The 2017 Grand Cherokee is a capable platform undermined by serious powertrain reliability issues, particularly the ZF 8-speed transmission and catastrophic EcoDiesel engine failures. The 3.6L Pentastar is the most dependable option, though none are immune to electrical gremlins and fuel system issues.
Symptoms: Harsh shifting or delayed engagement, especially when cold, Transmission overheating warning on dash, Limp mode or stuck in one gear, Metal shavings in fluid at service intervals
Fix: Oil cooler clogs and contaminates the transmission, requiring cooler replacement, fluid flush, and often valve body replacement. Full rebuild or replacement needed if delayed. 8-12 hours labor for cooler/valve body; 15-20 hours for rebuild.
Estimated cost: $2,500-6,500
3.0L EcoDiesel Catastrophic Engine Failure
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 80,000-140,000 mi
Symptoms: Excessive oil consumption (quart per 1,000 miles or worse), White or blue smoke on startup, Sudden loss of power with knocking noise, Check engine light with misfire codes or low compression
Fix: Crankshaft and main bearing failures destroy the bottom end. EGR cooler failures dump coolant into cylinders. Requires complete engine rebuild or replacement. 25-35 hours labor for rebuild; 18-24 hours for used engine swap.
Estimated cost: $8,000-15,000
TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module) Failures
Common · medium severity
Symptoms: Random no-start conditions with adequate battery voltage, Horn honking on its own or wipers running randomly, Fuel pump not priming (no audible whir at key-on), Intermittent gauge cluster warnings that disappear
Fix: The TIPM controls most electrical loads and fails due to internal relay corrosion. Replacement is straightforward but part is expensive. Some independent shops offer rebuilds. 2-3 hours labor for R&R and programming.
Estimated cost: $800-1,800
Radiator Fan Control Module & Overheating
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 70,000-110,000 mi
Symptoms: Engine temperature climbing in traffic or at idle, Cooling fans not running when engine is hot, Check engine light with fan control circuit codes, AC performance degraded in hot weather
Fix: Fan control module mounted near radiator fails from heat cycling. Sometimes the fan clutch itself seizes. Module replacement 1.5-2 hours; fan assembly 2-3 hours if needed.
Estimated cost: $400-1,200
Upper Control Arm Ball Joint Separation
Occasional · high severity
Typical onset: 80,000-130,000 mi
Symptoms: Clunking over bumps from front suspension, Wandering steering or alignment won't hold, Visible play when inspecting ball joint with pry bar, Uneven tire wear on inside edge
Fix: Ball joints are pressed into control arms and fail prematurely, especially with off-road use. Complete upper control arm replacement required (joints not sold separately for most applications). 2-3 hours per side including alignment.
Estimated cost: $600-1,200
Fuel Pump Failure (All Engines)
Common · high severity
Typical onset: 70,000-120,000 mi
Symptoms: Intermittent no-start requiring multiple key cycles, Engine stalling at idle or under load, Loss of power on acceleration or hills, Whining noise from fuel tank area
Fix: In-tank fuel pump assemblies fail, especially on vehicles run low on fuel frequently. EcoDiesel has separate lift pump that also fails. Requires tank drop. 3-4 hours labor for gasoline; 4-5 hours for diesel including filter.
Estimated cost: $800-1,800
Exhaust Manifold Cracking (5.7L Hemi)
Occasional · medium severity
Typical onset: 60,000-100,000 mi
Symptoms: Ticking noise from engine bay that worsens when cold, Exhaust smell in cabin with heat on, Visible soot around manifold-to-head junction, Check engine light with O2 sensor codes
Fix: Cast manifolds crack between ports due to heat cycling. Aftermarket tubular headers are upgrade option. 6-8 hours labor per side due to tight clearances and seized studs.
Estimated cost: $1,200-2,500
Owner tips
Change ZF transmission fluid every 40,000 miles with Mopar-spec ATF+4 — the 'lifetime fill' claim is marketing fiction
EcoDiesel owners: use quality diesel fuel only, change oil every 7,500 miles max, and monitor consumption religiously
Check TIPM recalls and updates — some can be reflashed to prevent future failures
Budget $1,500-2,000/year in repairs beyond maintenance once past 80,000 miles, regardless of engine choice
Avoid the EcoDiesel entirely; if you must buy one, get the 3.6L Pentastar with service records proving religious transmission maintenance and budget heavily for eventual repairs.
AI-assisted summary drawn from NHTSA recall data, our labor-times database, and platform knowledge. Not a substitute for a pre-purchase inspection on a specific vehicle.
Be the first to unlock repairs for the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Procedures haven't been generated for this vehicle yet. Become the founding sponsor and we'll generate expert-grade, step-by-step repair walkthroughs for every common job on it — free for every mechanic and DIYer who looks it up after, forever.
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 engine stall.
Consequence: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
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. Some owner notification letters were mailed October 31, 2023. The remaining owner notification letters will be mailed at a future date, anticipated July 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 66A. This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-475.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 2014-2019 Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. A high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure may introduce internal debris into the fuel system, potentially resulting in fuel starvation.
Consequence: Fuel starvation may result in an unexpected loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the HPFP, and inspect and replace, if necessary, additional fuel system components, free of charge. Interim notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed July 21, 2022. Owner notification letters for were mailed for Jeep Grand Cherokee owners starting January 11, 2024. Owner notification letters for Ram 1500 owners were mailed March 7, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLS's number for this recall is Z46.
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.
Consequence: Combustion in the intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.
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. Owners were mailed an interim notification on December 21, 2021. A second notification will be mailed when parts are available, currently expected to be around March 11, 2021. The recall began March 11, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is W79.
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING · 18V332000
2018-05-17
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.
Consequence: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE:TURBO/SUPERCHARGER · 17E061000
2017-10-19
Accessible Technologies, Inc. (ATI) is recalling certain ProCharger Superchargers, model numbers AB037A-100, AB037A-100P, and A037A-100B, sold for installation on 2012-2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8 and SRT vehicles. The supercharger mounting bracket may contact and damage the ABS line, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak.
Consequence: A brake fluid leak may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy: ATI will notify owners and will replace the supercharger brackets, free of charge. The recall began on December 12, 2017. Owners may contact ATI customer service at 1-913-338-2886.
EQUIPMENT · 16V686000
2016-09-23
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee manufactured August 8, 2016 through August 16, 2016. In the affected vehicles, the rear tow hook bracket or tow eye bracket may be loose.
Consequence: If the tow bracket is loose, the bracket may detach from the vehicle while being it is being driven, possibly becoming a road hazard. If the bracket detaches during a vehicle recovery, there may be a loss of control of the towed vehicle. Either scenario increases the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will confirm both tow hook bracket bolts are properly tightened, free of charge. The recall began on October 31, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S73.
Building an app?
Free API access to all this data — 50 requests/day, no card required.