As a brand, the popularity of Jeep it’s huge, especially in the US. Their vehicles are known for being tough and durable. Add to that its drive-anywhere capability, whether it’s a daily cruiser or something to get off-road and explore the great outdoors.
Jeeps seem to have a knack for handling some of the most awkward situations with surprising mastery. For a Jeep, tackling terrain never intended for a vehicle is as easy as pie. As much as they’ve made some great models over the years, like the family-adventure-ready Grand Cherokee, the off-road-ready Wrangler, or the super-popular Cherokee, some come with plagues of problems. Models that have enraged people and left them scratching their heads. Let’s take a look at some of the unreliables that have come out of the Jeep stable.
10 Jeep Renegade 2015
The 2015 Jeep Renegade doesn’t do well when it comes to reliability. Information from Car complaints shows that this model has had many complaints filed with the NHTSA. The majority of complaints have been related to the engine for issues such as loss of power or stalling while driving, the worst being that the engine won’t turn over or start. Next are transmission problems and electrical problems. NHTSA has issued recall notices for this model for the powertrain, suspension and electrical systems, among other things.
If you want something reliable that’s in the same class as the Renegade, a 2016 Subaru Crosstrek that’s a capable crossover has a score of 81 a JD Powerwhich makes it great for reliability.
9 Jeep Wrangler 2007
For starters, the 2007 Jeep Wrangler is plagued with 10 — yes, 10 — recall notices issued by the NHTSA. These include multiple brake recalls along with airbags, equipment, power train and electrical systems. The story, however, does not end here. Previous owners have commented Edmonds on issues related to the 2007 Wrangler’s poor build quality, steering problems known as “death wobble”, transmission, brakes and engine. That’s quite a list. All of this means it’s been back to the dealership on many occasions. It may be a perfectly capable all-terrain vehicle, but it is riddled with problems that make it very unreliable. These may be some of the reasons why it only got a 60/100 reliability score JD Power.
8 Jeep Commander 2006
The 2006 Jeep Commander is another model that has received multiple recalls, 6 to be exact. In accordance with Consumer Reports The NHTSA has issued recall notices for the 2007 Jeep Commander for the electrical, power train, suspension, brakes and seat belt systems. 1766 complaints have been filed about this particular model with the NHTSA covering various issues including the engine and engine cooling, fuel system, equipment, steering and stability control systems. Car complaints They’ve even noted that “what’s really worrying are the electrical issues like the vehicle shutting down unexpectedly” or “the cruise control has a mind of its own.” Simply put, there are real safety issues with this model. When it comes to reliability, the 2006 Commander doesn’t shine.
7 Jeep Compass 2007
While there are some things about newer models like the 2020 Jeep Compass that make them reliable, there are older versions that are not reliable. The 2007 Jeep Compass is one such model that falls short when it comes to reliability. The 2007 Jeep Compass has the worst overall complaints with the worst engine category, according to Car complaints. The NHTSA has also recorded about 428 complaints about this Jeep model, as well as 5 equipment, wheel and brake recall notices. The owners have reported it Edmonds with issues related to throttle control, electrical systems, transmission and more. One owner even said, “It’s been in the shop longer than any other vehicle I’ve ever owned.” A common factor among all owners is the high cost of repairs to their vehicles.
6 Jeep Liberty 2006
Like the 2007 Wrangler, the 2006 Liberty has 10 recall notices against the NHTSA. Details collected by Consumer Reports show that the 2006 Liberty received multiple suspension, powertrain, electrical and fuel system recalls. As for the fuel system recall, there are more than one and a half million units affected. It’s an impressive amount. NHTSA has 1351 complaints filed against the 2006 Jeep Liberty, as well as 5 investigations.
In accordance with Car complaints, the most complained about issue is window and windshield systems with 400 complaints, closely followed by fuel system issues with 366. This model really struggles to be a reliable car. It is echoed in the experiences of the owners Edmonds consumer reviews where people report issues with the engine, transmission, and windows, among other things. One person reported that their 2006 Liberty “has been to the dealer 11 times now,” and another stated that they “had to change the window regulators 10 times.”
5 Jeep Wrangler 2008
This particular Jeep Wrangler model suffers from a lot of reliability issues. So much so that JD Power gave it an overall score of 71, which isn’t even average, but more worryingly, its reliability score is as low as 63. It also had 9 recalls issued by the NHTSA, 4 of which which are for airbags and also brakes, drive train and equipment. Owners also report issues with the engine and transmission, along with build quality issues (leaky roof), brakes, engine problems and burning oil, as well as many electrical gremlins. As much as the Wrangler is one of the best off-road SUVs, the reliability of this particular model is questionable at best.
4 Jeep Patriot 2015
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration received 268 complaints about the 2015 Jeep Patriot. The most complaints are about the engine followed by the electrical systems and power train. In addition, there are complaints in other areas such as brakes, steering, airbags, suspension and vehicle speed control. These issues are highlighted in owners’ experiences with the 2015 Patriot, where one person categorically noted that it’s a “horrible waste of your money,” while another stated that their Jeep was “6 times in the shop due to electrical problems.” Many people reported problems with the transmission and brakes, as well as various electrical problems. Although this model of Patriot has only 1 recall notice issued by NHTSA, it does not appear to be a reliable car.
3 Jeep Grand Cherokee 2011
The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is right up there when it comes to being unreliable. Car complaints they have logged over 2000 complaints about the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee. As if that wasn’t bad enough, the NHTSA has 1565 complaints logged against the 2011 Grand Cherokee with 5 investigations and 6 recall notices. The most common problem is for electrical systems with a staggering 741 complaints followed by engine problems with 321 complaints. The list of complaints for this model is very long. It is not surprising, then, that 4 of the 6 withdrawals are for the electrical system. Actual owners have reported several issues Edmonds consumer reviews where one owner even stated that his 2011 Grand Cherokee “has lived up to its reputation for very low reliability.”
2 Jeep Wrangler 2014
The 2014 Jeep Wrangler is another example of a Jeep that suffers from engine problems. There are 560 complaints filed with the NHTSA for this model, 302 of them for engine problems, as well as 4 investigations and 4 recall notices. Information obtained from Consumer Reports highlights 2 airbag removals along with seat belts and tires. The owners have reported it Edmonds of build quality issues as it has many areas where there are leaks, mechanical breakdowns, multiple breakdowns and various engine issues. When it comes to reliability, you would be better off considering buying a 2022 Jeep Wrangler, which has a reliability rating of 86 out of JD Power while the 2014 model only has a 74 reliability rating.
1 Jeep Cherokee 2014
In accordance with Car complaints, the 2014 Jeep Cherokee is the worst model year for this car with its main issue being transmission issues. It has 2274 mass complaints filed against it with the NHTSA with 3 investigations and a whopping 12 recall notices, 3 of which are for the power train. About 1303 of those complaints have to do with the power train and 465 are for engine problems. These are surprisingly high numbers. Consumer Reports noted that for this model of Cherokee “the list of defects is long.” Like the 2008 Jeep Wrangler, the 2014 Cherokee has poor reliability. JD Power of only 65. All of these statistics show the experiences of owners of this model of Cherokee where many people reported problems with transmission, burning engine oil and locking. As one reviewer says, “This Jeep Cherokee looks good on the outside, but mechanically it hurts.”
Sources: Edmunds, JD Power, Car Complaints, Consumer Reports, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
