2018 Jeep Cherokee Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Cherokee years
- More complaints than other years 6th of 19 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 7 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- 4 out of 5 stars
Owners have filed 687 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Jeep Cherokee. That ranks 6th out of 19 Cherokee model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is power train (295 complaints, 43%), typically at around 40,500 miles. Complaints mention 11 crashes, 5 fires, 7 injuries. There are 7 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 1 defect investigation involving it.
- 687owner complaints
- 7safety recalls
- 1NHTSA investigations
- 11complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2018 Jeep Cherokee problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Power Train problems | 295 | 43% | 40,500 | “service shifter” (39%) | $2,800 |
| Electrical System problems | 190 | 28% | 35,250 | “service shifter” (51%) | — |
| Unknown or Other | 174 | 25% | 30,000 | — | — |
| Engine problems | 155 | 23% | 28,000 | “service shifter” (15%) | — |
| Service Brakes | 34 | 5% | 36,050 | — | — |
| Steering | 30 | 4% | 23,264 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 26 | 4% | 10,062 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 20 | 3% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Air Bags | 16 | 2% | 19,000 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 15 | 2% | 31,436 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 1% | 55,500 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 6 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 4 | 1% | 122,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 4 | 1% | 77,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 0% | 24,295 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 3 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Wheels | 3 | 0% | 1,980 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 0% | 70,021 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 2 | 0% | 35,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 2 | 0% | 44,500 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 0% | 126,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 1 | 0% | 12,000 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 1 | 0% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2018 Jeep Cherokee recalls (7)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Power train
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power and/or loss of park function.
Risk: A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. A loss of park function can cause an unintended vehicle rollaway, which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Fix: Dealers will update the drivetrain control module and PTU software and replace the PTU, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning February 19, 2026. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 01C.
Electrical system:wiring:front underhood
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.
Risk: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.
Power train:axle assembly:axle shaft
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee all-wheel-drive vehicles. The bearing cage for the right front halfshaft assembly may not have been properly heat treated, possibly resulting in the bearing cage breaking and a potential halfshaft assembly failure.
Risk: If the halfshaft bearing cage breaks, the halfshaft may not be able to transmit engine power, causing a loss of drive or it can allow the vehicle to move while in the "Park" position. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front right halfshaft assemblies, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U78.
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.
Fuel system, gasoline:delivery:hoses, lines/piping, and fittings
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a 2.4L engine. These vehicles may have been manufactured with a fuel tube that may leak fuel into the engine compartment.
Risk: A fuel leak in the presence of the ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel tube, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U39.
Engine and engine cooling:engine
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee and Compass vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines. The engines may have a cracked oil pump housing that can result in oil pump failure.
Risk: If the oil pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the oil pump, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 5, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T65.
Equipment:other:labels; wheels:rim
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The tire and rim size information required to be on the Certification label was omitted during manufacturing, which may result in an incorrect tire and rim combination being installed on the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk: The missing tire and rim designation information may lead to an incorrect combination being installed on the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners and will provide a corrected certification label, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T53.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture (EA21002) — opened Sep 17, 2021, still open.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
Car indicating service 4wd message. I had a scan done on the vehicle and it was determined that it is a power transfer unit issue which there have been recalls for yet per my vin number, mine is not included. I have had this message every time i drive the vehicle and it has been present since 03/26.
Took my 2018 Jeep cherokee to dealership for a service appointment, a service the 4wheel drive light came on. We have experience hard transmission shifting and popping. The dealership haved checked our Jeep and told us that the replacement of the PTU had to be replaced. My wife is not driving the…
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving 5 MPH, there was an abnormal sound coming from the vehicle and the transmission failed to shift into gear properly. The contact stated that the vehicle nearly stalled. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where…
The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that on a rainy day while driving 45 MPH, the vehicle almost spun out of control due to a lack of traction. The message "4WD System Service Required" was displayed. The dealer was contacted and diagnosed the vehicle with a power transfer…
My 2018 Jeep Cherokee Trailhawk is subject to FCA Recall 01C/NHTSA 25V-011 for two-speed PTU failure. I have experienced 3 serious drivetrain events requiring towing. In April 2024, before the recall was announced, the vehicle suddenly lost acceleration while entering an interstate/on-ramp, with…
Other Jeep Cherokee years
← 2017 Cherokee · 2019 Cherokee →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Cherokee | 8 | 4 |
| 2023 Cherokee | 3 | 1 |
| 2022 Cherokee | 51 | 3 |
| 2021 Cherokee | 176 | 4 |
| 2020 Cherokee | 325 | 3 |
| 2019 Cherokee | 1,661 | 11 |
| 2018 | 687 | 7 |
| 2017 Cherokee | 1,337 | 6 |
| 2016 Cherokee | 1,410 | 9 |
| 2015 Cherokee | 1,789 | 11 |
| 2014 Cherokee | 2,650 | 13 |
| 2006 Cherokee | 17 | 0 |
| 2001 Cherokee | 229 | 2 |
| 2000 Cherokee | 369 | 1 |
| 1999 Cherokee | 366 | 2 |
| 1998 Cherokee | 399 | 5 |
| 1997 Cherokee | 390 | 4 |
| 1996 Cherokee | 447 | 6 |
| 1995 Cherokee | 608 | 6 |
See all Jeep Cherokee problems by year, every Jeep model, or the Jeep VIN decoder.
Similar Jeep models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2018 Jeep Cherokee?
Owners most often report power train, electrical system, unknown or other problems. The top one, power train, accounts for 295 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2018 Jeep Cherokee?
Yes, 7 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2018 Jeep Cherokee a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Cherokee model years, the 2018 has more complaints than most years, and NHTSA rates it 4 out of 5 stars overall in crash tests. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.