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2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L
The verdict
1 thing going for it, 2 to watch.
Cons
Official recall campaigns exist for this vehicle. See the Safety Recalls section for what failed and how it's fixed.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Safety Recalls
21 of 26 owner complaints are about the engine. Tap it in the heatmap to read the real reports.
Why we say this — NHTSA — Owner Complaints
Pros
Earned a strong overall government crash-test rating.
Why we say this — NHTSA — 5-Star Safety Ratings
Neutral
Official EPA fuel economy. We show this as a neutral fact — whether it's 'good' depends on the vehicle's class.
Why we say this — U.S. EPA / DOE — fueleconomy.gov
Take this with you:
★★★★★Crash-test safety
0Safety recalls
0Owner complaints
0% involved a crash or fire
21–23Combined MPG
ℹ️ Recalls & complaints are reported per model — the same across every trim & engine. Fuel economy (and crash ratings by body style) can vary — use the pickers in those sections.
Safety Recalls
Official recall campaigns. Tap one to see the danger and the fix.
What is a recall, really?
A recall means the government made the manufacturer admit a safety defect — and the fix is free at any dealer, forever, even for used cars. Recalls range from a software update to "the steering wheel can detach," so read the danger line on each one. Buying used? Ask the seller for proof each recall was completed, or have a dealer run the VIN. Recalls also have a quieter cousin worth reading: technical service bulletins.
NHTSA Campaign 26V529000
What's wrong: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L vehicles. Due to a software issue in the body control module (BCM), the windshield wipers may fail.
The danger: Windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the body control module (BCM) software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed September 3, 2026. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 77D. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 20, 2026.
NHTSA Campaign 26V531000
What's wrong: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2026 Jeep Wrangler, Jeep Gladiator, Jeep Compass, Jeep Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, Jeep Grand Wagoneer L, Ram Promaster, Ram Promaster EV, Ram 1500, Ram 2500, Chrysler Pacifica Plug-In Hybrid, Chrysler Voyager, and 2026-2027 Chrysler Pacifica and Dodge Charger vehicles. The rearview camera image may fail to display when the vehicle is placed in reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rear Visibility."
The danger: A rearview camera image that fails to display reduces the driver's view behind the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
The fix: Radio software will be updated by a dealer or through an over-the-air (OTA) update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning September 2, 2026. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is 78D. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will be searchable on NHTSA.gov on August 20, 2026.
NHTSA Campaign 26V559000
What's wrong: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2024-2025 Jeep Wagoneer, 2024-2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Grand Cherokee L, Jeep Grand Cherokee 4XE, Jeep Grand Wagoneer, 2025 Jeep Wagoneer L, 2025-2026 Jeep Grand Wagoneer L, and 2026 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. Due to a software error, the tire pressure monitoring system may fail to detect low tire pressure and/or fail to illuminate the tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) warning light as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 138, "Tire Pressure Monitoring System."
The danger: A TPMS warning light that fails to notify the driver of low tire pressure increases the risk of a crash.
The fix: Dealers will update the radio frequency hub software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning September 17, 2026. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 54D. Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on September 9, 2026.
Source: NHTSA — Safety Recalls · re-checked about every 24 hours
Where Owners Report Problems
Where owners report the most trouble — based on 26 complaints. Tap a part to read the real reports.
Raw count — best-sellers naturally log more complaints than rare cars, so judge it against the peer comparison below, not on its own.
Why don't we show complaints per vehicle sold?
Because no official source publishes sales counts per model — that data is sold by private firms, and the free numbers online are guesses. A rate built on a guessed denominator is a guess wearing a lab coat, so we refuse to show one. Instead we show comparisons where fleet size cancels out or is disclosed: the same model across its own years, the crash/fire severity mix, and the peer ranking below — each with its methodology attached.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 21):
Check engine light came on and vehicle would not accelerate or was having problems with acceleration. Safety was put at risk in a way that did not know if the car was going to go tor completely stop vehicle felt like it was stalling Check engine light on
car doesn't idle well, when attempting to merge into traffic car stalls and hesitates to move. continues to misfire. has been in two dealerships for checking my complaints. [XXX] in [XXX] and Myrtle Beach Jeep. still continues to misfire. very scary to drive because afraid it is going to stop at any time INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Sitting at a red light car stalled. motor turned off and i had to restart my car. Idle mode was off. My car vibrated and then the engine light came on.
