Purchased the vehicle in 2020 and within the first 10 months it was in for service over 10 times. It is a certified pre owned 2016 and when driving it downshifts so hard that you feel line you are being rear ended. It has been to the dealer over and over again and all they have done is wipe the computer and processed a relearn. I am then told to drive it for a few hundred miles so that it can get learn my driving habits. That is done and eventually the shifting issues comes back even worse than before. FCA, Jeep customer service and Mopar's warranty refuse to help and we are at the mercy of the dealership. It's a common/known issue detailed on most forums but Jeep reacts like its the first time they have ever heard of the issue.

I bought this car brand new and loved it. This love lasted a short 6 months when the air conditioning went out, but it was still under warranty so I looked past it, thinking it was just a struck of bad luck. Next, the front two fender flares started peeling off so I took it back and after two months of trying to get it right, I'm back on the road. Next, our one-year-old new car stopped dead on the highway and luckily we were able to get over to the side and have it towed back to the dealership.

There was a PCM and TCM update that needed to be done, apparently, a recall was issued on this as well. A rough start to a car I am trying to love, I mean its looks great with the factory "murdered look" and still has the new car smell. Just last week I was filling up with gas and admiring the car when I started it up it started to misfire. I made it home with a few jerks here and there like it was missing a gear or someone was kinking the gas line like a garden hose and laughing around the corner of the house. I had an oil change due in the coming week so I just let it sit in the garage till my appointment.

When taking it in, the dealership said that they get transmission problems often in the Grand Cherokees and since it was not under warranty anymore it could be pricy (I never get the extended warranty because If I'm buying your car, I feel it is a good car to own and will last). Luckily, it was only the ignition coil causing the misfire and only a $250 fix. BUT, after 3 strikes you are out Jeep. 2 weeks later... I am the new owner of a 2018 Lexus RX 450L. I should have stuck with my rule to always buy Honda, Toyota, and Lexus. Avoid Jeep Grand Cherokees at all costs, especially mine sitting in the Las Vegas area dealership lot.

I purchased this vehicle as a certified pre owned, thank god for warranty, rough downshifting mainly from 4th to 3rd when coming to a stop, took to dealer they re flashed the trans ( Did nothing) I took it back they said they have found the valve body was bad and they replaced it. It seemed to slightly help at first but now the issue is back completely and now doing it in other gears. I've owned this jeep for 6 months now and so far I've had a radiator replaced and a water pump and have had trans work done. I'm to a point that I think the only thing that might fix the issue is a new trans. I shouldn't FEEL the trans downshifting on a 36,000 mile vehicle.

Reported that when going into reverse the transmission is sometimes hesitant and will abruptly slam into gear with a very noticeable bump. This happens intermittently and the dealer said they could not duplicate the problem. (6899 mi.)

Fast forward, today June 28, 2017 (14, 000+ miles) the transmission began to slip and jump in and out of gear on the freeway at cruise. When the throttle was reduced and then reapplied the transmission was sluggish and began to skip and "buck" as the throttle was advanced. Once cruise was reestablished the transmission would intermittently "lurch" and "buck" as if it were searching for another gear. This occurred on level pavement and once it started malfunctioning it got progressively worse.

Needless to say, I have real concerns after reading other reports on the Jeep transmission; I will be in line at the dealership first thing tomorrow morning!

8 speed auto, at slow acceleration the transmission hesitates when shifting from 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd gears. Can be a real pain. Acts like dirty gas but that is not the problem. Woks as designed under moderate to hard acceleration.

Took vehicle in for service on the complaint. Service department keep Jeep one day. The Jeep service department representative said no transmission problem and that is how they work.

Not a good answer. I hardly think Jeep engineered the transmission to include hesitations. If that is the answer this is my last Jeep.

Vehicle bucks when shifting 1st to 2nd and 2nd to 3rd in slow traffic, acts like dirt in gas, but it is not. Ok under fast acceleration. Dealership service writers say its normal. Nothing wrong with transmission. Well, Jeep needs new engineering staff. Only 2nd jeep, always been a GM person, but when lease is up, Jeep can have the vehicle back with their "normal" operating transmission. Going back to GM vehicle.

Update from Sep 25, 2018: Transmission continues shift problem with 26,000+ miles. Works somewhat better in economy mode. Trained my foot to work with shift, how about that? Otherwise like vehicle.

I bought a brand new Grand Cherokee, which has the standard engine (with electronic stop-start, ESS). It also has the standard transmission with the towing-package option, plus Quadra-Trac II.

Around two weeks and 200 miles after my purchase, from a stop, I stepped on the gas to accelerate and the engine revved loudly, yet I couldn't accelerate beyond maybe 15-20 mph. I glanced at the dashboard and noticed the rpms were near the redline. In traffic, somehow, either from letting off the gas, jiggling the shifter, or both, I was able to get the transmission into an appropriate gear without getting into an accident. I thought, "What just happened?" I didn't know whether I had been stuck in 1st gear or whether the transmission was slipping between Drive and Neutral. So, after that, I have been extra careful to make sure the shifter is firmly in Drive by checking the indicator on the dashboard.

100 or so miles later, the same thing happened, this time on an on-ramp to a freeway in downtown Seattle. A line of cars was right behind me, and it was super dangerous, but I immediately hit my hazard warning lights and somehow avoided a collision. This time, I was certain it wasn't due to any shifting error on my part, due to the care I had been taking to make sure I was in Drive. Just before this incident, I believe my ESS had engaged (engine shut off) at a stop light.

The 3rd and final time this happened (so far, at least) was around 900 miles on the vehicle. I had just gotten off a freeway and stopped at a red light. ESS engaged (engine shut off). Again, cars were on my tail. When I went to accelerate, the engine roared and revved, but I could only creep forward slowly. Glancing at the dashboard while panicking, I saw the rpms were sky-high. I also tried to see whether "D" was on the dashboard, but didn't see any gear-indicator light. I managed to pull out of traffic to the side of the road, and fiddled with the shifter, and was able to get going again.

I'm scheduled for service at a dealer, but the people I have talked with so far (Jeep customer service and local) seem to have no clue what's going on. This is a major safety problem, and I feel fortunate I haven't been in a crash yet. I still don't know whether the transmission gets stuck in 1st gear, or whether it toggles between Drive and Neutral. It has only happened 3 times so far, which doesn't give much info, but I think it happens after engagement of ESS. For that reason, until (and if) it gets fixed, I am switching ESS off as soon as I can tell the gears are progressing normally. Also, every time it happened, I was trying to accelerate briskly, so another possibility is there is "locking" of the transmission in 1st gear. Incidentally, there is a recall for some 2016 GC models due to a wiring problem which causes the transmission to lock in Park or Neutral after stopping, which apparently doesn't include my own vehicle but does have some similarity with my complaint.

Bought brand new and before I have made the first payment, tranny problems. Been happening since day one and thought it needed "break in" time. Keeps happening. Sitting at a stop and the Jeep will jerk - feels like someone rear ended me. Shifts hard and downshifts harder - almost jerky motion around 2nd and 3rd gear. Today, it was running at 3000rpms and 20mph thought it was going to blow up. Traded in a Cherokee that was bought new 2 yrs ago and had 5 recalls. Wanted to get the bigger vehicle.

Have owned Jeep for years but this might be my last. Not sure how they are rated best SUV. since the 2016s have recently rolled into the dealers, there are no recalls yet!! We will see how many times this brand new vehicle has to go back to the dealer before Chrysler figures this out.