PTU failure needs replacements... 4k to fix. Safety issue and should be a recall.

- Rio Ran Cho, NM, USA

Not sure if this is the right place to complain, but my 4 Wheel Drive is Unavailable. I took it to my garage and they found that the Power Transfer Unit is failing. They tried to order a new one, but they are on a worldwide backorder, so they had to order me a used one, for which I'm still waiting for. This same problem resulted in recalls up to 2019. My Jeep Cherokee is a 2020. I contacted Jeep and they won't do anything. Since this part is on a huge backorder, it tells me there us still a big problem. I believe 2020's should also have a recall, and Jeep should pay my bill.

- Freeville, NY, USA

In November 2024, while driving, my jeep began to lose power. Accelerator was not working and pulled over. It turned on but would unexpectedly turn off whenever I would drive it. It was in the shop 4 months. Last week, Nov 2025, while at a stop light it completely stopped working. When I tried to accelerate it wasn-??t working. Break pedal was hard and I could not turn it back on. Dash lights were on and tank had gas. Had to get it towed. Was told engine was in good shape. Still looking at starter issues.

- Beaverton, OR, USA

Brought to dealer to evaluate for loud popping in/out of park, clunking and grinding noises on accelaration and stops. Dealer determined it was the PTU. Was told it is covered under warranty, but the part is on backorder for 3 months, so I'm still waiting. I'm unsure if safe to drive. Seems like a known issue with ealier models of Jeep Cherokee, likely issue with 2020s as well.

- Lagrange Park, IL, USA

Power transfer unit broken. Not a recall but reported on many jeeps.

- Revere, MA, USA

I was at a stop light, light turned green and as I started to accelerate there was a loud banging noise and it felt like I had been hit from behind. I pulled over to check out my car but nothing seemed wrong. The exact same thing happened about 2 1/2 months prior to this incident The jolt was so much so that my head hit the headrest hard enough to cause a headache for several hours

- Box Elder, SD, USA

2020 vehicle is having PTU issues but not on recall. 2017-2019 models had a recall for same issue

- Alexandria, VA, USA

Engine warning light came on. Bloomington Chrysler Jeep repair shop said the active grill shutter connector wasn't working. This can cause engine overheating and damage and possibly a fire. I did not have this happen, as I caught it early.

- Bloomington, MN, USA

I am submitting this complaint regarding my 2020 Jeep Cherokee Limited which has now been undrivable for over 3 months due to a part that is on national backorder. The issue began in May 2025 when I brought the vehicle to a Jeep dealership for repairs related to the Power Control Unit (PCU). Since then, the part has not been available, and the car has remained at the dealership with no clear repair timeline. I have been told by Jeep corporate that I am only eligible for rental coverage and nothing more. This delay has left me without a working vehicle for over 90 days, and I am concerned that this issue may involve a defect or systemic parts shortage that is affecting multiple vehicles. I also believe this is a safety-related issue, as a failure of the power control unit could result in sudden loss of power or drivability. I am requesting that NHTSA investigate: Whether this part shortage is linked to a wider defect or recall Whether Jeep (Stellantis) should be required to take further action If any safety recalls should be issued for this model and issue I have already filed a complaint with the New York Attorney General. Jeep is not a participant in BBB Auto Line, and I am left without a reliable resolution while still paying for a vehicle I cannot use. Please let me know what further information is needed.

- Staten Island, NY, USA

SVC 4WD light turned on. Dealership said it may be ptu issue and would cost $1400 just to diagnose, not fix. This is a known issue for Jeep Cherokee 2017-2019. Mine is 2020 with less than 50k miles on it.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

SVC 4WD light came on. Took it to Jeep dealership to have them look at it. PTU "power transfer unit" is bad. Got a second opinion at an automotive repair shop, they too diagnosed PTU is bad. Repair shop printed a Safety Recall with our vehicles VIN number. Went back to Jeep with the Safety Recall paperwork and Jeep won't honor the safety recall.

- Warsaw , IN, USA

The power transfer unit, differential, spark plugs, and air induction failed. The vehicle is still having bad vibration problems at speeds above 50 mph despite $7,000 in repairs.

- Wahoo, NE, USA

I recently had a svc 4WD light come on in my 2020 Jeep Cherokee which has 75,750 miles. Then while driving a warning light kept coming on telling me that the 4WD service is unavailable and to service 4WD. Well - I took it to the dealership and was told that the ptu needed to be replaced and that unfortunately it was not covered under a recall because it only covered the years 2017 - 2019 and some 2020 Cherokee. I feel that this ptu that is defective should have a recall issued for the 2020 year as well since it's unrealistic to think that the ptu would fail on a vehicle that has only had the 4WD even used maybe five times in a 4 1/2 year span. I would like you to check into this issue that I feel should be a recall and would/could cause serious accidents due to sudden loss of power, or ability to move vehicle due to transmission failures. I feel that Jeep/Chrysler knows about this issue and have been slowly issuing recalls, beginning from 2014, then 2016 and then 2017-2019 and now I feel the 2020 and possibly later years should be covered. I was at the dealership 4/30/25. At this time I cannot afford to repair this ptu issue and am taking a chance to continue to drive my vehicle since mechanically it is working right now - just providing me with the warning lights/beeps. Please look into this and advise.

