When the Jeep Cherokee came on the scene, it served as a sportier version of their beloved Wagoneer. Fast-forward to today, and it’s one of the best-selling off-road vehicles available. However, even popular models like this can eventually end up with a safety recall.
How many recalls have been issued for the 2017 Jeep Cherokee?
As of September 2020, only 4, these include:
- Cruise control fails to disengage
- Weak splines on the power transfer unit
- Improper welds on driver-side knee airbag inflator
- Incorrect certification level
Thankfully, in this article, we’ll explore each of these 2017 Cherokee recalls in detail. We’ll also explain how to hand each so you can resolve them as soon as possible.
Cruise Control Fails to Disengage
NHTSA Recall ID: 18V332000
Cruise control allows you to take a load off while you travel down the highway at a steady speed. Once you want to take back control of the throttle, you usually just have to turn it off to deactivate the system.
Sadly, in some 2017 Cherokees, defective wiring could prevent you from turning off the cruise control. When that happens, the vehicle could continue cruising at the set speed or even start to accelerate. An accident could quickly occur as a result.
Surprisingly, the fix does not require any repairs or changes to the wiring. Instead, technicians just have to review the software and perform a quick reflash. This will change how the powertrain control module operates to ensure the cruise control turns off on demand.
Weak Splines on the Power Transfer Unit
NHTSA Recall ID: 20V343000
Some Cherokees came with a two-speed power transfer unit that makes the front and rear driveshafts work in tandem. Upon locking the drive shafts together, this power transfer unit can provide the strength you need for towing.
Although this system should operate without a problem, the differential input splines rub on the transmission output shaft too much, causing the teeth on the splines to wear away.
Once all the spline teeth wear off, it will fail to engage with the transmission, which will result in zero power reaching the front wheels all of a sudden. The vehicle could also fail to stay put when set in Park and roll away without warning.
Jeep is not having their techs replace any parts at this time to address the issue. Instead, technicians may just complete a quick software update.
Through this update, the vehicle will respond to input spline failure by switching to rear-wheel drive when rolling or setting the electronic parking brake if put in Park.
Defective Driver-side Knee Airbag Inflator
NHTSA Recall ID: 16V799000
The 2017 Cherokee has a whole suite of safety equipment and airbags, including driver-side knee airbags.
When in proper working order, the knee airbags inflate during a collision to protect the lower extremities from injuries. However, that extra layer of protection may not occur in this model due to the placement of improper welds on the inflator mechanism.
Thankfully, it is easy to remedy the issue in full. Techs just have to replace the driver-side knee airbag module with a new one.
Incorrect Certification Label
NHTSA Recall ID: 17V543000
Certification labels can tell you tons of important info about your Cherokee. It might let you know its max load limits, ideal rim sizes, and recommended tire pressure levels, for example.
With some 2017 Cherokees, the label may be missing the tire and rim combination information that would aid you with replacing those components.
Fixing the problem only takes a second, as it only requires placement of the correct label over the old one.
How Do You Handle an Open Recall on a 2017 Jeep Cherokee?
To see if your Jeep has an open recall, you just have to use the VIN to do a quick check on the Mopar site. After inputting it and hitting submit, the system will indicate if the repairs are still pending and how to handle them.
