The 2017 Jeep Cherokee is one of the brand’s best-known models and a capable family-hauler. However, it has been plagued by oil consumption issues with its 2.4L engine, transmission woes, and potential rollaway.
Key Points
- The 2017 Jeep Cherokees racked up four recalls, including one involving a cruise control system that can’t be cancelled. Plus, there is an open investigation into a dangerous airbag issue, and over 830 consumer complaints over engine, powertrain, and electrical problems.
- Some major problems faced by the 2017 Jeep Cherokee are particular to the 2.4-liter engine, including excessive oil consumption issues.
- Additional problems faced by the 2017 Cherokee include engine stalls, faulty airbags, and potential rollaway.
2017 Jeep Cherokee Faced Four Recalls–Two Serious, Two Innocuous–and a Major Investigation into Faulty Airbags
When it first launched in 2014, the KL Jeep Cherokee had new looks and a cushy interior that made it an instant hit. But it wasn’t long before issues arose. By the time the 2017 model came around, the 2017 Jeep Cherokee was issued four National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) recalls, ranging from a somewhat innocuous problem with an onboard label that’s missing tire and rim designation information, to more serious concerns where the cruise control cannot be canceled. Another serious issue concerned a recall over unintended vehicle rollaway, and a fourth recall covered knee airbags that do not properly inflate.
There was also one major NHTSA investigation into an issue with faulty airbags that may not work properly in an accident and cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to occupants.
Additionally, the 2017 Jeep Cherokee received over 830 consumer complaints, with over 300 of them pertaining to the powertrain, more than 200 about the electrical system, and over 180 reports of engine issues.
2017 Jeep Cherokee’s Common Issues Include 2.4-liter Engine’s Excessive Oil Consumption and Premature Wear
Some major problems faced by the 2017 Jeep Cherokee are particular to the 2.4-liter engine, including oil consumption issues. One owner on Car Complaints reported consuming a quart every 500 miles. This and other derivative issues have lead to a class-action suit being filed on behalf of owners with the 2.4-liter Tigershark engine. Heavy oil consumption, premature wear, and unintended engine shutoff are the most common problems.
Another owner reports on Car Complaints the utter danger presented by the engine issues: “When driving and making a right or left turn, an error message pops up on the screen stating ‘can not switch gears while in drive,’ then the engine shuts off. It has happened to me over six times in the last month–in the middle of a left turn in a busy intersection and almost caused an accident…”
Both Car Complaints and the NHTSA record countless complaints about the excessive oil consumption issue. Also, owners on forums such as Jeep Cherokee Club note this issue being most common with 2017 models equipped with the 2.4-liter Tigershark engine. The 2017 Jeep Cherokee has nearly 700 real owner reviews here on Vehicle History, and several of them also mention oil consumption issues.
“The four-cylinder engine in my 2017 Jeep Cherokee burns an excessive amount of oil,” reported one April 2021 review. “This is a well-documented issue [and] is incredibly dangerous. The only advice from the service techs is to routinely check the oil, and add quarts in between oil changes.”
Transmission and Rollaway Issues Affect Some 2017 JK Cherokees
While perusing complaints made in Vehicle History‘s owner reviews of the 2017 Cherokee, transmission issues were one thing that occasionally kept cropping up, and sure enough, many other sites note these as being issues as well.
One reviewer posted in January 2021 that “[the 4×4 shift-on-the-fly transmission] went at only 34,000 miles and needed to be replaced” in his 2017 Cherokee. This, it turns out, is something a recall was actually issued for in June 2020.
Affecting 67,248 Cherokees from 2014 to 2017, the recall noted that on models with a two-speed Power Transfer Unit, the teeth on the differential’s input shaft splines could wear off, preventing power from being sent from the transmission to the front wheels. This would also render the Park gear unusable, meaning the vehicle could roll away without the emergency brake applied.
Like with the engine stalling issues, this, of course, isn’t specific to the 2017 Cherokee, but it is an issue that many owners continue to complain about. It’s not the only recall issued that the 2017 Cherokee was caught up in.
Another problem affected nearly 5,000,000 Fiat Chrysler vehicles and related to the cruise control function failing to cancel by pressing the brakes, or by manually pressing the cancel button.
Early Years Proved Troublesome, but by 2017, the Jeep Cherokee Improved When Powered by the 3.2-liter Engine
While the KL Cherokee’s early model years were marred by issues, by 2017, it seems Jeep had certainly got its act together. The number of recalls issued was substantially lower, and those the 2017 Cherokee were caught up in were only for general model issues or relating to production faults specific to a small batch of vehicles.
However, the excessive oil consumption issues that seem quite specific to 2.4-liter 2017 Cherokees are fairly worrying. The dangerous issue of random engine stalling is also something to be particularly wary of with the Cherokee.
Overall, the 2017 Grand Cherokee is a fine choice, especially when equipped with the less-problematic 3.2-liter V6.
Photos: Jeep
