10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
2 / 1
Injuries / Deaths:
2 / 0
Average Mileage:
33,340 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

The NHTSA is the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints can be spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem. See the Back button — blue bar at the very top of the page — to explore more.

Get notified about new defects, investigations, recalls & lawsuits for the 2017 Jeep Cherokee:

Unsubscribe any time. We don't sell/share your email.

Get free help with your lemon!
close ad
problem #267

Mar 072020

Cherokee

  • miles
My service shifter light stays on almost all the time. The gears PRND are all red lights.

- Clarkston, MI, USA

problem #266

Apr 062023

Cherokee

  • miles
At random times, the vehicle will notify of a "Service Shifter" message that pops up on screen. The lights that indicate which gear the car is in all light up-park, neutral, drive, etc. Every light turns on and the notification shows up on the screen where speedometer is located. This is concerning-it has happened multiple times, if I turn the car off and back on, the notification goes away. However, it always comes back a few hundred miles later. I drive a 2017 Jeep Cherokee, and bought it in 2019 with only 16,000 miles on it. The notification first came up when I hit 20,000 miles and has persisted ever since periodically. If you search "Jeep Cherokee service shifter" you can find NUMEROUS forums where people have reported the same issues. It is clearly an issue that needs to be looked into further. I have already filed a safety problem before, and nothing was done about it. I recommend looking into this issue further, and googling the issue as well-there are far too many people reporting the same problem and there has been no recall to be issued.

- Lexington, KY, USA

problem #265

Feb 212023

Cherokee

  • miles
While driving and once when shifted into drive the service shifter light and warning has came on and all the lights by the shifter light up. I had to stop and shut the vehicle off and turn it back on. The most recent time I had to shut it off and turn it back on for it to go off

- Fisher, WV, USA

problem #264

Feb 252023

Cherokee

  • miles
When I shifted vehicle to reverse a message of -€œservice shifter-€ came on dash screen. No accident resulted but felt unsafe as to what would happen if not serviced. Mechanics that have been contacted has never heard of service shifter message. Have not been able to reproduce message, when started vehicle again message was gone. No other warning lamps, messages or no symptoms.

- Parrott, VA, USA

problem #263

Feb 192023

Cherokee

  • miles
Service shifter warning comes on multiple times while driving

- Asbury Park, NJ, USA

problem #262

Dec 102022

Cherokee

  • miles
Every time it rains, water leaks into the rear of the vehicle through the ceiling and cracks on the side. As a result, water is soaking through the ceiling, rear speakers and trunk. This is causing mold and deterioration of all parts below the spare tire and is a safety issue.

- Rogers, AR, USA

problem #261

Dec 032022

Cherokee

  • miles
Front leather dash has become separated and could potentially cause adverse effects to drivers view. Potentially harmful with airbag deployment. Previous year (2014) same make and model received a recall notice. This issue should be addressed asap.

- Ridgecrest, CA, USA

problem #260

Nov 122022

Cherokee

  • miles
The vehicle began making a crunching/grinding sound, and lost some traction/control. It then only would go very slowly even though I was pressing the accelerator, and then the RPM meter was revving up and down even after I took my foot completely off the pedal. After turning it off on the side of the road for about 15 minutes, we were able to drive it home with no further issues. The following week when I went to have it inspected (the first time I drove it since), it made it less than 10 miles before it did the same thing and was unable to be moved this time. We towed it in to have it inspected at a jeep dealership and they confirmed it is a PTU/Transmission issue. I have a video of the second incident if needed.

- Hendrix, OK, USA

problem #259

Nov 192022

Cherokee

  • miles
I have a 2017 Jeep Cherokee and been experiencing service shifter error when all the lights on gear shift lights up in red and this time I was at home and it also flashed oil change on dash board which I just had a recent oil change and this has been an issue off and on and dealership says there is no recall but they have heard of this issue. Not feeling safe to drive vehicle unsure if my car will stop while out. I have an appointment with dealership to see what the issue is. I only have about 72,000 miles on my vehicle.

- Florissant , MO, USA

problem #258

Aug 032022

Cherokee

  • miles
Periodically the light comes on and says "service shifter"?

- Palmerton, PA, USA

problem #257

Oct 072022

Cherokee

  • miles
When accelerating the vehicle has a hard shift every now and then that-€™s very noticeable. Seems to be slipping or having trouble shifting occasionally when trying to get up to speed.