- Ocean City, MD, USA

My vehicle started having issues in December saying that my oil levels were low. i couldn't pinpoint what the issue was so i called AAA due to how unsafe it would be to drive my car with it stating the oil levels were low and my engine light being on. AAA came out to my house and when he inspected it he stated that everything in the engine looked good but that my oil was low because of leak even though we could not pinpoint where it was coming from. I took my vehicle to contintental transmission the next day on christmas eve, upon speaking with the manager of the shop he confirmed that the jeep cherokees that had the 3.2L or 3.6L engine had an issue with the oil filtration system, he stated that he estimates he fixes 2-3 of them per week and replaces the entire oil system. He stated how unsafe it was and that the issue occurs in those drivetrains specifically after 3-4 years of ownership, he told me the job was be $1500 to fix.

- Buffalo, NY, USA

Jeep was stalling randomly when coming to a stop or at a stop sign initially. It is now stalling completely when driving, states -??push into park and start car-??.

- Victorville, CA, USA

The past two days the car has been running a little rough. This morning the car didn't start and service shifter message came on along with battery and engine lights.

- White Settlement, TX, USA

Had trans and transfer case PTO unit replaced, cause was transfer case and trans slines stripped. there is a recall for for this issue but not for my model year. 2020 jeep Cherokee trail hawk. recalls are for 2016-17 however because of the year of my jeep it isn't part of the recall but had the same issue regarding the same part # need reimbursement still 4 work. (In 2020, Fiat Chrysler America recalled 67,248 units of the 2014-2017 Jeep Cherokee in the United States over a transmission issue that could result in a loss of power or rollaway situation. At the time, paperwork filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration explained that certain "vehicles were built with a two speed Power Transfer Unit ("PTU") that allows relative movement between the differential input splines and the transmission output shaft." The movement could wear down the input splines, causing a loss of engagement between transmission and differential, thereby cutting power to the front wheels. Worn splines could also prevent the transmission from engaging Park when stationary, leading to a possible rollaway situation. That recall applied only to all-wheel-drive models with the two-speed Power Transfer Unit, which simulates the two-speed transfer case found in many part-time four-wheel-drive trucks and SUVs. Jeep brands the affected systems as "Active Drive II" or "Active Drive Lock." Vehicles among the recall population that featured the PTU model in question benefited from "more robust differential splines." The fix for the recalled vehicles wasn't replacing the worn PTU splines with the upgraded versions. The fix was a software update that worked around the fault to either alert the driver, to shift power to the rear wheels when the malfunction occurred, or to automatically apply the parking brake if the fault happened while the driver was attempting to shift into park. What's stranger is that Jeep has issued a new recall for a subset of the original recall population, )

- Glennie, MI, USA

My vehicle is cutting off in the middle of traffic. I understand the start stop feature but it cuts off when I come to a stop and I need a jump to get going again.

- South Bend, IN, USA

This isn't a major concern but just possibly a design defect that could potentially be dangerous in an accident. On March 30 2023 I was involved in an accident on a highway in Pennsylvania where traffic was stop and go. I was stopped, and a car slammed into the back of me going pretty fast. Her car bounced off my bumper and then hit into me again. The car and my seat belt did their jobs and I was not injured. However, afterwards the top of my head felt like it had a bad brush burn. It lasted for several days. When sitting in my car directly after the accident I noticed something odd. Both driver and passenger sun visors were off their hooks and in same position of pushed forward towards windshield under the hook. Because it happened to both of them and they were in the same position I have to surmise that the laws of physics during the accident caused this and that the impact knocked them off the hook and the other vehicle bouncing off and then hitting again caused them to pull back and then fly forward. I believe the movement of the visors so fast is what caused the brush burn on my head. I'm not sure if this is generally something that happens during an accident, but it seems pretty dangerous to me. Luckily I am not that tall and was positioned that the visor skimmed the top of my head. I cannot imagine though if someone was taller what that could potentially do if the visor comes flying at someone's face that fast. This has not been reproduced or confirmed by anyone. My vehicle is still at the body shop awaiting repairs.

- Pen Argyl, PA, USA

The tire pressure monitoring system light came on. I took it to the dealership and they said there is currently no fix for this problem. The front driver side tire also no longer registers on the warning screen. They said if a tire loses air while I'm driving, it's very possible that I will have no warning that it's happening.

- Niagara Falls, NY, USA