Most would consider the 2014 Jeep Cherokee a good used SUV because of its flexibility. It makes a great vehicle for the daily commute. If your weekends take you onto roads less traveled? This Cherokee is an excellent SUV for off-roading. It did well in safety tests, it’s comfortable, and offers a great ride.

What’s not to like? Well, according to consumer site CarComplaints.com, there’s one very annoying issue with the 2014 Jeep Cherokee that you’ll want to know about before you consider buying one.

A fuel system problem

Most of us are familiar with common car problems like squealing brakes, engine knocks, and the dreaded “check engine” light that comes on as a harbinger of a visit to the local mechanic. But can you imagine how annoyed you’d feel if you couldn’t put gas in the tank of your vehicle?

That’s exactly what happened to several 2014 Jeep Cherokee owners. And that’s just one of the major transmission and fuel system issues faced by folks who own this Jeep model.

On average, the problem of being able to put gas in the tank hit around 53,000 miles according to Car Complaints. The consumer site gave the issue a rating of 8.5 or “pretty bad” on their 1-to-10 problem severity scale. A solution to the problem usually involved replacing the fuel pump and other connected parts in the Cherokee’s fuel system.

The complaints about the Jeep Cherokee

One California owner of a 2014 Jeep Cherokee reported that their Trail Hawk model would only take a couple of dollars worth of gas because the gas pump would start clicking. At first, the owner thought the problem could be the gas station’s pumps but there were three more occurrences. The owner explained that they’d only driven Jeep since the early ’90s and there had been no issues aside from a radio problem. 

An owner in Maine said with no warning, they were no longer able to put gas in the tank of their 2014 Cherokee. They never had any problems prior to the fuel issue. They also mentioned that diagnostics on their Cherokee turned up no error codes.

Another California owner explained that it took about 15 minutes for them to get as much as six dollars worth of gas in the tank. After consulting their local dealership, and being told that their Certified Pre-Owned warranty wouldn’t cover the problem, it was determined that the fuel pump was the culprit. The repair didn’t yield results and when the problem resurfaced, they were told it was either the “new gas pumps” or that the owner didn’t know how properly fill the gas tank.

After two trips to the dealership for the same problem, a regional tech from Chrysler tried a few things before replacing the gas tank which meant a review of the entire fuel system. That solved the problem.

Other problems with the 2014 Jeep Cherokee

Car Complaints has received several complaints about the 2014 Jeep Cherokee centered primarily around its transmission. 

A number of complaints were submitted about the fact that the engine stalls or quits while the vehicle is running. The problem showed up around 36,000 miles and repairs mostly involved replacing the engine, the transmission, or both. 

One Florida owner reported driving around their neighborhood at 35 mph. When they noticed the car ahead of them coming to a stop, they noticed their vehicle was dead. The electronics were out, the steering wheel locked, and the brakes failed causing them to hit the car in front of them when they were unable to stop.

Rough shifting was also a problem for several owners. The problem usually surfaced around 17,000 miles and involved replacing the transmission, updating the vehicle’s software, or both. 

One California owner explained that they started experiencing problems with shifting in low gears. Then the vehicle started lurching, hesitating, and spinning wheels from a stop. After a software upgrade, the problem wasn’t as severe but it remained.

If you’re in the market for a good used SUV, you may consider giving the 2014 Jeep Cherokee a pass given its extensive transmission and fuel system problems. You might consider instead a used Ford Escape or Honda CR-V.