2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Problems

What owners reported to NHTSA about the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, its recalls, and what to check before you buy one.

Jeep Grand Cherokee, 2012 to 2021 model years
Photo: Cutlass, CC0
How the 2020 compares

One of the better Grand Cherokee years

Owners filed about 60% fewer complaints than a typical Grand Cherokee year. The area owners reported most is the electrical system, which half of owners reported by about 12,000 miles.

Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Grand Cherokee years from 2012 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.

Owners have filed 241 complaints with NHTSA about the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The most reported problem area is the electrical system (74, 31% of complaints), followed by the engine and cooling and the transmission and drivetrain. That is the fewest complaints of any Grand Cherokee year from 2012 to 2024 on file. It has 3 recalls.

Complaints241filed with NHTSA
Recalls3for this model year
Crashes2413 injuries reported
Fires5reported in complaints

1 of these complaints came from Utah owners.

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Most reported problems

Problem areas ranked by how many complaints mention them. One complaint can name more than one area. Open an area to see what to check on a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee before you buy.

Electrical system

74 complaintsDead batteries, warning lights, failed screens and cameras, and electrical shorts.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 12,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Test every switch: windows, locks, mirrors, seat heaters, the screen, the backup camera, Bluetooth and every USB port.
  • Watch the dash at startup. Every warning light should come on briefly and then go out.
  • Have the battery and charging system tested. A weak alternator or battery drain shows up here.

Tools that help

What owners said

This concerns the Auto Start Stop (ASS) battery installed at the factory that has the vent hole in the wrong place and was improperly installed so that the vent tube could be dislodged and allow hydrogen gas from charging into the cabin. Both the main battery and ASS battery are installed under the passenger seat and vent outside through…Owner complaint, filed 2026
The screen in my vehicle which controls alot of the functions like temperature volume sos emergency calls is experiencing delamination cause the screen to ghost touch things which is a safety hazard when driving in the event of an accident i wont be able to press the button on the screen for helpOwner complaint, filed 2026

Engine and cooling

56 complaintsStalling, misfires, oil consumption, leaks, overheating and engine failure.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 11,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Ask the seller not to warm the car up, and start it cold. Listen for ticking, knocking or a rough idle in the first minute.
  • Pull the oil dipstick and the oil cap. Low oil, a gasoline smell or a milky film on the cap are reasons to walk away or get an inspection.
  • Plug in an OBD2 scanner. Stored or pending codes matter, and so do readiness monitors that show "not ready", which usually means the codes were cleared right before the sale.
  • Ask for oil change records. A gap in the records on a model known for engine complaints is a negotiating point at minimum.

Tools that help

What owners said

I am submitting this complaint to report a serious safety concern involving my 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. At approximately 44,000, 45,000 miles, the vehicle suffered a catastrophic engine failure. This was extremely alarming considering the relatively low mileage of the vehicle. The most serious concern occurred while I was attempting to…Owner complaint, filed 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 20 MPH, the check engine warning light illuminated, and the vehicle jerked and lost power. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, where the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was then taken to another independent…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 114,369 miles

Transmission and drivetrain

39 complaintsHarsh or delayed shifts, slipping, shuddering, CVT whine, and drivetrain clunks.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 4,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Drive it from cold if you can. Shifts should be smooth in every gear, including reverse.
  • Feel for slipping (revs rise without the car speeding up), shudder at low speed and a delay when you put it in gear.
  • Listen for whining, which is a common CVT complaint, and clunks when you go from drive to reverse.
  • If it has 4WD or AWD, engage it on the test drive and ask when the transmission and differential fluids were last changed.

Tools that help

What owners said

At 50k grand cherokee would flash reverse indicator and message shift to park also when reverse would engage it was with a harsh engagement. At 58k transmission would hesitate to shift into 4th gear.at 64k transmission would no shift past 3rd gear. Jeep dealer tried to charge $5900. For a bandage 4th clutch repair or $7000. For rebuild…Owner complaint, filed 2026
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service four-wheel drive warning light illuminated. In addition, the contact stated that the vehicle was shaking. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic, however the failure was not duplicated. The contact was advised to…Owner complaint, filed 2026, at 65,000 miles

Fuel system

21 complaintsHesitation, stalling, fuel smell, fuel pump and injector failures.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 20,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • Smell around the engine bay and under the rear of the car for raw fuel.
  • On the test drive, accelerate firmly from a stop and up a grade. Stumbling, surging or a flashing check engine light are red flags.
  • Fuel pump recalls are common. Check this exact VIN for open recalls before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

