2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee engine problems
70 of the 487 complaints owners filed with NHTSA about the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee name the engine (NHTSA’s “Engine” heading — the engine and its cooling system). Filed under the same heading: 190 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 engine
Source: NHTSA complaint database2 of the 70 reports a crash · 1 a fire · 2 injuries. Self-reported, unverified.
Filed per year: 2020: 2 · 2021: 10 · 2022: 12 · 2023: 10 · 2024: 10 · 2025: 17 · 2026: 9
Too few of these complaints carry an odometer reading to say when the problem shows up.
487 complaints in all about the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 9 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 “Engine” means the same area of the vehicle, not one fault.
Across model years: Jeep Grand Cherokee engine problems, every year on file →
In owners’ own words
Source: NHTSA complaint databaseFiled with NHTSA by the people who own these cars, about the engine. Quoted as written, with anything identifying removed; unverified reports — what was said, not a finding that it was true.
My AC compressor and condenser have stopped working without any reason. The air conditioner does not work at all, it does not make the air cold and the heat in is lethal
I was driving my vehicle home after a nearby out of town errand. I was on US-95 between Potlatch ID and Moscow ID which is a very hilly, curvy 2-lane 60mph highway with little to no cell service. As I ascended my first big hill, my engine light came on flashing and the ride became noticeably bumpy.
Jeep grand Cherokee L, the 3.7L V6 engine in the Jeep has experienced camshaft and valvetrain issues, often related to wear and lubrication problems. Sides a ticking and rough running/banging engine. Caused by faulty camshafts. The company knows the cam shafts are faulty, in Michigan the part is on back order by over 10,000 parts.
Was accelerating to pass another vehicle and all of the sudden the the check engine light came on and the engine started shaking as if it were shutting down. I was able to slow down and pull over on the side of the road. Now I am unable to accelerate over about 30 mph without this occurring
2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. I was idling at a light, which means the engine had auto-shut off. The light turned green and I stepped on the accelerator. Car kicked back on like normal and I got back up to speed ~45 mph.
What is on file about the engine
Source: NHTSA recalls, investigations and manufacturer communicationsRecall filed under this heading
- 22V284000 HighApr 28, 2022 · 1,308 vehicles
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee WK, 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 2021-2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vehicles equipped with 3.6L engines. The exhaust gas recirculation (EGR) valve may stick open, resulting in an unexpected loss of drive power.
190 manufacturer bulletins filed under this heading
The 0 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
U0131 P0301 P0302 P0303 P0304 P0480 P0128 P0300
Codes a bulletin or an owner’s complaint about the 2021 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 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Source: the same files- electrical problems 141 complaints
- steering problems 119 complaints
- transmission and drivetrain problems 70 complaints
Common questions
Source: NHTSA complaint database, recalls and manufacturer communicationsAre engine problems common on the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
They are documented: NHTSA holds 70 owner complaints naming the engine on this model year (14% of everything owners filed about it), and 190 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 engine on the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Yes — one campaign is filed under this heading: 22V284000. A recall is matched by VIN; check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
When do engine problems show up on the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Too few of the complaints carry an odometer reading to say. The model year's page shows the mileage curve across every system where it can.
What does NHTSA's "Engine" heading cover?
The engine and its cooling system. Owners choose the heading when they file, so it says which area of the vehicle the complaint is about, not which part failed.