Problems · by component
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT power train problems
59 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT cite power train, 9% of all 685 complaints for this model year.
Complaints
59
9% of all complaints
Crashes
7
Reported by owners
Fires
1
Reported by owners
Injuries
2
Reported by owners
What owners say about the power train
Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“While driving 2018 jeep grand cherokee the transmission will shift its self into neutral and say select desired gear. Then it will shut it self down in the middle of the road.”
“I was driving my 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4x4 on the highway at approximately 65-70 MPH, when suddenly the car started sputtering and my check engine light came on and started blinking. The car was essentially not drivable, so I pulled over at a gas station and had the car towed. This is dangerous as I was going uphill, and could have caused an accident, or worse. I did not have a check engine light prior to this! The next day the car was inspected and diagnosed by independent service center, who said there was a cylinder 4 engine misfire, so they replaced the spark plugs and the coils. Car was fixed, or so I thought, fast forward a couple months later while driving to work, same issue (misfires and sputtering) occurs again and coolant now runs low even though there are no visible signs of coolant leakage. I spoke to the independent service center and they mentioned there might be an issue with the engine such as a head gasket or fuel system. I got the Jeep towed to get checked, it was confirmed that it was an engine issue, especially the head gasket, camshaft, pistons, and lifters, and that I was going to need a new engine and it would cost between…”
“I just bought this vehicle in February. Since then, about 4 times while driving when i came to a stop the car will not accelerate and the screen tells me to put car in “P” then shift into gear. One time I had to restart the car to put into gear. Then the car drives again.”
“POWER TRANSFER UNIT While driving it seems to go out of gear and revs up. Have to shift out of present drive to netural and back to drive. Happens off and on. Done it on interstate would not go with giving gas until shifted to netural and back to drive. Almost got rear ended There is a recall for same problem but mine is not on recall list. WHY THIS IS AN ACCIDENT WAITING. Also there was a recall on my type of vehicle but not mine for Suppension block which I had to just have done a week ago that cost me $4000.00 at John Hinderer Chrysler Dodge at 1290 Hebron Rd Heath Ohio 43055. Ph 740-522-1106 which can give the repair list. Why again was mine not on the list. This should have been covered.”
“Dear National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, I'm writing to report a critical safety concern regarding the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee's water pump design. As an owner, I've experienced persistent coolant leaks, which I've found is a widespread issue affecting many others. This problem stems from a fundamental design flaw in the water pump, not typical wear and tear. The issue centers on a small "freeze plug" that leaks when the engine reaches operating temperature. This plug serves no apparent purpose and causes premature failures and coolant leaks across numerous vehicles. Key points: The leak occurs consistently when the engine is hot, indicating a design-related problem. This issue potentially leads to engine overheating and severe damage. It affects many vehicles, particularly those with the 3.6L V6 engine. Extensive research on online forums confirms this is a common problem. A YouTube video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=73MgJF4bx5o) provides insight into the issue. The creator states: "Upon digging into this a bit deeper, I don't believe it's the 'weep hole'. It's actually like a small 'freeze plug' that leaks on these pumps. If you look through…”
“The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while coming to a stop, the vehicle lost motive power with the “Shift to Park” message displayed on the instrument panel. The vehicle was restarted; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed that the PCM software had failed and needed to be updated. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The dealer was not contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.”
Showing 6 of 59 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.
Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 7, 2026NHTSA vehicle page
Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.