 5,294 vehicles across all model years covered

What owners report

Complaints naming each system. One complaint can name several, so these add up to more than 279.

POWER TRAIN 156 56%
ENGINE 38 14%
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM 34 12%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER 34 12%
SERVICE BRAKES 22 8%
STEERING 22 8%
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM 9 3%
FORWARD COLLISION AVOIDANCE 8 3%
VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL 8 3%
AIR BAGS 7 3%
SUSPENSION 7 3%
WHEELS 5 2%

When the complaints arrived

By the year NHTSA received them, which is not the year the failures happened. They peaked in 2025 at 101.

2019 2025 2026
2019 to 2026, the last of them a part year

In owners' own words

Quoted from NHTSA's complaint file. These are unverified accounts by the people who filed them, not findings of fault.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed · 8,000 miles

The contact owned a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated while his wife was driving at 35 MPH, when approaching an intersection a vehicle coming from the opposite lane came thru and caused the driver to hit that vehicle head-on. The air bags did not deploy. There front end of the vehicle was crashed in. The driver sustained a crack sternum, bruised lungs, and hurt their foot while depressing on the brake, the contact sustained an injured right shoulder due to the seat belt, internal bruises to their sternum, ribs, and stomach, as well fluids in their lungs. There was medical treatment at the scene and took both the contact and the driver to the hospital for treatment. A police report was

NHTSA complaint 11433198, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed

On June 24 ,2025 I was in a front end collision resulting in personal injury to with parties. From airbags not deploying on my vehicle. My car was deemed total loss from insurance company. Vehicle didn't have any prior electrical or and warning lamps on at time prior collision

NHTSA complaint 11671832. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

2 injured · crash · towed

I was involved in a head-on accident with another car. The airbags did not deploy in my 2020 Jeep Cherokee. This resulted didn’t some injuries to me in a driver of the other car. The other car driver airbags did deploy but my 2020 Jeep Cherokee airbags did not deploy vehicle damage was rated such that the car was totaled with heavy front damage on the driver side front.

NHTSA complaint 11714516. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

AIR BAGS

1 injured · crash · towed

Vehicle was in a front end collision resulting in $16k in damages, driver transported to the hospital with leg and head injuries. The airbags did not deploy. NONE.

NHTSA complaint 11423105. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
My Jeep was subject to a recall for a failing Power Steering Unit (PSU). Before the recall was announced, the PSU failed and I paid for the repair at an authorized Jeep dealership. Jeep is now refusing reimbursement, stating they will only reimburse once a recall remedy becomes available. The vehicle has since been totaled in a crash unrelated to the PSU repair, so I can no longer receive the recall remedy. Jeep is withholding reimbursement even though the defect is acknowledged under the recall, the repair was completed at a Jeep dealership, and federal reimbursement rules require manufacturers to reimburse pre‑notification repairs. I am requesting NHTSA’s assistance because Jeep is not

NHTSA complaint 11756678, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Fwd service light is on and my jeep keeps jerking and at times acts like it doesn’t want to go

NHTSA complaint 11756429. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Warning light SVC 4WD and dashboard message 4WD System Unavailable Service Required. Jeep Dealer found diagnostic code C14A7. Dealer checked Power Transfer Unit (PTU) operation and PTU fails to acuate. Needs to be replaced and part ordered. Time for repair could not be determined. I was told at least two months, possibly longer. In researching this issue I found there is a safety recall for PTU on 2020 Jeep Cherokees, but my VIN is not included in the recall. NHTSA Campaign Number 26V290000. I am concerned continuing to drive my vehicle and hopefully not experience a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway. Also concerned about further damage to car, i.e. transmission, if I continue to

NHTSA complaint 11755891, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

POWER TRAIN
Service 4 wheel drive light came on. Car loses acceleration randomly. Weird winding noise. Higher than normal rpm. See there is recall for this but states mine not included. Had mechanic look at it and was told it’s the PTU. Normal issue with these. Unfortunately over 10000 on back order. Hhmmm

NHTSA complaint 11755606. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Sudden total loss of power steering assist while driving over a small pothole on Pearman Dairy Road. Full details, diagnostic trouble codes (U0420-00, U0010-00, U1428-00, B2309-64), and Jeep case reference 97368807 are fully documented in the attached formal PDF letter

NHTSA complaint 11755280. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

ENGINE

towed · 115,000 miles

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, the contact was informed that there was an oil leak underneath the vehicle. The contact was unsure if the oil was coming from the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to the residence and parked, and the contact observed puddles of oil underneath the front of the vehicle. The vehicle was towed to a dealer to be diagnosed. The dealer stated that the radiator, engine, turbo, thermostat, torque converter, and other unknown parts needed to be replaced, and that the engine control valve was possibly stuck, resulting in oil and coolant contamination. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was

NHTSA complaint 11754914, quoted in part. Filed by an owner and not verified by NHTSA or by us.

Compare

Other years of the Jeep Cherokee

Model year Complaints Recalls Deaths
2022 48 3 —
2021 152 4 —
2019 1,612 11 —
2018 681 7 —
2017 1,327 6 —
2016 1,403 9 —
2015 1,781 11 —
2014 2,639 13 —

Other 2020 Jeep models

Wrangler 599 Gladiator 479 Grand Cherokee 229 Compass 137 Renegade 62

Every Jeep on this site — 104 vehicles, 303 recall campaigns and 7 open investigation s.

If this is your car and a dealer keeps failing to fix it, your state's lemon law may require the manufacturer to replace it or buy it back. What each state asks for , read from the statutes.

Where these numbers come from

A complaint is one owner's account and has not been verified by NHTSA or by us. A vehicle with more complaints is not necessarily worse: models that sold in larger numbers collect more of them. How this is counted.

Compiled and maintained by
Independent developer and analyst