While driving on the interstate at highway speeds, the vehicle suffered a sudden and complete loss of motive power without warning, causing the engine to stall. The vehicle became a severe safety hazard in active traffic as power steering and power braking assists were greatly reduced, nearly causing a high-speed rear-end collision…Owner complaint, filed 2026
The internal fuel pump/fuel pump circuit on my 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee (VIN: [XXX] ) failed prematurely, resulting in a sudden and severe 'no-crank' safety hazard. The fuel pump failure triggered a massive electrical current draw that shorted out the Powertrain/Engine Control Module communications and locked out the starter motor…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Driver assist systems

19 complaintsPhantom braking, false collision warnings, and lane keeping or backup sensors that act up.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 15,000 miles. Parts named most: Warnings (8).

What to check before you buy

  • Where it is safe, try the adaptive cruise and lane keeping on the test drive and watch for sudden braking or warnings with nothing there.
  • Check the windshield in front of the camera and the bumper sensors for cracks, chips or poor repairs.
  • Ask whether the windshield has been replaced. The camera has to be recalibrated afterward, and many shops skip it.

Tools that help

What owners said

Park sense feature is turned off, but park sense keeps engaging. With erro message "put in park then put in gear. I receive this erro message 4 0r 5 time, before I'm sble to put in gear and drive vehicle, this has been happening peridocally since I bought the vehicle, but getting more frequent.Owner complaint, filed 2023
The contact owns a 2020 jeep grand cherokee. The contact stated that the radio display failed to remove the rear view camera image after shifting out of reverse. The vehicle was taken to nucar chrysler dodge jeep ram of tilton (40 e main st lot c, tilton, nh 03276, (603) 729-1167) where it was diagnosed with needing the radio display to…Owner complaint, filed 2021, at 26,021 miles

Air bags

17 complaintsAir bag warning lights, air bags that did not deploy, and inflator recalls.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 34,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • The air bag (SRS) light should come on at startup and go out within a few seconds. If it stays on, the system may not work in a crash.
  • Air bag recalls are some of the most serious. Check this exact VIN for open recalls and get proof any recall work was done.

Tools that help

What owners said

Airbags did not deploy in an accident where someone ran me into a tree front center of front of car it involves Two injury because airbags didn't come out on impactOwner complaint, filed 2026
The contact owned a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving at 30 MPH, another vehicle pulled out in front of his vehicle, causing him to T-bone the vehicle on the front driver side. No air bags deployed. The contact stated he and his girlfriend sustained injuries to their backs and his left ankle, knee, and wrist, and…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 70,000 miles

Cruise control and acceleration

15 complaintsHesitation, loss of power, sudden acceleration and cruise control problems.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 1,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • On the test drive, press the gas gently and firmly. The response should be smooth with no lag or surge.
  • Set the cruise control, then use resume and cancel to make sure each one works.

Tools that help

What owners said

Hello dear….I suffer from a problem when I’m driving my truck and it’s as follows: when the gear is on D and my truck stopped ,and I stomp the gas pedal with a little force my truck keep going I can’t stopped for 40 seconds after which return to the normal driving state,this situation happened to me 5 times,I don’t know if the speed…Owner complaint, filed 2023
Holding the "+" button down for more than a split second causes the speed to quickly increase in 5 MPH increments. While driving on the interstate at 65 MPH, I pressed the "+" key and within seconds the speed control setting jumped to 95 MPH. I hit "cancel" as fast as I could. In jeep's 2017 and 2019 models that I owned the speed…Owner complaint, filed 2020, at 400 miles

Brakes and stability control

13 complaintsBrakes that feel soft or grab, grinding, ABS and stability control faults.What to check before you buy

Half of the owners who gave a mileage had the problem by about 7,000 miles.

What to check before you buy

  • The pedal should feel firm and the car should stop straight without pulling, grinding or a pulsing pedal.
  • The ABS and stability control lights should go out after startup and stay out.
  • Look through the wheels at the rotors. A deep lip on the edge means brakes are due soon, which is a fair thing to negotiate on.

Tools that help

What owners said

Abs module / hcu shorted internally. Both had to be replaced. These are on recall for many 2020 jeep grand cherokee and the dealer has replaced several for this recall. My jeep should be included in the recall and I should be reimbursed for $2954.79 out of pocketOwner complaint, filed 2026
March 2022 miles 7713 08191002 module anti lock brake control 1 68442477acmodule ABS replaced vehicle was towed would not start june 2023 miles 11325 089191002 module ABS control 1 68442477ac module ABS system vehicle was towed would not start nov 2024 miles 26543 08191002 module ABS control 1 68442477ac module ABS brake system vehicle…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Steering

13 complaintsLoss of power steering assist, wandering, play in the wheel and noises when turning.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Turn the wheel lock to lock while parked and listen for groaning, clicking or binding.
  • On a straight road the car should track straight with the wheel centered and no loose feeling.
  • A power steering warning on the dash, even briefly, deserves a mechanic’s look before you buy.

