Jeep Grand Cherokee Exterior Lighting Problems
Owners have filed 705 complaints with NHTSA about exterior lighting problems on the Jeep Grand Cherokee across 31 model years. The 2000 model year has the most (72). The words owners use most often: “turn signal” (6% of reports).
- 705exterior lighting complaints
- —median miles at failure
- 13mention a crash
- 7mention an injury
- 6related recalls
- $1,600typical repair cost reported by owners
- 39%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.
- Turn signal: mentioned in 42 of 705 complaints (6%)
How much does it cost to fix?
Owners who wrote down what they paid or were quoted put the typical exterior lighting repair on the Jeep Grand Cherokee at $1,600, and half of them between $380 and $1,950.
Based on 17 NHTSA complaints about this problem alone that state a repair bill or quote (2008–2025), 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 exterior lighting problems happen?
Based on 424 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 705 complaints, 13 mention a crash, 25 a fire, 7 an injury.
Jeep Grand Cherokee exterior lighting complaints by model year
| Model year | Exterior Lighting complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 Grand Cherokee | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2024 Grand Cherokee | 16 | 6% | 1,000 |
| 2023 Grand Cherokee | 8 | 2% | 200 |
| 2022 Grand Cherokee | 1 | 0% | — |
| 2021 Grand Cherokee | 42 | 10% | 19,000 |
| 2020 Grand Cherokee | 2 | 1% | — |
| 2019 Grand Cherokee | 11 | 3% | 40,000 |
| 2018 Grand Cherokee | 22 | 3% | 68,000 |
| 2017 Grand Cherokee | 14 | 4% | 25,000 |
| 2016 Grand Cherokee | 10 | 3% | 48,500 |
| 2015 Grand Cherokee | 19 | 1% | 43,000 |
| 2014 Grand Cherokee | 54 | 2% | 31,260 |
| 2013 Grand Cherokee | 23 | 3% | 32,500 |
| 2012 Grand Cherokee | 34 | 2% | 50,000 |
| 2011 Grand Cherokee | 37 | 2% | 59,512 |
| 2010 Grand Cherokee | 1 | 1% | — |
| 2009 Grand Cherokee | 3 | 2% | 68,213 |
| 2008 Grand Cherokee | 17 | 2% | 63,500 |
| 2007 Grand Cherokee | 23 | 2% | 60,940 |
| 2006 Grand Cherokee | 64 | 5% | 86,051 |
| 2005 Grand Cherokee | 60 | 3% | 90,694 |
| 2004 Grand Cherokee | 27 | 2% | 106,072 |
| 2003 Grand Cherokee | 15 | 2% | 118,000 |
| 2002 Grand Cherokee | 19 | 1% | 68,000 |
| 2001 Grand Cherokee | 26 | 3% | 67,500 |
| 2000 Grand Cherokee | 72 | 5% | 96,025 |
| 1999 Grand Cherokee | 35 | 2% | 90,000 |
| 1998 Grand Cherokee | 15 | 1% | 124,450 |
| 1997 Grand Cherokee | 14 | 1% | 150,500 |
| 1996 Grand Cherokee | 14 | 2% | 100,000 |
| 1995 Grand Cherokee | 6 | 1% | 109,500 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (6)
Exterior lighting:headlights; electrical system:body control module:software
Model years: 2023, 2024
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2023-2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Jeep Grand Cherokee L vehicles. When the master headlight switch is set to the AUTO position, the driver may be unable to quickly activate the high beams. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: High beam headlights that do not activate as intended can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reconfigure the vehicle high beam parameters, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed March 7, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 12B.
Exterior lighting:tail lights
Model years: 2021
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2021-2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vehicles. The tail light side marker assemblies may be damaged and not illuminate. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamp, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: A tail light side marker that does not illuminate can reduce vehicle visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will inspect and replace both body-mounted tail light assemblies, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed June 8, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Z50.
Exterior lighting:lighting control module:software; exterior lighting:headlights
Model years: 2021
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vehicles equipped with smart lighting modules (SLM). An incomplete SLM software update may cause one or both headlights to become inoperable. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Inoperable headlights can reduce visibility for the driver and oncoming traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the SLM software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 23, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y72.
Exterior lighting:headlights
Model years: 2021
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vehicles not equipped with automatic high beams. When the master lighting switch is set to the auto position, the high beam headlights will not activate unless the master lighting switch is first changed to the 'on" position. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 108, "Lamps, Reflective Devices, and Associated Equipment."
Risk: Difficulty activating the headlight high beams may result in reduced visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will reprogram the vehicles, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 28, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is Y66.
Exterior lighting:brake lights:switch; power train:automatic transmission:park/neutral start interlock switch
Model years: 2016
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured May 15, 2015 to February 19, 2016. The brake transmission shift interlock solenoid may have a loose electrical connection which could result in a loss of solenoid function.
Risk: If the solenoid loses function, the transmission may lock in the Park or Neutral position when the vehicle comes to a stop, possibly rendering the vehicle disabled in traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the shifter assembly, free of charge. The recall began on May 27, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S28.
Exterior lighting
Model years: 2014
Problem: Chrysler is recalling certain model year 2014, non-SRT trimmed, Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured January 14, 2013, through March 20, 2013 equipped with premium headlamps. In the affected vehicles, when switching between daytime running lights and parking lights, electrical spikes may cause the parking lamps to turn off. Without properly functioning parking lamps these vehicles fail to conform to the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) No. 108, "Lamps, reflective devices, and associated equipment."
Risk: Without parking lamps, the vehicle may not be as visible to other vehicles, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the Central Body Controller software, free of charge. The recall BEGAN ON September 12, 2013. Owners may contact Chrysler at 1-800-247-9753. Chrysler's recall campaign number is N42.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
My vehicle auto high beams do not work when in the auto position this is a similar issue to recall 12b that my vehicle was not included in!
engine transmission motor mount backup camera fuel pump headlights dash cluster radio mirrors inside mirrors tailgate latch seat belt climate control engine light transmission shifter
I was driving back from the airport and as it began to get dark, it became apparent I had no headlights. I somehow managed to drive the last two hours home on parking lights and lights from other vehicles.I took it to a Chrysler Jeep dealership Goldies in Huntington, West Virginia. The exam that I…
When I push the turn signal stockforward to initiate the highbeams, the highbeam function does not work. The lever clicks into position as it should, but it does not initiate the high beam mode. It will work first thing in the morning when I start my car, but after three or four minutes, the…
See attached document for complaint.
Frequently asked questions
Do all Jeep Grand Cherokees have exterior lighting problems?
No. NHTSA has 705 owner complaints about exterior lighting for the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the Jeep Grand Cherokee exterior lighting?
Yes: 6 safety recalls list exterior lighting. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
How much does it cost to fix exterior lighting problems on the Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Owners report a typical cost of $1,600 (half paid between $380 and $1,950), from 17 complaints that state a repair bill or quote, in 2026 dollars.
What do owners say about exterior lighting problems on the Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The most frequent phrase is “turn signal”, in 42 of 705 complaints.
Other Jeep Grand Cherokee problems
- Electrical System problems (7,478)
- Power Train problems (4,329)
- Engine problems (2,879)
- Service Brakes, Hydraulic problems (2,328)
- Air Bags problems (2,201)
- Seats problems (1,613)
- Service Brakes problems (1,504)
- Visibility problems (1,454)
See all Jeep Grand Cherokee problems.