2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Grand Cherokee years
- About as many complaints as other years 19th of 32 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 4 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 734 complaints with NHTSA about the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. That ranks 19th out of 32 Grand Cherokee model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is electrical system (473 complaints, 64%), typically at around 78,000 miles. Complaints mention 23 crashes, 5 fires, 10 injuries. There are 4 safety recalls covering this model year.

- 734owner complaints
- 4safety recalls
- 0NHTSA investigations
- 23complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2008 Jeep Grand 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Electrical System problems | 473 | 64% | 78,000 | “ignition switch” (11%) | $600 |
| Engine problems | 107 | 15% | 78,000 | “stalled without” (11%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 77 | 10% | 75,600 | “transfer case” (17%) | — |
| Air Bags | 40 | 5% | 109,852 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 39 | 5% | 31,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 35 | 5% | 95,000 | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 27 | 4% | 89,000 | — | — |
| Steering | 24 | 3% | 74,500 | — | — |
| Visibility | 21 | 3% | 40,223 | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 20 | 3% | 80,650 | — | — |
| Tires | 19 | 3% | 23,000 | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 17 | 2% | 63,500 | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 16 | 2% | 82,000 | — | — |
| Structure | 13 | 2% | 43,737 | — | — |
| Electronic Stability Control (esc) | 10 | 1% | 122,500 | — | — |
| Suspension | 9 | 1% | 76,000 | — | — |
| Equipment | 8 | 1% | 38,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 7 | 1% | 99,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 5 | 1% | 69,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Other | 3 | 0% | 18,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 0% | 90,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 3 | 0% | 121,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 2 | 0% | 22,611 | — | — |
| Latches/locks/linkages | 2 | 0% | 42,125 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Hydraulic | 2 | 0% | 47,000 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 1 | 0% | 210,000 | — | — |
| Interior Lighting | 1 | 0% | 40,143 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | 37,859 | — | — |
| Service Brakes, Electric | 1 | 0% | 45,000 | — | — |
| Traction Control System | 1 | 0% | 45,000 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee recalls (4)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Electrical system:ignition
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)
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/washer
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:caliper
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.
The contact owns a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While stopped in traffic, the vehicle stalled with the engine oil warning light illuminated. The contact parked, turned off, and then restarted the vehicle. Additionally, the windshield wipers intermittently activated while driving. The contact…
The contact owns a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle was started in the driveway but immediately turned off. The vehicle was restarted and shifted into reverse(R); however, the vehicle drove forward instead. The vehicle was immediately turned off to avoid a crash. The…
5.7L Hemi Engine fire. The primary cause was a wire harness retention clip failure that allows the starter wiring harness to lay on the steering column. As it turns, it cuts into the harness and provides battery voltage to the steering column. In my case, there was a power steering fluid leak…
Driver's steering wheel airbag malfunctioned and deployed unexpectedly while backing into a parking space. Safety of passengers through potential of bodily injury and car crash due to lack of sight and sudden explosion/deployment of airbag while car is actively being driven could have been causedby…
When driving it will randomly shift into 4th gear very hard and stay in 4th until you turn it off. It will happen at any speed and be fine for months or do have the issues consistently for long period of time then stop. It happens with no pattern or related reasons.
Other Jeep Grand Cherokee years
← 2007 Grand Cherokee · 2009 Grand Cherokee →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Grand Cherokee | 25 | 6 |
| 2025 Grand Cherokee | 76 | 4 |
| 2024 Grand Cherokee | 249 | 16 |
| 2023 Grand Cherokee | 397 | 21 |
| 2022 Grand Cherokee | 264 | 13 |
| 2021 Grand Cherokee | 409 | 12 |
| 2020 Grand Cherokee | 240 | 3 |
| 2019 Grand Cherokee | 370 | 7 |
| 2018 Grand Cherokee | 855 | 10 |
| 2017 Grand Cherokee | 364 | 5 |
| 2016 Grand Cherokee | 311 | 8 |
| 2015 Grand Cherokee | 1,366 | 9 |
| 2014 Grand Cherokee | 2,381 | 18 |
| 2013 Grand Cherokee | 804 | 9 |
| 2012 Grand Cherokee | 1,644 | 10 |
| 2011 Grand Cherokee | 1,640 | 6 |
| 2010 Grand Cherokee | 118 | 5 |
| 2009 Grand Cherokee | 138 | 2 |
| 2008 | 734 | 4 |
| 2007 Grand Cherokee | 1,108 | 5 |
| 2006 Grand Cherokee | 1,280 | 4 |
| 2005 Grand Cherokee | 2,051 | 3 |
| 2004 Grand Cherokee | 1,295 | 8 |
| 2003 Grand Cherokee | 762 | 4 |
| 2002 Grand Cherokee | 1,476 | 10 |
| 2001 Grand Cherokee | 883 | 4 |
| 2000 Grand Cherokee | 1,447 | 6 |
| 1999 Grand Cherokee | 1,638 | 4 |
| 1998 Grand Cherokee | 1,028 | 4 |
| 1997 Grand Cherokee | 991 | 5 |
| 1996 Grand Cherokee | 893 | 6 |
| 1995 Grand Cherokee | 719 | 4 |
See all Jeep Grand Cherokee 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 Grand Cherokee?
Owners most often report electrical system, engine, power train problems. The top one, electrical system, accounts for 473 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Yes, 4 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Grand Cherokee model years, the 2008 has about as many complaints as a typical year. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.