Tools that help

What owners said

For the past two years ive been having problems with the steering in the car. the steering wheel constantly pulls to the right. i had to get 4 or 5 wheel alignments in one year because the problem is that bad. i have receipts for the fixes. i recently researched known issues and came across the recall of the "steering gear" affecting…Owner complaint, filed 2026
Component/System: Electrical Power Steering (EPS), steering cuts in and out while driving. Vehicle is available for inspection upon request. Safety Risk: My safety and the safety of others were put at risk because the steering intermittently fails, making the vehicle very difficult to control. This could easily cause an accident.…Owner complaint, filed 2025

Suspension

8 complaintsClunks over bumps, broken springs, worn struts and uneven tire wear.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Drive over a few bumps and potholes slowly with the radio off and listen for clunks or rattles.
  • Check the tires for uneven wear on the inside or outside edges, a sign of alignment or suspension trouble.
  • Look behind the wheels for oily, wet shocks or struts.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated while driving 70 MPH, the front-end of the vehicle suddenly collapsed. The contact veered to the side of the road and noticed that the rear driver's side tire had deflated. Upon towing the vehicle, the contact noticed that the driver's side control arm was fractured. The…Owner complaint, filed 2022, at 16,319 miles
Shocks failed at under 50k miles and should not have had this issue at such a low mileage. I have a baby so driving a vehicle with shocks that have busted does not feel safe at all. Dealership has done a diagnostic and no longer under warranty, Extended warranty does not cover it as well. Stuck paying a diagnostic fee and shocks are on…Owner complaint, filed 2022

Body, doors and structure

8 complaintsRust, doors and liftgates that will not latch, leaks, and frame or structure concerns.What to check before you buy

Parts named most: Body (6).

What to check before you buy

  • Look underneath with a flashlight. Utah road salt is hard on frames, brake lines and the bottoms of doors.
  • Open and close every door, the hood and the liftgate, and lock and unlock each one.
  • Use a paint thickness gauge and compare panels. A panel that reads very differently from the rest has likely been repaired.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the leather on the dashboard had started to peel and separate from the dashboard. The contact stated that the A/C vents were the only parts holding the leather intact; however, the leather could be removed if it was touched. The contact stated that the failure had…Owner complaint, filed 2025, at 50,000 miles
The interior door trim applique has delaminated and broken. This issue has been previously reported in Service Bulletin 23-001-19 REV.B, Group: 23-Body, dated 8/10/2019, for a different Jeep model.Owner complaint, filed 2025

Lights, wipers and visibility

7 complaintsHeadlights that dim or fail, wiper and washer failures, and windshield cracks.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Check every light: headlights on low and high, fog lights, brake lights, turn signals and reverse lights.
  • Run the wipers on every speed with washer fluid, and run the defroster front and back.

Tools that help

What owners said

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? Front passenger HID headlight on 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit V8, 45,000 miles. Yes How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? Went out while driving at night, making it difficult to adequately see. Has the problem been…Owner complaint, filed 2025
Had to replace headlight then it went back out shortly after. The following week the other side went out. I looked it up and it showed that there were recalls for this problem. But am being told there is no recall on my vehicle for this.Owner complaint, filed 2025

Seats and seat belts

6 complaintsBelts that will not latch or retract, seat adjusters and passenger occupancy sensors.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Pull out and latch every seat belt, and let each one retract on its own.
  • Try every seat adjuster, and watch for a passenger air bag "off" light when an adult is in the seat.

Tools that help

What owners said

I have owned 2 Jeep Grand Cherokees before this 2020 model and never had issues with seatbelts. After just five years, the driver's side seatbelt is not retracting and the passenger side is starting to do the same. I asked Jeep for assistance and I was told this was something I will have to pay for out of pocket. I have seen that many…Owner complaint, filed 2025
My driver and passenger side front seatbelts won't retract properly. Dealer just diagnosed the problem as a weak retractor. This will be the THIRD time the driver side has to be replaced since I bought the vehicle in May of 2020. It will be the SECOND time the passenger side has to be replaced. Jeep replaced both under warranty in Sept…Owner complaint, filed 2024

Wheels and tires

3 complaintsTire failures, wheels and lug nuts, and tire pressure sensor faults.What to check before you buy

What to check before you buy

  • Read the four-digit DOT date on each tire. Tires older than about six years should be replaced, whatever the tread looks like.
  • Check tread depth on all four. On AWD vehicles all four tires should match.
  • The tire pressure light should go out after startup.

