2021 JEEP Cherokee

Recalls, Specs & Safety Report

Expert Verdict
โ„น๏ธAverage Safety Profile

This 2021 model shows average reliability, primarily driven by 3 recalls affecting the power train system.

Key Factor:power train recalls

๐Ÿ“‹Why This Matters

Understanding recall history helps predict future ownership costs. Each unaddressed issue represents potential repair expenses.

Insurance companies review vehicle reliability data when setting premiums. Models with elevated recall rates often see adjusted pricing.

Focus Area:general reliability
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Expert Analysis

  • ๐Ÿ“ˆ
    Recall Trend:No Change in recalls
  • โš ๏ธ
    Primary Risk Area:Warning
  • โš–๏ธ
    Vs Brand: Better than avg (4.0)
    ๐Ÿ“
    Summary:

Safety & Reliability Score

66/100

Score Breakdown

Recall Impact-24
Complaint Impact-5
Investigation Impact-5

Technical Specifications

Key specifications for the 2021 JEEP Cherokee

Model Year2021
MakeJEEP
ModelCherokee
Fuel TypeGasoline
Body ClassPassenger Vehicle

Safety History Timeline

Scroll for more โ†’
Jan21
NEWProduction
Jan21
RECALLRecall Issued
Apr21
RECALLRecall Issued
Oct21
ISSUEFirst Report
Apr23
INVInvestigation Opened
Aug24
RECALLRecall Issued

Consumer Complaint Analysis

โš ๏ธ

Most Reported Issue

26 complaints (26% of total)
โžก๏ธ

Complaint Trend

Stable
No trend data
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Safety Incidents

No critical incidents

Complaint Severity Distribution

Breakdown of 100 consumer complaints by severity level.

๐ŸŸ High
13(13%)
๐ŸŸกMedium
28(28%)
๐ŸŸขLow
59(59%)

Mileage Failure Analysis

โš™๏ธEngineering Insight

Based on consumer reports, issues for this vehicle tend to peak around the 20k-40k mileage range. The average reported failure mileage is 46,027 miles.

๐Ÿ“Š Mileage data extracted from 29 of 100 complaints (29% coverage)
0-20k
5 reports (17%)
20k-40k
9 reports (31%)
40k-60k
6 reports (21%)
60k-80k
7 reports (24%)
80k-100k
1 reports (3%)
100k+
1 reports (3%)
* Analysis based on mileage data extracted from consumer complaint descriptions. Actual failure rates may vary.

๐Ÿ› ๏ธ DIY Diagnosis Center

Experiencing an issue? Select a symptom to find official manufacturer solutions (TSBs).

Primary Risk Areas

POWER TRAINSUSPENSIONAIR BAGS

Official Safety Recalls (3)

Campaign: 21V310000

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLER/RADIATOR:HOSES AND FITTINGS

Summary

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The transmission oil cooler hose may have been incorrectly cured, allowing transmission fluid to leak.

Consequence

A transmission fluid leak increases the risk of a fire.

Remedy

Dealers will inspect and replace the hose, free of charge. Owners notification letters were mailed May 18, 2021. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Y18.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)

Campaign: 20V657000

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

Summary

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Cherokee Latitude and Jeep Cherokee Limited vehicles. One or both of the front lower control arms may fracture while driving.

Consequence

A front lower control arm fracture while driving may result in a loss of steering control, increasing the risk of a crash without prior warning.

Remedy

Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the front lower control arms and replace them as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November 6, 2020. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W81. Note: Owners are advised to not drive their vehicles until they have been inspected and repaired if needed.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US LLC)

Campaign: 24V516000

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN

Summary

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. An improperly secured connector for the right-side curtain air bag may prevent the air bag from deploying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 214, "Side Impact Protection" and 226, "Ejection Mitigation."

Consequence

An air bag that does not deploy as intended can increase the risk of injury in a crash.

Remedy

Dealers will secure the connector, free of charge. All vehicles have been remedied. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 71B.

Additional Notes

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.nhtsa.gov.

Manufacturer: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)

NHTSA Investigations

1 investigation

Official NHTSA safety investigations for 2021 Cherokee.

INV-2021-1000๐ŸŸข Closed

NHTSA opened investigation after receiving consumer complaints regarding Cherokee performance issues.

Opened: Affected Units: 13,207

Consumer Complaints

100 total complaints

Consumer-reported issues submitted to NHTSA for 2021 Cherokee.

Common Reported SymptomsAI Analysis

Warning26%
Noise13%
Acceleration Issues10%
Battery9%
Accident9%
Stall8%
Crash/Accident7%
Check Engine Light7%
Jerk6%
Fire5%
Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ต Low
POWER TRAIN

PTU Failure. Known issue. 2017-2019 recalled but the part is still and issue and can lock up transmission. Recall needs to be extended to cover later years

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
POWER TRAIN

I took my vehicle to dealer shortly after purchase due to jerking forward during stops. A software update was performed and did not have any issues until recently. The past few weeks it began to hesitate upon acceleration and jerked forward harshly into first gear. Today there is a very noticeable prolonged hesitation during acceleration and an odd revving noice coming from TPU. This should be a major recall given the frequency and severity of the issue which could lead to a crash.

Engine/Powertrainโš ๏ธ High
ENGINE

The contact owned a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that there was an abnormal sweet/alcohol smell in the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an independent while in the process of performing a stress test drive. There was a popping sound from the ignition, and it stopped on the interstate. Upon opening the hood, he noticed smoke and flames, and the vehicle fully ignited and caught fire. The fire department was on the scene to extinguish the fire and determined that the cable installation or hose installation failure of equipment/leak resulted in an electrical fire. There was no reported crash, air bag deployment, or police report filed. The local dealer was contacted, who referred to the manufacturer and the NHTSA hotline. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 64,000. The vehicle was deemed a total loss by the insurance company.

