2018 Jeep Cherokee Electrical System Problems
Owners have filed 190 complaints with NHTSA about electrical system problems on the 2018 Jeep Cherokee, 28% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 35,250 miles. The words owners use most often: “service shifter” (51% of reports).
- 190electrical system complaints
- 35,250median miles at failure
- 2mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 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 97 of 190 complaints (51%)
At what mileage do electrical system problems happen?
Based on 106 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 190 complaints, 2 mention a crash, 1 a fire.
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 (2)
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.
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.
I have a 2018 Jeep Cherokee. The exact component causing the problem is UNKNOWN. While driving, a âService Shifterâ warning appeared on the dashboard and all of the gear indicator lights illuminated at the same time. After I turned the vehicle off and restarted it, the warning disappeared. On a…
while i was driving my vehicle put the parking brake on and then i was unable to get it deactivated at first, after a few seconds i got it and moved forward in traffic. after a few feet the vehicle put the parking brake on and i was unable to move once again. this was in the middle of traffic and i…
While driving, often at highway speeds, all of the lights on the shifter will light up and the dash will display "Service Transmission." I took it to the dealer several times and their response has been that it is a software issue that they do not have a fix for and that I should stop the car, turn…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2018 Jeep Cherokees have electrical system problems?
No. NHTSA has 190 owner complaints about electrical system for the 2018 Jeep Cherokee (28% of the 687 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 2018 Jeep Cherokee electrical system?
Yes: 2 safety recalls 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 35,250 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about electrical system problems on the 2018 Jeep Cherokee?
The most frequent phrase is “service shifter”, in 97 of 190 complaints.
Other 2018 Jeep Cherokee problems
- Power Train problems (295)
- Engine problems (155)
See all 2018 Jeep Cherokee problems or electrical system problems across all Cherokee years.