Vehicle jerks head back and forth from hesitation and roughing when accelerate in 1st gear from stop to 10 miles hours. Very unsafe and have brought to dealership several times to diagnose and they have one recall On spark plugs replacement that did not change anything. Very unsafe driving like that.
August 9, we were driving home when the vehicle jerked 2-3 times then the engine shut off (while in motion). This happened on a windy backroad with no way to pull over. We were able to restart the vehicle and make it home safely. Contacted Jeep on the 10, they said it was due to a spark plug recall. When driving to the dealership that morning service AWD light turned on, Jeep replaced the spark plugs and stared that fixed the problem. Driving home once picked up and service AWD light turned on again. Dealership is now stating it is the Drivetrain control module.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 7):
car doesn't idle well, when attempting to merge into traffic car stalls and hesitates to move. continues to misfire. has been in two dealerships for checking my complaints. [XXX] in [XXX] and Myrtle Beach Jeep. still continues to misfire. very scary to drive because afraid it is going to stop at any time INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
I was driving on the highway on 9/23/2026 at approximately 5pm CST. A disabled vehicle ahead warning flashed on the dash and I experienced sudden, unprompted high RPM surges while driving. My car started making a very loud engine sound and I could smell something burning. I could not surpass about 20 MPH. I put on my hazard lights immediately and pulled off the highway and drove to a safe space. My safety and others were put at severe risk because my car immediately slowed to 20MPH on a highway at rush hour. I could have been rear-ended and severely hurt at the speed cars behind me were traveling. Others in the cars behind me could have been badly hurt as well. I couldn't get initial assistance from the dealership despite trying to contact them repeatedly and talk to a live person and instead kept being transferred to a virtual chatbot. My husband was able to reach a live person and the dealership then sent out a rental car and picked my car up. I told the dealership it should not be driven and a tow truck should pick up the car. When I typed the incident into the Internet, it said you should not drive it after this as it could cause further damage. However, they sated that they were going to drive it to the dealership and they had a service manager on standby if needed. I told them that it was in limp mode and couldn't go over 20mph. It is currently at the dealership, and I am waiting for them to call me once they have inspected the car and run diagnostics. I have started a case with JeepCares.
August 9, we were driving home when the vehicle jerked 2-3 times then the engine shut off (while in motion). This happened on a windy backroad with no way to pull over. We were able to restart the vehicle and make it home safely. Contacted Jeep on the 10, they said it was due to a spark plug recall. When driving to the dealership that morning service AWD light turned on, Jeep replaced the spark plugs and stared that fixed the problem. Driving home once picked up and service AWD light turned on again. Dealership is now stating it is the Drivetrain control module.
The turbo lag in this vehicle creates an unsafe condition when trying to turn onto a busy road, street or highway. It’s inconsistent and in the heavy 3 row SUV completely unpredictable. Today my wife narrowly avoided an accident.
Vehicle is very jerky while transmission is downshifting. With no pressure applied to gas pedal vehicle lurches forward on own forcing me to step on brakes to correct lunging forward. At parking lot speeds and while in reverse vehicle is very sluggish and feels like stalling will occur if pressure is not applied to gas pedal. Vehicle is also sluggish and does not respond right away while entering highway , there is a delay with acceleration , this also could cause an accident as the vehicle is not speeding up correctly.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 5):
car doesn't idle well, when attempting to merge into traffic car stalls and hesitates to move. continues to misfire. has been in two dealerships for checking my complaints. [XXX] in [XXX] and Myrtle Beach Jeep. still continues to misfire. very scary to drive because afraid it is going to stop at any time INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Sitting at a red light car stalled. motor turned off and i had to restart my car. Idle mode was off. My car vibrated and then the engine light came on.
