Is the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee a bad year?
364 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 88, 2.2× a quiet Grand Cherokee year.
Keep it, but watch the transmission
The transmission draws 2.2× the complaints of a quiet Grand Cherokee year, spread over 14k–86k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
The verdict moves with mileage: the same car reads differently at 30,000 and at 150,000 miles.
What 2017 Grand 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 45,000 miles.
| SYSTEM | COMPLAINTS | MIDDLE HALF FILED AT | TYPICAL US REPAIR BILLS |
|---|---|---|---|
| Transmission and drivetrainSTANDS OUT | 88 (24%) | 14k–86k miles · around this mileage | CV axle / CV joint replacement (one side) $300–$1,500 · Automatic transmission replacement $2,500–$7,000 |
| Engine | 107 (29%) | 15k–77k miles · around this mileage | Valve cover gasket replacement $110–$500 · Timing chain replacement $1,000–$4,000 |
| Electrical system | 87 (24%) | 17k–52k miles · around this mileage | 12-volt battery replacement $100–$400 · Starter motor replacement $350–$1,200 |
| Brakes | 29 (8%) | 10k–67k miles · around this mileage | Brake pad replacement (one axle) $115–$390 · Brake pads and rotors replacement (one axle) $200–$1,084 |
| Seats | 20 (5%) | 35k–70k miles · around this mileage | — |
| Fuel system | 33 (9%) | 6k–42k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Speed control | 21 (6%) | 4k–34k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Steering | 18 (5%) | 11k–40k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Stability control | 10 (3%) | 9k–40k miles · mostly behind | — |
| Air bags | 15 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Exterior lighting | 14 (4%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Body structure | 10 (3%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Collision avoidance | 8 (2%) | too few with a mileage | — |
| Suspension | 8 (2%) | 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 45,000 miles. Not a quote.
What owners reported alongside their complaints
Of 364 complaints: 26 mention a crash · 3 mention a fire · 15 report an injury · 27 say the car was towed.
30 complaints were filed in the last 12 months, the newest in Aug 2026.
Counts of what owners wrote in their complaints, not verified by anyone.
In owners' own words
Vehicle transmission locked up in the middle of a parking lot could not move the car forward or backward nor could I move the gear shifter from drive to park or neutral...
2017 grand cherokee 'service shifter' problem. I get the message popping up in the driver information area, along with the vehicle shifting differently than normal.
Transmission downshifts too hard. Every time they fix the problem and return the Jeep back to me, it happens at a different mph.
Unedited excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA, chosen by mileage (nearest 45,000 miles), not by content. Unverified.
Recalls for the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee: 6
The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate, causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the fuel injector pulses and cam shaft timing, possibly resulting in an engine stall. An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
A high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure may introduce internal debris into the fuel system, potentially resulting in fuel starvation. Fuel starvation may result in an unexpected loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler may crack and allow pre-heated vaporized coolant to enter the EGR system. This mixture may combust inside the intake manifold. Combustion in the intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.
If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged… If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
The supercharger mounting bracket may contact and damage the ABS line, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak. A brake fluid leak may lengthen the distance needed to stop the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
In the affected vehicles, the rear tow hook bracket or tow eye bracket may be loose. If the tow bracket is loose, the bracket may detach from the vehicle while being it is being driven, possibly becoming a road hazard. If the bracket detaches during a vehicle recovery, there may be a loss of control of the towed vehicle.
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: 185
Repair instructions Jeep sent its dealers for symptoms seen in the shop on the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Ask a dealer or mechanic for a bulletin by its number.
The vehicle will exhibit a service transmission/check engine warning indicator for the following transmission
ADJUSTER Valve Lash Customer's complaint may include a ticking noise coming from the engine
3.6L PSU Long Block Misfire DTC codes and/or rough idle and/or valvetrain noise
DTCs P0733-00, P1DA8-00, and/or P1D92-00, a repair is available, and transmission replacement is NOT required
NHTSA defect investigations: 3
High pressure fuel pump failure
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
Neighbouring years
2016 Grand Cherokee: 312 complaints, keep it · 2018 Grand Cherokee: 854 complaints, keep it.
Every Jeep Grand Cherokee year
2000 · 2001 · 2002 · 2003 · 2004 · 2005 · 2006 · 2007 · 2008 · 2009 · 2010 · 2011 · 2012 · 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2018 · 2019 · 2020 · 2021 · 2022 · 2023 · 2024 · 2025 · 2026 · All Grand Cherokee years side by side
Other Jeep models: Jeep Cherokee · Jeep Commander · Jeep Compass · Jeep Gladiator · 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 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee a bad year?
364 owner complaints to NHTSA. Transmission complaints: 88, 2.2× a quiet Grand Cherokee year. At 45,000 miles the tool says: Keep it, but watch the transmission. The transmission draws 2.2× the complaints of a quiet Grand Cherokee year, spread over 14k–86k miles, so there's no single mileage to plan around.
What are the most common problems with the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
By owner complaints to NHTSA: transmission and drivetrain (88), engine (107), electrical system (87), brakes (29), seats (20). Half of the transmission complaints were filed between 14k–86k miles.
How many recalls does the 2017 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?
6 recall campaigns list this model year: Engine (NHTSA 23V-411), Fuel system (NHTSA 22V-406), Exhaust (NHTSA 20V-699), Speed control (NHTSA 18V-332) and more. 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.