Is the 2020 Jeep Cherokee a bad year?
336 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 201, 6.9× a quiet Cherokee year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
The transmission draws 6.9× the complaints of a quiet Cherokee year, but the 2020 is still young: half of its transmission complaints so far came in by 64k miles, and that mark will move as owners add miles. Check your powertrain warranty first.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2020 Cherokee owners report, by mileage
Each system owners named in five or more complaints, with the mileage range where the middle half of those complaints were filed. Read at 64,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 201 (60%) | 49k–78k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 49 (15%) | 3k–40k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Electrical system | 36 (11%) | 2k–36k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Brakes | 27 (8%) | 2k–30k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 22 (7%) | 5k–32k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Fuel system | 10 (3%) | 3k–36k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 9 (3%) | 2k–20k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Collision avoidance | 10 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Air bags | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 7 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Wheels | 5 (1%) | too few with a mileage | — |
Bills are typical US ranges from the sources named in the tool (J.D. Power, Kelley Blue Book, CarParts.com and others), printed only for systems that stand out or sit at or ahead of 64,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 336 complaints: 9 mention a crash · 7 mention a fire · 6 report an injury · 28 say the car was towed.
146 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Nov 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
Recalls for the 2020 Jeep Cherokee: 3
The power transfer unit (PTU) may fail. A failed PTU may result in a loss of drive power or vehicle rollaway, increasing the risk of a crash or injury.
A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. The lingering rearview image can distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
The steering rack gear may break, possibly causing a loss of steering control. A loss of steering control increases the risk of a crash.
A recall may cover only some cars of a model year; the campaign size counts every model and year it lists. Enter your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls: dealers fix open recalls free.
Service bulletins from Jeep: 190
Repair instructions Jeep sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2020 Jeep Cherokee. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
Powertrain Control Module (PCM) Updates Customers must experience a Malfunction Indicator Lamp…
Before replacing any parts please refer to SOL S2518000008 if it applies to the vehicle you are working on based on a VIN search in Service Library
Drivetrain Control Module (DTCM) Updates Customers may experience the following: A moan noise or shudder feeling from the rear axle during low speed cornering…
WiTECH Small Leak Verification Test (SLVT) - P0456-EVAP SYSTEM SMALL LEAK
Neighbouring years
2019 Cherokee: 1,676 complaints, consider selling · 2021 Cherokee: 180 complaints, keep it, but watch the transmission.
Every Jeep Cherokee year
2000 · 2001 · 2006 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2026 · All Cherokee years side by side
Other Jeep models: Jeep Commander · Jeep Compass · Jeep Gladiator · Jeep Grand Cherokee · Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe · Jeep Grand Cherokee L · Jeep Grand Wagoneer · Jeep Laredo · Jeep Liberty · Jeep Patriot · Jeep Renegade · Jeep Wagoneer · Jeep Wrangler · Jeep Wrangler 4xe · Jeep Wrangler Sahara. All makes and models.
Questions
Is the 2020 Jeep Cherokee a bad year?
336 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 201, 6.9× a quiet Cherokee year. At 64,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. The transmission draws 6.9× the complaints of a quiet Cherokee year, but the 2020 is still young: half of its transmission complaints so far came in by 64k miles, and that mark will move as owners add miles. Check your powertrain warranty first.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Jeep Cherokee?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (201), engine (49), electrical system (36), brakes (27), steering (22). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 49k–78k miles.
How many recalls does the 2020 Jeep Cherokee have?
3 recall campaigns list this model year: Transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA 26V-290), Backup camera (NHTSA 20V-191), Steering (NHTSA 19V-637). A recall may cover only some cars; check by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
Method: counts of unverified owner complaints filed with NHTSA, compared only with other years of the same model (sales volumes are unknown, so no failure rate is computed). A system stands out at 40+ complaints and at least twice the model's quiet (lower-quartile) year, or twice the share across every vehicle of that model year. The mileage range is the 25th to 75th percentile of the mileages owners reported. Data received by NHTSA through November 5, 2026. Repair prices are typical US ranges from named sources, not quotes. Not a diagnosis and not financial advice. PulsCar is not affiliated with NHTSA. Check this car at your own mileage.