Vehicle jerks head back and forth from hesitation and roughing when accelerate in 1st gear from stop to 10 miles hours. Very unsafe and have brought to dealership several times to diagnose and they have one recall On spark plugs replacement that did not change anything. Very unsafe driving like that.
I am reporting a serious safety concern with my 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. On multiple occasions, while driving and needing to slow down quickly behind another vehicle, the vehicle has emitted an audible warning, the engine has shut off while the vehicle was still moving, and the "D" drive indicator began flashing. When this occurs, the vehicle loses propulsion and I am only able to coast to a stop. I then have to place the vehicle in Park and restart the engine before the transmission will operate normally again. This has happened more than once and appears to occur during firm or rapid braking/deceleration. The braking was not an emergency stop or collision. The vehicle simply required quicker-than-normal deceleration due to traffic ahead. I am concerned that this could occur at highway speeds or in heavy traffic and create a serious risk of a rear-end collision or other crash because the vehicle unexpectedly loses engine power and propulsion while still in motion. The vehicle is very new. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this is a powertrain, transmission, engine-control, braking-system, or software-related safety defect affecting the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L.
I purchased a brand new 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Summit in April 2026. At approximately 1,205 miles, while traveling with my wife and [XXX] child in [XXX] , the vehicle suddenly developed a flashing check engine light and severe engine misfire condition. The engine began shaking violently, idling rough, and lost smooth drivability during operation. I scanned the vehicle using an OBD-II scanner and the PCM stored diagnostic trouble code P0302, indicating a cylinder #2 misfire. Due to concern for vehicle safety and possible engine damage, the vehicle was towed to Vaden Chrysler Dodge Jeep RAM for diagnosis. The dealership later advised me that the spark plug in cylinder #2 had cracked porcelain and that the vehicle requires spark plug replacement. The dealership also stated they were awaiting authorization/approval from Stellantis before proceeding with repairs. This failure occurred extremely early in the vehicle’s life and caused my family to become stranded during travel. A flashing check engine light indicates an active misfire severe enough to potentially damage emissions components and raises concerns about engine reliability and safety. I am concerned there may be a manufacturing defect, ignition system defect, spark plug defect, improper assembly issue, or another underlying engine-related problem. I am submitting this complaint so the issue is documented in case other owners experience similar early engine failures or ignition-related problems on this vehicle platform. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 5 of 5):
My wife was driving our 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with our child as a passenger on a public roadway. Traffic ahead slowed because another vehicle was turning into a parking area. There was no collision. The Forward Collision Warning/Automatic Emergency Braking system activated unexpectedly and applied the brakes. Immediately afterward, the vehicle appeared to stall or shut off while still in traffic. The instrument cluster displayed a message instructing the driver to press the Stop/Start button to restart the vehicle. The vehicle did not restart immediately and required approximately 10 seconds before it could be restarted. During this event the vehicle lost propulsion in traffic, creating a safety concern. The vehicle had approximately 3,258 miles at the time of the incident. The vehicle is currently at a Jeep dealership for diagnosis. No injuries or crash occurred.
The car would stall and shut off coming to a stop or slowing down while driving. The shift to park sensor/ indicator would come on , the knob to park lights would flash as well as the emergency brake would be activated and would not allow the vehicle to go back into drive until the vehicle was shut off completely . Twice it almost caused an accident .
