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Jeep · 4th gen (WK2) (WK2) · 2011–2021

Jeep Grand Cherokee (2011–2021): Problems, Reliability & Repair Costs

The WK2 Grand Cherokee looks and drives like a near-luxury SUV at a used-truck price, and that's exactly the trap. The good ones are the later, simply-equipped 3.6L cars. The expensive ones are early-build electrical gremlins (the TIPM), cylinder-head wear on 2011–2013 Pentastars, the Quadra-Lift air suspension that fails out of warranty, and the EcoDiesel's cooler problems. Buy on options and build year, not just mileage.

4/10 CarCaseFile
reliability score

Engines

  • 3.6L Pentastar V6 — 3.6L gasoline, 290 hp
  • 5.7L HEMI V8 — 5.7L gasoline, 360 hp
  • 6.4L HEMI V8 (SRT) — 6.4L gasoline, 470 hp
  • 6.2L Supercharged V8 (Trackhawk) — 6.2L gasoline, 707 hp
  • 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 — 3.0L diesel, 240 hp

Transmissions

  • W5A580 — automatic, 5-speed
  • 845RE / 8HP70 (ZF 8-speed) — automatic, 8-speed

Drivetrain

RWD / 4WD

Body

suv

Should you buy a 2011–2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee?

Buy a late one, lightly optioned, and you'll be fine; buy an early loaded one and you're rolling the dice on four separate expensive systems. The sweet spot is a 2017–2021 3.6L Laredo or Limited on coil springs (not air), without the EcoDiesel. Those are genuinely good used SUVs. The cars to be careful with are 2011–2013 (TIPM electrical, early Pentastar heads), anything with Quadra-Lift air suspension (it fails out of warranty and is thousands to fix), and the EcoDiesel unless its EGR-cooler recall is done and the oil cooler has been addressed. A clean later 3.6L on steel springs is a different ownership experience than an early air-sprung diesel.

Best years

2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

Years to avoid

2011 (worst year — TIPM electrical, early Pentastar heads), 2014 (8-speed shift complaints, EcoDiesel cooler issues, recall-heavy), 2012–2013 (early Pentastar head wear)

Pre-purchase inspection checklist

  • ☐On 2011–2013 3.6L cars: cold-start it and watch for a check-engine light / rough idle. Pull codes — P0300/P0302/P0304/P0306 (left-bank misfires) point at the known cylinder-head wear.
  • ☐On any 2011–2013 car: test EVERY electrical function — remote start, power locks, horn, wipers, fuel pump priming. Erratic behavior or no-start/hard-start is the classic TIPM symptom.
  • ☐Confirm whether the car has Quadra-Lift AIR suspension or steel coil springs. With the engine running, watch it raise/lower through its modes and listen for a constantly-running compressor or a 'Service Air Suspension' message.
  • ☐On the EcoDiesel: confirm the EGR-cooler recall (NHTSA 19V-757 / W79) was completed by VIN, and ask about oil-cooler history. Look for coolant loss with no external leak.
  • ☐On 2014+ cars: test-drive at light throttle 40–60 mph and through stop-and-go. Harsh 1-2/2-1 shifts or a shudder at lockup is the 8-speed complaint — ask if TCM software is up to date.
  • ☐Pull up the carpet edges (front and rear footwells) and smell for must/mildew — the WK2 has a well-documented sunroof-drain/cowl water-leak problem that ruins electronics.
  • ☐Check service records for cooling work; overheating from thermostat/EGR-cooler issues is common on heavily-complained years.

Common Jeep Grand Cherokee problems & repair costs

TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module) failure

$600–$1,400
electrical severe 2011–2013 (worst on 2011) ~40k–90k mi

Symptoms: Hard-start or no-start (often a stuck/failed fuel-pump relay), random electrical gremlins — doors locking themselves, horn or alarm going off, wipers running on their own, dead battery from a relay that won't shut off.

Fix: Replacement TIPM (programmed to the VIN) or a rebuilt unit; some owners do a fuel-pump-relay bypass as a cheaper interim fix for the most common no-start failure. The 2011 model has the most TIPM complaints on CarComplaints.

Sources: JeepProblems — Faulty TIPM, CarComplaints — Jeep Grand Cherokee

3.6L Pentastar left cylinder-head wear (misfires)

$1,500–$4,000
engine severe 2011–2013 ~60k–120k mi

Symptoms: Persistent misfire on the left bank (cylinders 2, 4, 6 — codes P0302/P0304/P0306), rough idle, hesitation, loss of power, check-engine light. Caused by premature valve-guide and valve-seat wear.

