2008 Jeep Commander Problems, Complaints & Recalls

Source: NHTSA · Updated Aug 31, 2026 · 326 owner complaints analyzed

Compared with other Commander years
Far more complaints than other years 3rd of 6 for complaints
NHTSA crash rating
Not rated

Owners have filed 326 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Jeep Commander. That ranks 3rd out of 6 Commander model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (201 complaints, 62%), typically at around 84,500 miles. Complaints mention 13 crashes, 3 fires, 10 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.

Jeep Commander
Trail Rated. Representative photo; appearance varies by model year. Photo: order_242 from Chile, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons.

Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.

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Most common 2008 Jeep Commander problems

Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.

Electrical System201 · ~84,500 mi
Engine59 · ~82,000 mi
Power Train30 · ~75,000 mi
Air Bags22 · ~119,000 mi
Unknown or Other15 · ~91,000 mi
Vehicle Speed Control15 · ~61,889 mi
Engine and Engine Cooling14 · ~57,000 mi
Visibility13 · ~18,600 mi
Service Brakes10 · ~99,000 mi
Electronic Stability Control (esc)9 · ~88,500 mi
Problem areaComplaintsShareMedian milesOwners mention mostTypical repair cost
Electrical System problems20162%84,500“ignition switch” (12%)—
Engine problems5918%82,000“stalled without” (15%)—
Power Train309%75,000——
Air Bags227%119,000——
Unknown or Other155%91,000——
Vehicle Speed Control155%61,889——
Engine and Engine Cooling144%57,000——
Visibility134%18,600——
Service Brakes103%99,000——
Electronic Stability Control (esc)93%88,500——
Steering93%83,300——
Structure93%88,895——
Seat Belts82%120,000——
Suspension82%81,502——
Fuel/propulsion System62%83,300——
Visibility/wiper62%68,700——
Exterior Lighting52%67,777——
Seats52%63,000——
Fuel System, Gasoline31%80,800——
Service Brakes, Hydraulic21%99,474——
Tires21%138,913——
Traction Control System21%103,150——
Wheels21%70,148——
Equipment10%———
Forward Collision Avoidance10%130,000——

One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.

Complaints by year received

Peak: 2015, with 113 complaints
2007: 3200732008: 772009: 6200962010: 11112011: 122011122012: 16162013: 282013282014: 37372015: 11320151132016: 17172017: 112017112018: 17172019: 132019132020: 12122021: 6202162022: 772023: 4202342024: 222025: 1202512026: 33

n = 326 complaints · Source: NHTSA

2008 Jeep Commander recalls (4)

Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.

Electrical system:ignitionSep 17, 2014 · NHTSA campaign 14V567000 · 292,798 vehicles

Problem: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2008 Chrysler 300 vehicles manufactured May 31, 2007, to May 12, 2008, Dodge Magnum vehicles manufactured May 23, 2007, to May 12, 2008, Dodge Charger vehicles manufactured May 24, 2007, to May 12, 2008, Jeep Commander vehicles manufactured April 3, 2007, to May 12, 2008, and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured March 21, 2007, to May 12, 2008. In the affected vehicles, the ignition key (FOBIK) may not return to the "ON" position after being rotated to the "START" position, instead sticking between the two positions. Potentially, while the vehicle is being driven, the ignition may inadvertently move through the "RUN" position to the "ACCESSORY" or "OFF" ignition position, turning off the engine.

Risk: If the ignition stays between "START" and "ON" positions it could cause loss of certain electrical functions. If the ignition key inadvertently moves into the "OFF" or "ACCESSORY" position, the engine will turn off, which will then depower various key safety systems including but not limited to air bags, power steering, and power braking. Loss of functionality of these systems may increase the risk of crash and/or increase the risk of injury in the event of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the ignition switch and key FOBs, free of charge. The recall began August 19, 2015. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is P57.

Electrical system; power train:transfer case (4-wheel drive)May 7, 2013 · NHTSA campaign 13V175000 · 295,345 vehicles

Problem: Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) is recalling certain model year 2005-2010 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured February 11, 2004, through March 9, 2010; and 2006-2010 Jeep Commander vehicles manufactured January 31, 2005, through March 10, 2010. A transfer case electrical failure may result in an unintentional shifting of the transfer case into the neutral position.

Risk: If the vehicle shifts into neutral, it may roll away increasing the risk of a crash or personal injury.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reflash the final drive controller which governs the transfer case, with new software, free of charge. The recall began on August 15, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N23.

Electrical system; visibility:windshield wiper/washerFeb 6, 2008 · NHTSA campaign 08V059000 · 1,338 vehicles

Problem: Chrysler is recalling 1,338 my 2008 jeep grand cherokee and commander vehicles. The front control module may have been incorrectly manufactured.

Risk: This could cause the engine to stall while driving or not to start and/or cause the windshield wipers to become inoperative. Engine stalling or inoperative wipers could cause a crash without warning.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the module and replace it if necessary. The recall began on february 18, 2008. Owners may contact chrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

Service brakes, hydraulic:foundation components:disc:caliperSep 12, 2007 · NHTSA campaign 07V415000 · 28,755 vehicles

Problem: On certain sport utility vehicles, front brake calipers in a certain lot may have been manufactured from gray iron instead of ductile iron as designed and could fracture without warning.

Risk: This would increase the vehicle's stopping distance and could cause a crash.

Fix: Dealers will inspect the front brake calipers to see if they fall into this lot and, if so, will replace them free of charge. The recall began on october 22, 2007. Owners may contact daimlerchrysler at 1-800-853-1403.

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.

Recent owner reports

Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.

I had the vehicle towed into the dealership with issues and was charged given the vehicle back and not fixed. I have attempted to reach out several times and I feel discriminated against with being told that I will receive a call back and they continue to ignore my calls and no call back at all. I…

Engine · received Aug 31, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11760883

Driving down the interstate with all windows on Jeep Commander closed. With no fore warning the sunroof flew off. This poses a serious safety risk to the individual driver and others on the road. My scenario another driver’s vehicle was struck by said glass.

Visibility/wiper · received Mar 15, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11724495

Traction control kicks in and the gas peddle doesn't work properly. Won't accelerate and just slows down. 20-30 seconds later and it kicks back off. Happened 3-4 times. No problems up until incident. Does have the tire pressure light on as well.

Service Brakes · received Mar 8, 2026 · NHTSA complaint 11722764

The contact owns a 2008 Jeep Commander. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the air bag warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who diagnosed a failure with the clockspring assembly. The vehicle was not repaired. After investigating the failure, the…

Air Bags · received Apr 30, 2025 · NHTSA complaint 11657886

Codes U1403 and U1411. Driving down highway all gages stopped working, air conditioning stopped working, abs light going off, locks won’t operate, windows won’t open or close, rear door remained locked couldn’t get my child out of the car due to the rear door remaining locked. Technician…

Electrical System · received Jun 18, 2024 · NHTSA complaint 11594970

Other Jeep Commander years

← 2007 Commander · 2009 Commander →

YearComplaintsRecalls
2010 Commander454
2009 Commander462
20083264
2007 Commander6965
2006 Commander1,6355
2005 Commander40

See all Jeep Commander problems by year, every Jeep model, or the Jeep VIN decoder.

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Frequently asked questions

What are the most common problems with the 2008 Jeep Commander?

Owners most often report electrical system, engine, power train problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 201 complaints.

Was there a recall on the 2008 Jeep Commander?

Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.

Was the 2008 Jeep Commander a good year?

Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Commander model years, the 2008 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.