The transmission does not seem to "coast" and when approaching lights when braking, the transmission feels like it is pushing you thru the intersection, instead of releasing brake pressure as you slow you need to increase to avoid "pushing" through. The Cherokee will, in drive on level ground, do 10 mph without any acceleration from driver. This is bad for brakes and will cause excess transmission heat. Also shifting from 2-3 takes too long and is very abrupt, enough to spill coffee with the unsuspecting passenger. But the down hill "drag" actually slows the vehicle when it should be coasting.

My experience with the transmission is very similar to other complaints. I noticed shortly after purchasing my Cherokee new that it seemed to shift rough. Eventually I received a recall notice regarding the transmission programming and had the local dealer perform the update. I then began to experience momentary disengagement at very low speeds (almost stopped) followed by a sudden jerk when it re-engaged. I took it to a Chrysler/Dodge/Jeep dealer in Show Low, AZ to register a formal complaint. They reprogrammed the transmission. It was dramatically improved but I still experience a dramatic jerk when the transmission suddenly back shifts under the same conditions as described (low speed). It seems to be very reluctant to shift back into 2nd or 1st gear unless totally stopped for atleast a full second. In fact, if I crawl through a stop/turn situation it noticeably bogs down until it gains some speed or I step on the gas aggressively to make it back shift. My local dealer continues to declare that others experience the same issue but there's nothing they can do. I love my Cherokee EXCEPT for the transmission. Very frustrating!!!

The day I purchased the car they had to roll it out of the showroom and into the service bay to "flash" the transmission software. They asked me to return tomorrow to pick it up. I brought it back to return it and they wouldn't allow it. This started a 2 year nightmare with the dealership who wouldn't acknowledge that there was even a problem with it. The transmission is terrible between 1st and 3rd gears. Jamming into 1st and losing power or bogging down when in 3rd. The transmission doesn't know what it wants to do and that delay causes the problems.

I have had it in to the dealer for service 8 times for this issue and each time they flash the software and tell me its operating as designed. Even though its a well known problem, at the dealership they say they never heard of it. The last time I brought it in they were very nice to me FOR THE FIRST TIME and they did a "valve body relearn" and another software flash. It didn't work. I have it in for a 9th try with Jeep Enhanced Customer Service Involved and should find out this week if they will fix the problem or not.

I have been stonewalled for two years by Jeep and I will never ever ever buy another Jeep, not because of the problem, but because of the way the dealership ignored me and terrible handling of this case. I paid a premium for this car, fully loaded and whats really sad is I like driving the Hyundai rental car better.

I have had my car in to be fixed for this same problem over and over again since april of 2015. Since then the transmission , BCM, and axles have been replaced and it has had countless updates to the transmission. i was told all of those things we going to fix the rough shifting. NONE of those "fixes" made a difference. the car continue to shift roughly or delayed in the low gears. it has only gotten worse over time, yet somehow, the problem can never be duplicated by the mechanics at jeep. When starting from a stop or near stop, the car can sometimes be so delayed in shifting that I'm "stuck" in the middle of an intersection. when it finally does shift there is a jerking motion and clunking sound. Sometimes its so bad it feels like I'm going to get whiplash! Throughout this whole time i have been briging it it to get fixed i have been told the "it is just the way it drives- I'm not used to it yet,"and "the transmission needs to get used to the drivers" over and over again.... this just can't be!!!

I was trusting of Jeep and was impressed with the test drive and loved the handling and feel of the car so I purchased it after research on manufacture date. Early transmissions had issues but they stated that they were computer issues and were resolved with computer UPDATES.

WELL let me tell you no matter what UPDATES they performed NO improvements things just got worse!! SHIMMY ! SHIMMY! SHAKE! SHAKE! THEN MAYBE SHIFT. Gears 1-3 the worst!!! Step on the throttle expecting the car to go but engine revs and NO forward motion for 2-5- seconds. Then POW!!! WE ARE BURNING rubber and away we go! Had other issues with sudden down shifting in heavy traffic, and hanging up in third gear.