Vehicle: 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L Limited Location: [XXX] Safety Issue Description: When using the remote auto‑start with the key fob, the engine starts briefly and then shuts off. When the vehicle is manually started, the check‑engine light immediately illuminates and begins flashing, and the vehicle jerks violently even while in park. The flashing check‑engine light indicates an active engine misfire, which poses a significant safety risk due to potential engine stalling, sudden loss of power, and potential catalytic‑converter damage. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)
On 7/16/2026 exactly 1 week after i purchase the vehicle after fueling i drove about 1 mile when the car started to misfire, when attempting to accelerate. Check engine light flashes a few times and then went off. I then attempted to reverse into my driveway and when attempting to do so the vehicle shut off completely. But started right back up. I then called the dealership and was asked to bring it in. The dealership has the vehicle about 2 days and said it has been repaired it had bad spark plugs. When to get the car it drove fine with no issues until 7/28/2026 when i made an attempt to drive to work, i had driven about a mile from my home and car to a red light when the light turned green i attempted to accelerate and the vehicle was hesitate. Then a few warning lights came on that showed issues with electronic throttle control and electronic stability system service. The car would not accelerate over 20 mph and would shake when i attempted to press on the accelerator, the car was then towed to the dealership and much it has been at since 7/28. I received a online request for service approval from the tech on 7/29 in which they stated cylinders 1 &4 were showing misfired and they would look into replacing the spark plugs but that they would continue to work on the car. I then received a message from my service advisor on 7/31 that stated the spark plugs were replaced but the vehicle was still having issues, i should wait until 8/3 for an update. I have not even had the vehicle for 30 days and it’s been in the shop twice for the same issue with about 1,000 miles on it.
While driving from Tampa to Miramar Beach, Florida, the vehicle operated normally on the highway. However, shortly after exiting the highway and driving in slow traffic, the engine temperature gauge suddenly rose into the red zone, and the air conditioning automatically shut off. I immediately pulled over and allowed the vehicle to cool. The engine temperature returned to normal, and after the engine cooled completely, I found that the coolant reservoir level was only slightly below the MIN mark. There are no visible coolant leaks, no check engine light, and no warning messages currently displayed.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 4 of 4):
My wife was driving our 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee Limited with our child as a passenger on a public roadway. Traffic ahead slowed because another vehicle was turning into a parking area. There was no collision. The Forward Collision Warning/Automatic Emergency Braking system activated unexpectedly and applied the brakes. Immediately afterward, the vehicle appeared to stall or shut off while still in traffic. The instrument cluster displayed a message instructing the driver to press the Stop/Start button to restart the vehicle. The vehicle did not restart immediately and required approximately 10 seconds before it could be restarted. During this event the vehicle lost propulsion in traffic, creating a safety concern. The vehicle had approximately 3,258 miles at the time of the incident. The vehicle is currently at a Jeep dealership for diagnosis. No injuries or crash occurred.
I am reporting a serious safety concern with my 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. The vehicle has emitted an audible warning, the engine has shut off while the vehicle was still moving, and the D drive indicator began flashing and automatically switches to P park. When this occurs, the vehicle loses propulsion and I am only able to coast to a stop. I then have to manually place the vehicle in Park and restart the engine before the transmission will operate normally again. This has occurred with a quick break due to rapid stopping and this has also occurred after making a right turn with no rapid stop. I did include a photo of the message that appears when this happens that states " autopark engaged shifter autocorrect active". I am currently working with the local dealership for diagnosis of the problem.
I am reporting a serious safety concern with my 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. On multiple occasions, while driving and needing to slow down quickly behind another vehicle, the vehicle has emitted an audible warning, the engine has shut off while the vehicle was still moving, and the "D" drive indicator began flashing. When this occurs, the vehicle loses propulsion and I am only able to coast to a stop. I then have to place the vehicle in Park and restart the engine before the transmission will operate normally again. This has happened more than once and appears to occur during firm or rapid braking/deceleration. The braking was not an emergency stop or collision. The vehicle simply required quicker-than-normal deceleration due to traffic ahead. I am concerned that this could occur at highway speeds or in heavy traffic and create a serious risk of a rear-end collision or other crash because the vehicle unexpectedly loses engine power and propulsion while still in motion. The vehicle is very new. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate whether this is a powertrain, transmission, engine-control, braking-system, or software-related safety defect affecting the 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L.
