Jeep · vehicle model

Jeep Cherokee

20,437 NHTSA complaints and 83 safety recalls across model years 1973–2023.

Complaints
20,437
Recalls
83
Model years
33

The verdict

The Jeep Cherokee pairs above-average complaint volume with 83 recalls (heavily recalled).

0th pctile
complaint volume, US models
83
recall campaigns
Follow this model's NHTSA record changes

Jeep Cherokee vs. all tracked models

Total NHTSA ODI complaints across models with substantive safety data

20,437 Higher than most more complaints than 99%+ of 3,088 models

tracked vehicle models, bucketed by value

Each bar is a band; taller bars hold more models. The dashed line + filled bar mark this entry. Hover or tap any bar for its full count and share, and where it sits relative to this entry.

Source NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · August 2026

The JeepCherokee appears in NHTSA's Office of Defects Investigation database with 20,437 consumer safety complaints and 83 recall campaigns across 33 model years (1973–2023). That averages roughly 619 complaints per model year. Report counts can differ between model years for many reasons; this dataset does not establish the cause of a difference.

Complaint volume on a nameplate alone is not a reliability verdict: a long-running bestseller can accumulate more filings than a low-volume niche model because more vehicles are on the road. The table below shows report counts and published NHTSA crash-test ratings side by side for each model year. The filing-year histogram shows the timing of submitted reports, not a causal trend.

NHTSA has 1 investigation file tied to this model. Investigation records, complaint reports, and recall campaigns each provide different context. Use the official NHTSA VIN lookup and the underlying notices to research a specific vehicle; PlainCars does not infer a vehicle-risk or pricing conclusion from these records.

Complaints by Year

YearComplaints
20233
202258
2021166
2020307
20192225
2018950
20171872
20162002
20152626
20143924
200618
2001329
2000508
1999516
1998553
1997496
1996584
1995732
1994618
1993571
1992175
1991297
1990368
1989287
1988118
198772
198626
198524
19848
19811
19801
19781
19731

Complaint Filing Trend

NHTSA complaint volume by year filed (not model year).

Filings moved from 7,042 in 2017-2021 to 4,737 in 2022-2026, a fall of 32.7%. That is the 50th percentile of change across the 763 nameplates with enough filings in both windows to compare, where 0 is the steepest fall and 100 the steepest rise.

Filing volume, not a reliability verdict: counts also move with how many vehicles are on the road, how old they are, and whether a recall drew attention. Computed from this portal's NHTSA filing-year records over the same two windows the trend rankings use.

427
’95
501
’96
659
’97
492
’98
715
’99
819
’00
730
’01
609
’02
327
’03
216
’04
102
’05
44
’06
56
’07
95
’08
47
’09
48
’10
42
’11
41
’12
70
’13
442
’14
1154
’15
1022
’16
729
’17
1178
’18
2171
’19
1847
’20
1117
’21
831
’22
1179
’23
942
’24
1581
’25
204
’26

Year filed (bar labels show the complaint count).

View all trending models →

Compare JeepCherokee to Similar Vehicles

NHTSA Investigations

Frequently Asked Questions

How reliable is the Jeep Cherokee?
The Jeep Cherokee has received 20,437 NHTSA complaints spanning model years 1973 to 2023, with 83 recalls. That averages about 619 complaints per model year.
What years of Jeep Cherokee are available?
PlainCars has complaint and recall data for the Jeep Cherokee from 1973 to 2023 (33 model years). Select any year to see component-level complaint breakdowns and safety ratings.
Does the Jeep Cherokee have safety ratings?
NHTSA safety ratings (NCAP 5-star program) are available for many Jeep Cherokee model years from 2011 onward. Select a specific year to see front crash, side crash, and rollover ratings where available.
What are the most common Jeep Cherokee complaints?
NHTSA complaints for the Jeep Cherokee are categorized by component, common areas include engine, transmission, electrical system, airbags, and brakes. Select a model year for a detailed component-by-component breakdown.
How do I check if my Jeep Cherokee has been recalled?
Visit the year-specific page on PlainCars to see all recalls for your model year, or enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov for official recall status and available remedies.
Data sources

Data vintage: August 2026. Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) complaints database, NHTSA recall campaign API, NHTSA NCAP crash-test ratings, and NHTSA FARS for fatality cross-reference.

Every figure on PlainCars is rendered directly from NHTSA complaint and safety data, no number is typed in by an editor. Jeep Cherokee totals are aggregated from the linked NHTSA model-year rows; no figure is typed in by an editor. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of August 2026.