2017 Jeep Cherokee Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 342 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2017 Jeep Cherokee, 26% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 40,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “service shifter” (64% of reports).
- 342electrical system complaints
- 40,000median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 1mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- $680typical repair cost reported by owners
- 29%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Service shifter: mentioned in 220 of 342 complaints (64%)
- Gear shift: mentioned in 26 of 342 complaints (8%)
- Wiring harness: mentioned in 24 of 342 complaints (7%)
- Put park: mentioned in 24 of 342 complaints (7%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical electrical system repair on the 2017 Jeep Cherokee at $680, and half of them between $300 and $1,400.
Based on 9 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2019–2026), converted to 2026 dollars with the U.S. consumer price index. These are owners' own figures, not a quote: they include dealer quotes, and owners who file complaints often faced larger repairs, so they can run higher than typical shop prices. Prices vary by shop, region and warranty coverage. How we calculate this.
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 196 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 342 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 3 a fire, 1 an injury.
Jeep Cherokee electrical system complaints by model year
| Model year | Electrical System complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Cherokee | 1 | 13% | — |
| 2022 Cherokee | 8 | 16% | 300 |
| 2021 Cherokee | 23 | 13% | 45,050 |
| 2020 Cherokee | 35 | 11% | 5,650 |
| 2019 Cherokee | 341 | 21% | 12,300 |
| 2018 Cherokee | 190 | 28% | 35,250 |
| 2017 Cherokee | 342 | 26% | 40,000 |
| 2016 Cherokee | 297 | 21% | 43,000 |
| 2015 Cherokee | 327 | 18% | 30,500 |
| 2014 Cherokee | 449 | 17% | 40,500 |
| 2006 Cherokee | 2 | 12% | 23,354 |
| 2001 Cherokee | 19 | 8% | 84,280 |
| 2000 Cherokee | 44 | 12% | 85,000 |
| 1999 Cherokee | 26 | 7% | 78,680 |
| 1998 Cherokee | 47 | 12% | 128,000 |
| 1997 Cherokee | 23 | 6% | 140,000 |
| 1996 Cherokee | 43 | 10% | 134,256 |
| 1995 Cherokee | 40 | 7% | 112,600 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
Electrical system:software; vehicle speed control:cruise control; electrical system:wiring
Problem: 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.
Risk: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Fix: 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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
CRITICAL VEHICLE SYSTEM SAFETY & TELEMATICS FAILURES: 1.ELECTRICAL & ELICTRICAL DEFECTS: The vehicle's primary infotainment and factory navigation display module suffers a total software and hardware failure. module suffers a total software and hardware failure. While operating on public roadway…
The component that failed/malfunctioned was the module that activates the EPB. It is available for inspection if requested. My safety was put at risk because the parking brake would engage every time the vehicle shut off leaving me stranded and could put other drivers at risk if my vehicle was…
PER DIAGNOSTICS, PTU HAS BEEN COMPROMISED. I was driving on the highway and the car started to shake and make a loud, grinding noise and seemed to be stuck in gear. When I stopped it wouldn't go into park or go into drive.
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2017 Jeep Cherokees have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 342 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2017 Jeep Cherokee (26% of the 1,336 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2017 Jeep Cherokee electrical system?
Yes: 1 safety recall list electrical system. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do electrical system problems start?
The median reported mileage is 40,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
How much does it cost to fix electrical system problems on the 2017 Jeep Cherokee?
Owners report a typical cost of $680 (half paid between $300 and $1,400), from 9 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2017 Jeep Cherokee?
The most frequent phrase is “service shifter”, in 220 of 342 complaints, followed by “gear shift” (26).
Other 2017 Jeep Cherokee problems
- Power Train problems (648)
- Engine problems (259)
- Vehicle Speed Control problems (60)
- Service Brakes problems (56)
See all 2017 Jeep Cherokee problems or electrical system problems across all Cherokee years.