Two issues- 1. When pulling out into traffic the engine/gas did not catch and we slowly creeped out across lanes before the gas took. This almost caused us to become t-boned by a passing car. When the gas took the car lurched forward fast which could have been another accident. 2. When driving with adaptive cruise control the forward collision warning fault light and service adaptive cruise control light kept turning on and off with a service needed message on the heads up display. This flashed on and off repeatedly causing driver distraction and also limiting vehicle safety. This vehicle has been taken to the dealership multiple times since purchase with various resets done (Transmission control module, powertrain control module) and still numerous panel error lights turn on (engine malfunction light, traffic signal recognition fault light) and issues occur (ac stops blowing cold air, inside screens freeze) but can never be replicated or fault code founds. The biggest safety issue is the lagging engine/gas that randomly occurs from a stop as you can’t predict when it’s going to happen and it will cause an accident at some point.
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
I purchased my vehicle on Monday, 8-17-2026. While I was driving my car on Friday, 8-21-2026, I heard a loud explosion, which later I discovered the sunroof had shattered! I was the only vehicle on the road at that time! This should not have happened to a new vehicle a week old! The dealership is NOT taking any responsibility at all! This is a factory defect! My insurance should not have to pay for this defective sunroof! I demand a RECALL!
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
I purchased a brand‑new 2026 Jeep in June 2026. Shortly after taking ownership, I began experiencing significant condensation and visible water buildup inside the tail lights. This is not minor moisture — there is standing water and heavy fogging that I have documented with clear, detailed photos. Despite providing this evidence, the dealership refuses to replace the tail lights, stating they “cannot duplicate the issue.” The water intrusion is recurring, and I have multiple documented instances showing the defect. Their refusal to address the problem leaves me with a vehicle that may have compromised lighting performance, electrical risk, and reduced rear‑visibility safety, especially during braking or nighttime driving. This is a new 2026 vehicle with a clear manufacturing defect that should be covered under warranty. Water intrusion in lighting assemblies is a known safety hazard, and the dealer’s refusal to repair or replace the defective components puts me at risk. I am requesting NHTSA review this issue, as it appears to be a defect affecting the safety and reliability of the vehicle’s lighting system. Thank You
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
I was stuck on the Hot way for 45 minutes cause my car was heating up. It’s been in shop four times for heating up on the fourth time I took it in. I was stocked because my electrical started going out. The speedometer started just going around my electrical on my dash started going from heat to cold my seat controls then it started of the dash panel are going to ABS and going to different things showing the speedometer showing the mileage on the car it just started doing its own controls so and then my speedometer just called going fast and went back to deal so and didn’t blacked out so I videotaped everything
Real owner reports filed with NHTSA (showing 1 of 1):
I was stuck on the Hot way for 45 minutes cause my car was heating up. It’s been in shop four times for heating up on the fourth time I took it in. I was stocked because my electrical started going out. The speedometer started just going around my electrical on my dash started going from heat to cold my seat controls then it started of the dash panel are going to ABS and going to different things showing the speedometer showing the mileage on the car it just started doing its own controls so and then my speedometer just called going fast and went back to deal so and didn’t blacked out so I videotaped everything
Many crash/fire reportsSome crash/fire reportsNo crash/fire in reports
Color = how serious (crash/fire involvement) · number = how many (share of all this car's reports). Tap any part to read real owner complaints.
Source: NHTSA — Owner Complaints · re-checked about every 24 hours
Crash-Test Safety Ratings
Official U.S. government 5-star crash-test results.
How to read these stars
These come from the government physically crash-testing this vehicle — front, side, and rollover — and scoring it 1 to 5 stars. Ratings are per body style, so a sedan and its coupe twin can differ. If a vehicle shows no rating, it usually means the government never tested that exact configuration — untested is not the same as unsafe, and we'll never blur that line.
2026 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE L SUV N/A RWD
Source: NHTSA — 5-Star Safety Ratings · re-checked about every 24 hours
Fuel Economy (MPG)
Official EPA estimates — the real numbers, not the brochure.
21–23Combined MPG
18–21City MPG
25–26Highway MPG
$2,800–$3,050Est. fuel cost / yr
Across 4 official EPA configurations · Fuel: Regular. Pick an engine/trim above for exact numbers.
Source: U.S. EPA / DOE — fueleconomy.gov · re-checked about every 24 hours