Jeep Grand Cherokee Reliability: How Long Will It Last?

David Rhee

Mar 10, 2022

Reportedly, only 0.9% of all Jeep Grand Cherokees make it to 200,000 miles of longevity, which is below the industry average of 1.2%. In comparison, 18.2% of all Toyota Land Cruisers make it to that mileage mark.

Key Points

The Jeep Grand Cherokee has been around since 1992. The current fifth generation of the SUV came out for the 2021 model year.
There are Grand Cherokees that have reached over 150,000 miles, but they account for a small percentage of all Grand Cherokees.
Data shows that only 0.9% of all Jeep Grand Cherokees make it to 200,000 miles, which is below the industry average of 1.2%.

High-mileage Grand Cherokees Do Exist but are Rarer Than Other SUVs With High Mileage

The automotive research firm iSeecars used data to create a list of the vehicles most likely to reach 200,000 miles. The Jeep Grand Cherokee did not make the list. Their data shows that only 0.9% of all Jeep Grand Cherokees make it to 200,000 miles, which is below the industry average of 1.2%.

So, only a small percentage of Grand Cherokees will ever see 200,000 miles on their odometer. In comparison, 18.2% of all Toyota Land Cruisers make it to that mileage mark.

A thread on the Jeep Garage forum features owners revealing the mileage on their Grand Cherokees, with most reporting an average of just under 150,000 miles on the odometer.

“Got 144,000 miles on our 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee 5.7 Hemi Overland,” says one owner, adding that when it comes to maintenance, he “…just replaced the original AGM battery (in 2022) and tires/brakes a few times, and she still runs and looks amazing.”

A few Grand Cherokee owners in the forum boast of reaching over 150,000 miles, with one 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee driver mentioning getting 177,645 miles so far from “a pretty solid vehicle that’s showing signs of age. She’s been beat on pretty good though!”

The highest mileage reported comes from an original owner of a 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland who reports having 305,000 miles on the odometer.

Grand Cherokee Owners With Over 100,000 Miles Report that Repairs Have Been Necessary to Keep Their Jeep Running

There are a few comments on Vehicle History from owners of Jeep Grand Cherokees with over 100,000 miles. Most of them like their SUV, but they mention that repairs have been needed to keep their vehicle running for a long time.

Many owners of high-mileage Grand Cherokees say they have performed regular maintenance on their Jeeps. In 2021, one Vehicle History visitor commenting on his 1998 Grand Cherokee reports that it has over 272,300 miles on it.

“The engine runs smoothly,” he notes, “but the transmission slips every now and then. Regular oil changes every 3,500 miles, using quality oil and filter. And taking it easy on the skinny pedal will make the 4.0 inline-six last forever.”

Routine Maintenance is Simple, but Repairs are Costly Once the Warranty Ends

The Jeep Grand Cherokee comes with an oil change indicator system that reminds the owner when it is time for scheduled maintenance. The owner’s manual says that severe operating conditions may cause the “change oil” message to illuminate as early as 3,500 miles.

In no instance should a Grand Cherokee be driven more than 10,000 miles or 12 months between oil changes. Other major maintenance, including transmission fluid flushes, should be done every 30,000 miles.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee comes from the factory with a three-year or 60,000-mile basic warranty. The powertrain is covered for a total of five years or 60,000 miles. Many expensive repairs need to be done after the warranty has expired.

A look at the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) website shows that the largest number of complaints filed about the Grand Cherokee were in reference to the powertrain. Many of the powertrain issues are regarding the transmission itself. Almost all of them were filed after the vehicle’s warranty had expired.

Certain Older Model Years of the Grand Cherokee Are Notably Less Reliable and Likely Won’t Last as Long as those from 2016 Onward

When it comes to the Jeep Grand Cherokee’s longevity, there are some problem years to note. The 2011 and 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokees each have over 1,500 complaints filed with the NHTSA. The number of complaints dropped to just over 700 for the 2013 Grand Cherokee. But things took a turn for the worse in 2014, when the Jeep Grand Cherokee amassed over 1,900 complaints filed with the NHTSA for that model year.

The situation improved for the 2015 model with just 900 complaints. Then it gets much better starting in 2016 when the number of complaints drops to less than 200 a year. So, with the exception of the 2013 model year, older Grand Cherokees do have some problems.

Jeep Grand Cherokee is a Reliable Road Beast, but Hitting 150,000 Miles of Longevity May Be a Challenge

There are Jeep Grand Cherokees with 150,000 or more miles. But they are rare. It is much more likely to find other types of cars with high mileage.

If you are considering buying a used Jeep Grand Cherokee, that already has a lot of miles on it you should check to see that it has been properly maintained and whether certain components have already been replaced. You should also find out if the previous owner drove the vehicle off-road or used it for towing, as those types of driving conditions can put extra wear on a car.

Photos: Stellantis

Frequently Asked Questions

By Stephanie Stephan | Mar 10, 2022

What is the Reliability of the Jeep Grand Cherokee Across Years?

2014, 2015, and 2019 Cherokees received low-reliability ratings from Consumer Reports for braking, transmission, and electrical failures. The 2016 Cherokee scored one out of five for dependability, while 2020-2022 models received “great” predicted reliability ratings from J.D. Power & Associates.