- Carlton, GA, USA

problem #256

Sep 282022

Cherokee

  • miles
The lights on gear shift all comes on all at once and the computer says shifter needs servicing I turn the jeep off and turn back on and everything is back to normal

- Saint Martinsville, LA, USA

problem #255

Sep 282022

Cherokee

  • miles
The shifter service light comes on a lot when I am driving and it scares me. I had to get off the road and turn the car off and back on for the light to go off!

- Durham, NC, USA

problem #254

Jan 052022

Cherokee

  • miles
Gear shifter errors and brings up "Service Shifter." Vehicle has to be completely shut off to clear error. Whewn the notificaion appears vehicle chages gears roughly and doesnt initiate park. Error has happend on highways, city street, or whenever the vehicle is placed into drive. It had only happend a couple times until receintly where its becomming more frequent, every other day as of now.. Dealer was unable to replicate the error, its to sporadic, and a OBDII reader shows nothing. I have pictures from a couple of the most recent times

- Dayton, OH, USA

problem #253

Jan 012021

Cherokee

  • miles
Service shifter warning continuous for 12 months. Recalled on the 2017 Grand Cherokee but this is am issue with the Cherokee latitude. This is a very serious safety issue & needs recalled for more vehicles!

- Sperry, OK, USA

problem #252

Jul 152022

Cherokee

  • miles
We first noticed the "svc fwd'' warning light. Intermittently at first and going off after driving a mile or so. We were first told it was probably a wiring problem, possibly a worn and exposed connector or a bad fuse but neither was found. Only after the ''svc fwd'' light started to remain on, did we have a diagnostic run and then were told the PTU had gone out and that this is a known common problem with Jeep Cherokee's 2014 - 2017.In fact, so bad a problem, it warranted a recall. Thousands of jeeps are having this problem but the recall is VIN specific. Ours is a 2017 and is NOT on the recall although it is now dangerous to drive. We are essentially paying for a vehicle we cannot drive and have been waiting over 5 weeks now for a replacement PTU. Even so, some of the replacement PTU's are, themselves being recalled for being faulty. Our warranty has run out. The mileage is now just over 60,000 and now we feel we are being pushed to cover the cost even though this is a known faulty part.

- Bennett, CO, USA

problem #251

Aug 012022

Cherokee

  • miles
Trouble with power transfer unit and dealer mechanic said it needs to be replaced. Noticed there has been a recall involving other vehicles and was concerned that about my jeep Cherokee and the information from the dealer mechanic today.

- Boonville, IN, USA

problem #250

Aug 032022

Cherokee

  • miles
My Power Transfer Unit is bad on my 2017 Jeep Cherokee. My light came on that says service 4WD. I took it to the Jeep Dealer who states that my Jeep showed a code c14a7-97 and it said my PTU is bad.

- Boonville, IN, USA

problem #249

Jul 222022

Cherokee

  • miles
Our 2017 Cherokee 46k displays -€œservice shifter-€ and all lights on the shifter go red. The first time this happened (summer 2020) the dealership Hopkins, MN told me not to drive the vehicle and to bring in for service. They were not aware of this issue which I don't believe now. The appointment was 4 weeks out and once the dealership looked at vehicle as lights were off they could not diagnose. 2nd time this happened was not able to get into dealership that day. 3rd time this happened (7/22/2022) I immediately called the dealership on issue and they refused to look at vehicle the same day and told me to bring in on Monday 7/25/2022. Next day the lights did not come on. each time I call the Jeep dealership they give me a different response. Don't know if its safe to drive the vehicle in this state. There should be a recall on this issue.

- Edina, MN, USA

problem #248

Jun 162022

Cherokee

  • miles
The incident happened in a parking lot. Backing out of the parking space, there was a delivery truck parked right behind me. Backing out of my parking space, I hit the bumper of the truck (no damage to the truck). As I pulled back into my parking space the vehicle accelerated very rapidly in a distance of approx. 25 feet; the acceleration seemed "Hell cat" like. Slamming my foot on the brake did not help. The vehicle then hit a brick retaining wall deploying multiple air bags and causing enough vehicle damage that the insurance company declared it totaled. It is amazing that the vehicle hit the brick wall with enough intensity to deploy the air bags and cause considerable front end damage after traveling such a short distance (approx 25 ft). The vehicle is in the insurance company's possession. As such, I do not have access to the vehicle. Had the brick wall not been there, the vehicle could have hit other vehicles or pedestrians and I was lucky to only have minor bruises and abrasions. There was no warning what so ever that this was about to happen.

- Royal Oak, MI, USA

Read the next 20 complaints »