Problems · by component

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee engine problems

285 owner complaints to NHTSA about the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee cite engine, 17% of all 1,644 complaints for this model year.

Complaints
285
17% of all complaints
Crashes
4
Reported by owners
Fires
17
Reported by owners
Injuries
1
Reported by owners
01 —Owner reports

What owners say about the engine

Verbatim from NHTSA complaints, newest first
“The engine / power cuts off with no warning causing steering to lock up to left & brakes lock up causing the vehicle to veer to the left and unable to use brake to stop vehicle. Happens randomly while driving which makes it unsafe to operate to drive.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Sep 30, 2026Steering, Service brakes, EngineODI 11768120
“Problem was Oil Filter housing made of plastic. It was cracked and no warning light that oil had leaked out. Car SUDDENLY DECELERATED as I was merging into traffic on freeway causing vehicles coming up behind to brake rapidly including a semi truck which had been 200 yards back. I rolled onto shoulder with warning lights activated. Pure luck it was not a major accident. Had it fixed at local mechanic in area and was told it is common problem on several makes of vehicles. Mechanic replaced with aluminum one. Gave me a reduced price of $1200.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jul 31, 2026Unknown or other, EngineODI 11754074
“The engine power cuts of randomly while driving with no warning at all. When it happens the steering locks up veering the vehicle to the left so you have no control and at the same time the power brakes lock up and you are unable to stop the vehicle. Everything else works when this happens lights, radio, heater, air conditioning. No warning lights display. I had the vehicle with a mechanic that kept it for over 4 months to test drive and see if it would occur. It happened while he drove it but no codes show up to determine the cause. I had it towed back to my home and contacted Jeep Chrysler and they gave me a claim number to bring to my local Jeep dealer. They had it for over a week and unfortunately the jeep ran fine so once again no resolution to be able to fix. I bought the Jeep from Carvana 9/7/24 and am still paying it off but yet haven't been able to drive it for the past 15 months because it is unsafe for myself and anyone else on the roadway.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jun 16, 2026Steering, Service brakes, EngineODI 11744558
“The contact owns a 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving approximately 5 MPH, the brake pedal was depressed while slowing down; however, the RPM elevated to 5,500 RPM. The contact stated that excessive force was needed to depress the brake pedal. The vehicle was stopped, turned off, restarted, and operated normally. Additionally, the remote start feature was not operating properly. After remote starting the vehicle, the brake pedal was difficult to depress. The contact also stated that a phone call was ringing through the radio even though the phone was not in use. The contact researched online and believed that the vehicle had been hacked. The local dealer was contacted, and the contact was informed that the vehicle could not be hacked. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 94,000.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Feb 18, 2026Electrical system, Service brakes, EngineODI 11718744
“All dashboard lights came on while cherokee shut off on the parkway yet allowing me to steer to the side shoulder. Is this a symptom of total integrated power module TIPM.”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 19, 2026Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11711989
“I brought my vehicle to the Jeep of concord for a fuel pump relay recall and oil change on 11/12/25. Prior to 11/12 the vehicle did not experience any of the issues described below. On 11/13/25, a dealership representative sent an inspection video stating the vehicle was in immaculate condition following the recall repair. However, within less than 24 hours, the check engine light illuminated, and additional issues began occurring intermittently. After the recall work, the vehicle began experiencing intermittent warning lights, including service four wheel drive, traction control, and check engine. These warnings appear unpredictably and are sometimes accompanied by loss of vehicle functions, creating unsafe driving conditions. The vehicle has also experienced overheating since these issues began. Sometimes turning the vehicle off and then on would temporarily correct the problem if it would recrank. The failures occur intermittently, making them difficult to reproduce or diagnose, and they pose serious safety risks, including the potential for sudden loss of power, steering assistance, or drivability while the vehicle is in motion. On multiple occasions, the…”
Owner complaint to NHTSAFiled Jan 16, 2026Electrical system, Engine, Fuel/propulsion systemODI 11711550

Showing 6 of 285 reports. Read every report on NHTSA.gov.

Data from NHTSA Complaints API (owner reports, unverified) · synced Nov 3, 2026NHTSA vehicle page

Complaints are unverified owner reports to NHTSA and are not normalized for sales volume. One complaint can cite several components.