How Reliable is the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

The 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee received a “great” predicted reliability rating of 84 out of 100 from J.D. Power & Associates. 4WD models earned five out of five stars for safety and 2WD versions received a four out of five safety rating from the NHTSA.

Owner Reviews

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R on December 31, 2022

These reviews lol.. 2014 grand cherokee 4x4 laredo

Hi love the reviews that just say c**p then include no mention anywhere of their "jeep" haha whatever I have a 2014 jeep grand cherokee 4x4 laredo with 198k miles on it.. Just bought it.. Seems pretty reliable but its older..seems decently taken care of am going to get it inspected in 2 weeks but so far so good. I also have had a 1994 jeep cherokee se 4wd with 157k miles on it as well for a short time and it was by far the best driving vehicle i have driven in my life hands down.. Sadly I left it at a friends house and they stole it. I have driven over 400 civilian vehicles cars, trucks, suv's and by far available to the public jeeps(cherokee, grand cherokee, wrangler) are my favorite vehicle to drive .. They simply drive different than other vehicles and overall I have found them to be extremely reliable... Poor maintenance on any vehicle will lead to poor vehicles.. Do proper maintenance when its supposed to be done and most engines should hit 300-400k miles.. If you don't change fluids, keep fluids topped off, change worn seals, etc then of course your vehicle is going to be a c**p vehicle.. Lol agree though that some vehicles are simply poorly designed or have poor quality parts to start with.. The jeeps I listed are not those ones though. I stick to a few brands myself if I want reliable.. Jeep select models.. Sadly they have some poor jeep makes, honda and toyota basically anything .. Kia has really gotten my attention as well. I would reccommend to a friend to either buy a jeep wrangler, cherokee type or anything toyota if they were looking for a suv/truck as I would want my friend to have a good reliable vehicle and to be happy.

Rick on May 31, 2023

Constant repairs

I have a 2017 Grand Cherokee Overland 4wd that just passed 80k miles. The gas tank and gas filler had to be replaced about a year ago. Than the start/stop system failed, it went in for repair, it's still not functioning. The front end shakes even after new tires, balance and rotation (I told the guy the shake was there even before I had put new tires on it - still paid for work that did nothing), than the cylinder 6 misfired, two coil packs were burned up, those and gaskets were replaced, front and rear shocks were leaking, just had those replaced, steering control arm bushings were worn, those were replaced. Memory seats don't work. Now a week after getting it back from the shop the check engine is back on, code is reading an evap cooler. The morning before it was scheduled to go to the dealership it starts blowing mass amounts of white smoke out. Dealer said they can't replicate it. It has low coolant right after an oil change mind you and white smoke coming out the back, and they need a computer code to diagnose that I probably have a blow head gasket. I loved it when I got it and now I don't feel it's reliable, and not looking forward to transmission and oil leaks I hear about

Will Pyle on June 8, 2023

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee Summit 4x4 in Hawaii for Two Years

Really am impressed with this ride. I bought it with 75k miles on it and now its at 101,000. Transported to Puna, Big Island Hawaii from Washington. Bought it with lifetime powertrain warranty from dealership so wasn't worried. Even after a iron wood tree fell on it hard, it still drives perfect. Air ride still does great after living down a bad dirt road and commuting 45 mins to Hilo each day for work. Never left me stranded. Leather has started to wrinkle on the dash, but its from me not using a front windshield visor and moisture and sun out here can be CRAZY, seat leather is still in great condition even after 9 years now. Has even held up to the dogs nails scratching them. I replaced tires, its got a crack in the windshield wiper reservoir. AC still blows really cold, but has started making noise. Transmission is good, sometimes has hard time finding the right gear, which is what I think a lot of peoples problem is but its because it has so many gears to shift seamlessly. I'm happy with it. Like many have said. Its about proper maintenance and luck and how you drive it. To me it was a monster all around do anything rig with luxurious features that I enjoy.

Thomas on December 4, 2022

Reliable 2012 and inexpensive to maintain

My 2012 is still in great shape after 170,000 miles. The transmission flush and plugs were done at 100,000 miles, and the brakes at around 165,000 miles. The original tires lasted 90,000 miles and I just replaced them again at 169,000 miles. They still had reasonable summer tread but it's winter here. Overall, the problems I have had to pay for have been minimal. New brake switch, thermostat, and rear wiper motor that I all installed myself. I also replaced the differential fluid both front and rear. There were a bunch of recalls but that was on Jeep's dime, not mine.

KC on July 21, 2021

Safety Features Issues

I wanted the newest Safety Features. After driving the vehicle for about 1.5 years and 16K miles, I believe I wasted my money on this one. The lane departure is extremely unreliable even after being re-calibrated twice by the dealership. It will hold lane position about 70 percent of the time, then it will just wander off and over the lines. Even when it shows good lane knowledge. If you want a lane departure system that is reliable don't buy a Jeep.

Ramsey Nassar on July 4, 2022

Life of vehicle

I own 2 jeep Grand Cherokee SUV,s 2011 I drove it for 283,000 miles and then I left it at my work place for tech's that work for me to drive it to job sites. It has 307,000 miles and still runs good. It does not have air conditioning .It stopped working at 301,000 2016 I currently drive this one and it has 197,550 and runs perfectly. All functions work like the day I bought it. I am hoping my 2011 makes it to 340,000 based on the life of my tires.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Reliability: How Long Will It Last? - VehicleHistory (2024)