Fix: Cylinder-head replacement (typically the left head). FCA issued TSB 09-002-14 and an extended warranty (X56) to 10 years / 150,000 miles on affected 2011–2013 engines — many were repaired free. Out of coverage, it's a real head job.

Sources: Autoevolution — Pentastar V6 left cylinder head failure, Go-Parts — P0306 cylinder 6 misfire (2011–2018 GC)

Quadra-Lift air suspension failure

$1,200–$5,000
suspension moderate 2011–2021 (air-equipped only) ~60k+ mi

Symptoms: 'Service Air Suspension' message, corner(s) sagging or won't raise, compressor running constantly or burned out, leaking air lines/struts. Failure rate climbs after about 60k miles.

Fix: Diagnose the actual leak first — it's often the front air-spring limit valves or harness, not the compressor everyone blames. Repairs range from a compressor (around $2,000+) to front air springs ($3,600–$5,000 at a dealer). A coil-spring conversion kit is a common out-of-warranty alternative.

Sources: Strutmasters — Jeep GC air suspension fix, Suncore — WK2 Quadra-Lift issues

EcoDiesel EGR cooler and oil cooler failure

$1,000–$4,000
engine safety 2014–2019 (3.0L EcoDiesel) ~60k–120k mi

Symptoms: EGR cooler: thermal fatigue cracks it internally, letting coolant into the intake — a documented fire risk (subject of a federal recall). Oil cooler: coolant loss with no external leak; left unaddressed it can kill the engine.

Fix: The EGR cooler is covered by recall NHTSA 19V-757 (FCA W79) — dealers replace the cooler (and inspect the intake) free. The oil cooler is NOT recalled despite widespread failures; budget for replacement, and don't ignore unexplained coolant loss on a diesel.

Sources: NHTSA Recall 20V-699 / EGR cooler report (PDF), JeepGarage — EcoDiesel oil cooler failure killed the engine

ZF 8-speed harsh shifting / torque-converter shudder

$200–$4,000
transmission moderate 2014–2021 ~any

Symptoms: Jerky 1-2/2-1 and low-gear shifts, delayed engagement into drive/reverse, and a light-throttle shudder around 40–60 mph from torque-converter lockup slip.

Fix: Start with a TCM software update and adaptive-learn reset (TSBs 18-034-20 and 21-013-21 address shift quality) — cheap and often enough. Persistent cases trace to the valve body / mechatronic unit, which is the expensive end.

Sources: Cherish Your Car — GC transmission problems, JeepGarage — rough-shifting 8-speed thread

Sunroof-drain / cowl water leaks

$150–$2,000
body moderate 2011–2020 ~any

Symptoms: Wet carpet or floor pan (front or rear), musty smell, mold, and shorted electronics — sunroof control modules, airbag sensors in the headliner, and interior lighting harnesses can fail when water tracks in.

Fix: Clear or reroute the sunroof drains and reseal the cowl/leak point first (cheap if caught early). The big bills come from drying out the interior and replacing electronics the water already killed. No recall, but multiple TSBs and class-action suits exist.

Sources: JeepGarage — multiple water-leak sources, passenger floor, Edmunds — Jeep Grand Cherokee water leaks

This is a more expensive SUV to own than its used price suggests, and the spread is huge depending on how it's equipped. A late 3.6L on coil springs is reasonable — normal SUV wear (brakes, tires, fluids) plus the occasional ignition coil or thermostat. Air suspension, the EcoDiesel, or an early electrical-troubled car each add a category of multi-thousand-dollar risk. The V8s drink fuel and eat tires and brakes; the SRT/Trackhawk are specialist machines. Whatever you buy, the WK2 rewards buying the simplest, latest version you can find and punishes buying the loaded early one.

DIY repairs & parts

Replace ignition coil pack(s) on the 3.6L Pentastar

easy 30–60 min saves ~$80–$200

Tools: Socket set (8–10mm), Small extension, Flat screwdriver (connector clips)

  1. Pull the codes to identify the misfiring cylinder(s). Note: persistent left-bank misfires can be the head issue, not just a coil — rule that out first.
  2. Remove the engine cover and locate the coil on top of the affected cylinder.
  3. Unclip the electrical connector and remove the single hold-down bolt.
  4. Pull the old coil straight up; transfer or replace the spark plug if it's due.
  5. Seat the new coil, reinstall the bolt and connector, and clear the codes.

Parts

Clear the sunroof drain tubes

easy 30–45 min saves ~$100–$250

Tools: Compressed air or a weed-trimmer line, Shop towels, Plastic trim tool

  1. Open the sunroof and locate the drain holes in the front corners of the sunroof tray.
  2. Gently feed compressed air (low pressure) or a soft trimmer line into each drain to dislodge debris.
  3. Confirm flow by pouring a small amount of water into the tray and watching it exit below the vehicle (front by the wheels).
  4. Dry any standing water in the footwells and check that the carpet underneath isn't already soaked.

