2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee transmission and drivetrain problems
78 of the 310 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee name the transmission and drivetrain (NHTSA’s “Power Train” heading — the transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading). Filed under the same heading: 67 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall. Every figure below is a document in a federal file, linked; none is a failure rate, and none is a verdict on any one car.
What owners filed about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA complaint database9 of the 78 reports a crash · 2 a fire · 5 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2016: 17 · 2017: 10 · 2018: 7 · 2019: 9 · 2020: 15 · 2021: 1 · 2022: 3 · 2023: 6 · 2024: 3 · 2025: 4 · 2026: 3
Half of the 55 owners who gave an odometer reading reported the transmission and drivetrain problem between 7,000 and 47,000 miles. A median of reports, not the life of a part.
310 complaints in all about the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 3 filed in 2026. The whole picture, every system →
Counts are owner reports to NHTSA, not verified defects, and scale with how many of these were sold; nothing here is a rate. NHTSA groups complaints coarsely, so “Power Train” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Jeep Grand Cherokee transmission and drivetrain problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the transmission and drivetrain. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While the vehicle was parked on an incline, the vehicle rolled away. The contact was able to re-enter the vehicle and stop the vehicle safely before a crash occurred. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure.
The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee. While driving on a three lane highway, the vehicle independently shifted from drive to neutral without warning. The contact had to cautiously coast the vehicle over to the side of the road, applied force to shift gears into park, and applied the emergency brake.
11/10/16 I was on a city street, driving in traffic 10 MPH , stopped in traffic, waiting to get on the highway for afterwork commute home. Took my foot off the brake to put on gas pedal as traffic was beginning to move, car would not drive, put car in neutral then back in drive, car would not move in drive,, no warning lights came on the…
Safety concern: the issue with the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee I leased is that it slips out of drive and into neutral while the car is in motion! This happens on its own, without my touching the gear shift. When it slips into neutral, the gear shift says its still in drive.
I was trying to park and my vehicle would not go into park. A service transmission message came across my dash board. My vehicle was stationary however it would not park nor cut off
What is on file about the transmission and drivetrain
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 16V249000 ModerateApr 27, 2016 · 32,384 vehicles
- Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured May 15, 2015 to February 19, 2016. The brake transmission shift interlock solenoid may have a loose electrical connection which could result in a loss of solenoid function.
67 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
- S2621000003 REV. A Service bulletinMar 9, 2026
- The vehicle will exhibit a service transmission/check engine warning indicator for the following transmission models: 845RE, 8HP45, 850RE, 8HP50, 8HP70, 8HP75, 8HP75-PHEV, 8HP75-LCV, 8HP90, 8HP95. Transmissions may exhibit the following diagnostic codes: P07E4, P1DB2, P0716, P1B14, P0733, P1D90, P1DB7, P1B13.
The 1 newest are listed; every one is on the model year’s page. Quote the document number at a service desk — it is a diagnosis the maker has already written down.
Trouble codes named on this system
B23C3 P0335 P2681 U0404 P0017 P0019 P0441 P0455
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee names on this model year; a code with a record of its own links it.
Other systems with a record on the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Source: the same files- engine problems 84 complaints
- electrical problems 61 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre transmission and drivetrain problems common on the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 78 owner complaints naming the transmission and drivetrain on this model year (25% of everything owners filed about it), and 67 manufacturer bulletins, 1 recall are filed under the same heading. Whether it is a problem on one particular car is a diagnosis, not a count, and a count says nothing about how many were sold.
Is there a recall for the transmission and drivetrain on the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 16V249000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do transmission and drivetrain problems show up on the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Owners who gave an odometer reading reported it at a median of 33,000 miles; half of them between 7,000 and 47,000. That is when reports cluster, not the life of a part.
What does NHTSA's "Power Train" heading cover?
The transmission, transfer case, driveshafts, axles and differentials — NHTSA files them under one heading. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.