Tools that help

What owners said

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee equipped with Goodyear Tires, Tire Line: Fortera, Tire Size: P245/70/R17, DOT Number: 1PJHLFNWR. The contact stated that while inspecting the vehicle, he noticed there were cracks on the sidewalls of all four tires. The vehicle was equipped with original tires. The vehicle was taken to the…Owner complaint, filed 2023, at 1,500 miles
Vehicle: 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4WD Purchase Date: [XXX] Mileage at Purchase: ~54,900 miles Dealer: Cherry Hill Jeep Chrysler Dodge, Cherry Hill, NJ I am filing this complaint because I am currently being required to drive a vehicle with a severe wheel misalignment that is visually observable, while the selling dealership has deemed it…Owner complaint, filed 2026

Jeep Grand Cherokee complaints by year

Compare the 2020 with other years before you choose one. Tap a year to see its problems.

Compare with similar 2020 midsize SUVs

Each car is rated against its own other years, since popular models always get more complaints than rare ones.

CarVs. its other yearsRecallsMost reported
2020 Jeep Grand CherokeeOne of the better years3Electrical system
2020 Toyota HighlanderWorse than most years4Transmission and drivetrain
2020 Honda PilotAbout average11Electrical system
2020 Kia TellurideAmong the worst years7Lights, wipers and visibility
Compare side by side

2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee recalls

This is every recall issued for the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, not what is still open on one car. A recall that was fixed does not show up any differently here. Check a VIN at NHTSA to see what is still open on the car you are looking at, and ask the seller for proof any recall work was done.

Engine and cooling

Jun 2023 · NHTSA campaign 23V411000
Risk
An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix
Dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Ram 1500 and 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 3.0L Diesel engines. The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate, causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the fuel injector pulses and cam shaft timing, possibly resulting in an engine stall.

Fuel system Fuel pump

Jun 2022 · NHTSA campaign 22V406000
Risk
Fuel starvation may result in an unexpected loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
Dealers will replace the HPFP, and inspect and replace, if necessary, additional fuel system components, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 2014-2019 Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. A high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure may introduce internal debris into the fuel system, potentially resulting in fuel starvation.

Backup camera

Sep 2020 · NHTSA campaign 20V191000
Risk
The lingering rearview image can distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix
Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will update the radio display software, free of charge.
Full recall summary

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Gladiator and Jeep Cherokee, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, and Jeep Renegade and 2019 Dodge Challenger vehicles equipped with 8.4" or 12" radio displays. A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."

2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee questions

What are the most common problems with the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

The most reported problem areas on the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee are the electrical system (74 complaints), the engine and cooling (56 complaints) and the transmission and drivetrain (39 complaints).

Is the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee a good year to buy?

One of the better Grand Cherokee years. Owners filed about 60% fewer complaints than a typical Grand Cherokee year. The area owners reported most is the electrical system, which half of owners reported by about 12,000 miles. Based on owner complaints to NHTSA, compared with other Grand Cherokee years from 2012 to 2024. A good year can still be a bad car, so check the one you are looking at.

How many recalls does the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?

NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The most recent, from Jun 2023, covers the engine and cooling. Recalls cover the whole model year, so check the VIN of the car you are looking at to see which are still open.

At what mileage do 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems start?

Half of the owners who reported a problem with the electrical system gave a mileage of about 12,000 miles or less. Half of the owners who reported a problem with the engine and cooling gave a mileage of about 11,000 miles or less. Plenty of cars have these problems later or never, so ask for service records.

Which Jeep Grand Cherokee years should I avoid?

The Grand Cherokee years with the most complaints compared with the rest are 2012, 2014 and 2015. Years with clearly fewer complaints are 2016, 2017 and 2020. Years from 2022 on are too new to rate fairly yet.

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Where these numbers come from. Complaints are reports that owners filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), counted from NHTSA’s complaint database as of November 5, 2026. Owners do not have to prove a problem to file one, so a complaint is a report, not a confirmed defect. Models that sell in big numbers get more complaints, and newer model years have had less time on the road, so compare years of the same model rather than different models. Recalls come from NHTSA’s recall database and cover every vehicle of that model year, not one particular car. Quotes are trimmed, and anything that looks like a VIN is hidden.