Parts

Replace the front air-spring (Quadra-Lift) with a coil-spring conversion

hard 3–6 hrs saves ~$400–$1000

Tools: Floor jack + jack stands, Spring compressor (if reusing struts), Socket and wrench set, Torque wrench

  1. Diagnose first — confirm the air spring/strut is the leak and not a valve or harness, so you don't convert unnecessarily.
  2. Safely lift and support the vehicle and remove the wheel.
  3. Disconnect the air line and electrical connector, then unbolt the top mount and lower strut bolts.
  4. Remove the air strut and install the coil-spring conversion strut per the kit instructions.
  5. Repeat per corner as needed, then deal with the suspension warning (most kits include a bypass module to silence the air-system fault).
  6. Torque everything to spec, reinstall wheels, and verify ride height and no warning lights.

Parts

Some parts links are affiliate links — we may earn a commission at no cost to you. We only list parts that fit this generation.

The short version

The 2011–2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee (the WK2) is one of the best-value used SUVs on paper and one of the easiest to overpay for in practice. It looks and rides like something far more expensive, and that’s the problem: the features that make it feel premium — air suspension, the EcoDiesel, a stack of early electronics — are exactly the parts that turn into four-figure repair bills once the warranty is gone.

Sort the WK2 into two piles. The good pile is the later, lightly-equipped 3.6L on steel coil springs. The risky pile is anything early (electrical TIPM trouble, 2011–2013 Pentastar head wear), anything with Quadra-Lift air suspension, and the EcoDiesel.

What that means when you’re shopping

If you’re looking at a 2017–2021 3.6L Laredo or Limited on coil springs, you’ve sidestepped most of the landmines. Buy it like any used SUV — condition, records, a clean transmission test-drive.

If you’re looking at a 2011–2013 car, treat the electrical system and the engine as the two things to clear first. Test every electrical function for the TIPM, and pull codes for left-bank misfires (P0302/P0304/P0306) for the head issue. A dealer can check by VIN whether the 10-year/150,000-mile head warranty extension was already used.

If the car has air suspension or the EcoDiesel, price in the risk. Air suspension fails out of warranty and costs thousands; the diesel’s EGR cooler is a recalled fire risk and its oil cooler isn’t recalled at all. Neither is a dealbreaker on a documented, sorted example — but on an unknown one, they’re how a cheap Jeep becomes an expensive one.

Everything else is ordinary big-SUV ownership: brakes, tires, fluids, the occasional coil pack, and keeping the sunroof drains clear so water never reaches the electronics.

How this file is built: failure modes and cost ranges are compiled from NHTSA recall data, manufacturer TSBs and warranty-extension actions, CarComplaints owner reports, and owner forums, then sanity-checked against shop-floor experience. Cost figures are independent-shop estimates and vary by region and trim. Spot something off? Tell us.

Viral car myths, checked

Frequently asked questions

Which Jeep Grand Cherokee years should I avoid?

2011 is the worst — it has the most TIPM electrical complaints and is an early Pentastar with the head-wear risk. 2012–2013 share the head issue, and 2014 is recall-heavy with the new 8-speed's shift complaints and EcoDiesel cooler problems. The later 2017–2021 3.6L cars are the safer used buy.

Is the 3.6L Pentastar cylinder-head problem covered?

On affected 2011–2013 engines, FCA extended the warranty to 10 years / 150,000 miles for the left-head misfire issue, and many were repaired free. If a car is now outside that window, the head job is on you — so it matters before you buy. Confirm by VIN whether the repair was already done.

Should I buy a Grand Cherokee with air suspension?

Only with eyes open. Quadra-Lift rides nicely but fails out of warranty, and repairs run from about $1,200 to $5,000 depending on what's actually leaking. If you don't need the off-road height adjustment, a coil-spring car is cheaper to live with — or budget for a conversion kit down the road.

Is the EcoDiesel worth it?

It has great torque and range, but only buy one where the EGR-cooler recall (NHTSA 19V-757) is documented as completed and you've checked the oil-cooler history. Those two cooler failures are the diesel's signature problems, and the oil cooler isn't covered by any recall.

How reliable is the WK2 Grand Cherokee overall?

It's middling — better than its reputation if you pick a late, simply-equipped 3.6L, and worse than its reputation if you buy an early loaded car with air suspension or the diesel. The platform's value is real; the risk lives in the options and the build year.