Electrical๐Ÿ”ต Low
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Cherokee. The contact stated that while his wife was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle lost motive power. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the hazard lights failed to operate. The contact's wife coasted the vehicle to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer, who determined that the battery had failed. The dealer replaced the battery. The contact stated that the battery warning light was not illuminated before the failure. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 49,000.

Other๐Ÿ”ต Low
UNKNOWN OR OTHER

My jeep initially shutoff while driving on the interstate at 70 mph last December. I took it the dealership and they kept it for 2 months and replaced several parts. I got it back and it shutoff the next day, but started after l let it sit for an hour. Then it went for weeks with no issues, then it started happening again, so I took it to a different dealership. They also repaired different issues. I got it back and it shutoff again on the interstate at 70 mph in rush hour traffic. Both times were scary and unsafe situations. The jeep has been at the dealership now over a month with no diagnosis. It has been at 2 dealerships for a total of 4 months. I've researched this and found out that there are a lot of people having the same problem with this jeep and similar types. I'm wondering why is this not a safety recall issue, because both of my situations could of ended badly if I had panicked. Please have this situation addressed or reviewed before it causes bodily harm! The manufacturer/dealership doesn't seem to take this seriously!!

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ต Low
POWER TRAIN,UNKNOWN OR OTHER

I have had a service 4wd light on for months. The Power Transfer Case part has been on backorder from jeep for over 4 months and I have been left with out a vehicle this entire time with no updates or information about when the parts will be available.

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ถ Medium
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

About a month ago I noticed the gas pump clicking off quickly, way before the tank is full. I have been unable to fully fill my tank since. No accidents have occurred to cause a problem but my engine light is on and after getting it read it says it's an EVAC issue. When placing the nozzle in the tank a large amount of air noise is heard.

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ต Low
POWER TRAIN

2021 78784 MILES WONT DRIVE 4 WHEEL LIGHT ON DEALER STATES NEES NEW PTU SAYS THERES MAJOR PROBLEMS WITH THE PTU BUT WILL NOT COVER UNDER WARRANTY. $ 4, 000 TO REPAIR 99 COMPLIANTS HERE ALONE

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ต Low
POWER TRAIN

PTU failure

Engine/Powertrain๐Ÿ”ต Low
POWER TRAIN

While driving on the highway a message popped up that the 4 wheel drive system was unavailable. Then the orange error message displayed the svc 4wd. Then it went off. I called the dealership and was told to get it checked sometime, but since it went off there was no rush. I told him to check it when I brought it in for an oil change. Apparently they did not check it for error codes. No error messages or lights when I went to work. Came out to go home and the battery was dead. Called the dealership for a jump. They came and jump started me. When I put the car into reverse, it wouldn't go. I called the dealership again and they came back and said I'd need to get my Jeep towed to them. My Jeep was towed on Wednesday, October 29. It took the dealership a week to look at my car and find out that the PTU had metal chunks and slime in it.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are there any recalls for the 2021 JEEP Cherokee?

Yes, the 2021 JEEP Cherokee has 3 recorded recalls from NHTSA. These recalls cover various components including POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLER/RADIATOR:HOSES AND FITTINGS, SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM, AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN.

Is the 2021 JEEP Cherokee safe to drive?

The 2021 JEEP Cherokee has 3 recalls. If you own this vehicle, check with your dealer to ensure all recall repairs have been completed. Most recalls have free remedies available.

Where can I check if my 2021 JEEP Cherokee has open recalls?

You can check for open recalls by visiting NHTSA.gov and entering your Vehicle Identification Number (VIN), or by contacting your local JEEP dealer.

๐Ÿ“ŠYear-over-Year Context

โžก๏ธStable Pattern

Compared to earlier years, the 2021 model shows stable reliability patterns. No meaningful structural change detected in recall frequency between adjacent model years.

๐ŸŽฏRisk Areas & Recommended Actions

Based on recall data, these components require verification:

1

Power train

Issue: presents fire risk under certain conditions

โœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm power train recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

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If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all power train recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:21V310000
2

Suspension

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

โœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm suspension recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

๐Ÿ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all suspension recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:20V657000
3

Air bags

Issue: increases crash or loss-of-control risk

โœ…

If you already own this vehicle: Contact your dealer immediately to confirm air bags recall is complete. Recall repairs are always free.

๐Ÿ”

If you are evaluating a used example: Request VIN and verify all air bags recalls are completed before purchase.

Campaign:24V516000
๐Ÿ’กVisit NHTSA.gov or contact your JEEP dealer to verify recall completion status.

๐ŸงญWhat This Means for You

Both current owners and prospective buyers benefit from reviewing this safety analysis before making decisions.

If you're unsure, we recommend starting with a VIN check or consulting a certified mechanic.

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If You Own This Vehicle

  • Verify all 3 recalls have been completed using your VIN at NHTSA.gov or through your JEEP dealer.
  • If any recalls are open, schedule service immediatelyโ€”recall repairs are always free.
  • Consider setting up VIN-specific alerts to receive notification of future recalls.
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If You're Buying Used

  • Request documentation proving all recalls were addressed before finalizing purchase.
  • Factor potential recall-related service time into your ownership cost estimates.

This page is designed to help you decide, not alarm you.

Compare with Similar Vehicles

Data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Last updated: January 10, 2026.