It is just a bummer all the way around. Paid GOOD MONEY for the vehicle after waiting 10 years saving money, and they were very happy to take it but very disappointed with the outcome. I feel unsafe while driving it because I CAN NOT count on it to move when it is suppose to, I feel it is an accident just waiting to happen.

IN ALL I CANNOT with good peace of mind pass this vehicle on to some one else, I would like to see JEEP step up and come up with a workable solution for all of its customers. As a side note we love to ski and we are looking forward to many vacations and trips to the mountains winter and summer but I fear getting to far from town!!! JUST PLAIN DISAPPOINTED IN THE JEEP PRODUCT!

Update from Aug 15, 2016: Replaced Transmission and then the complete shifting unit failed and needed to be replaced. The new transmission is not quite right either. shifting rough, and down shifts to soon. The new transmission has started to slip after 10k miles.

My Jeep experiences hard shifts, lunging, and unexpected disengagement of the transmission. In addition, there is an extreme delay when accelerating (dangerous when pulling out into traffic). After several complaints to my local service department, they finally acknowledged that my transmission indeed has issues. They had denied it previously.

The District Service Manager approved the replacement of the valve body, however, my local service rep said this would likely not fix the transmission issue and it was just a necessary step toward eventually replacing my transmission.

When I picked my Jeep up from the service department today, they informed me that the valve body had been replaced and they test drove it only to find it still has issues. They purposely omitted this from my service order paperwork (I don't know why). They told me to call them in 3 days to report that my Jeep was having issues again so they could expedite the next step of replacing the transmission.

I will report the transmission replacement on a separate complaint.

By the way, I opened a case with Chrysler Customer Complaint department and they have been no help at all.

When I brought my car in at 5,000 they told me they had a software update. Once the software update was done the shifting of the transmission became ridiculous. You can never know if it will shift when it is not supposed to, it makes loud banging noises, shifts when it is not supposed to. Put your foot on the gas and it takes almost 3 seconds for the car to respond. It downshifts before it is supposed to. I have complained on every single oil change (every 5K miles), every dealer tells me something different, but says that the updates are done and there is nothing they can do. SO I own a 28K vehicle that has 45,000 miles and drives like a total piece of crap

When I take off from a dead stop it hesitates. When I go to pass, it feels like the accelerator pump is defective, even though there is not one. I finally quit trying to pass unless I have extra extra room. When I took the Jeep back to the dealer they treated me like I'm an idiot, so I went off. Then they "reprogrammed" my transmission and acted like I should have known this is a correct fix.

I like the car it drives good and I pull it behind my motor home. But good Lord fix the problem before someone gets killed, plus save up all the recalls and send them at once instead of weekly.

I leased this vehicle in 2014. From day 1, I noticed the transmission seemed off. When I mentioned this to the salesman during the test ride, he said that there was nothing wrong with the transmission, that it just takes some time to get use to it. The problem seems to be getting worse by the day to the point where my wife and I feel unsafe to drive it. I have read similar complaints on-line, and know people who own the same car and had the transmission replaced, but still have the same problems with the transmission. The first 3 gears are the worst. When accelerating from a full stop, you don't know how the transmission is going to behave. Sometimes it excels normally, other times it will stall for a few seconds, and then suddenly engage with a loud thump. Very dangerous. My wife said that she was almost killed when the transmission did not engage upon acceleration at traffic light. she is now afraid to drive the car.

The new transmission that needed to be installed (after only 17,000 miles) seems worse than the original. Now it is slips badly between 2nd and 3rd gear. In addition, it hesitates and clunks when it's put into reverse. So here I go again, needing to take time off work to get it back to the dealership. I'm betting they'll tell me it needs yet another new transmission--I see that has happened to a few people with these Jeeps.

I still can hardly believe I am having these kinds of problems with a brand new vehicle.