Just because the Wrangler, Renegade, or Cherokee have a Jeep badge, doesn’t automatically mean that they’re great. Jeep has had some major mess ups, just like other auto manufacturers have. 

For example, Jeep discontinued the Cherokee for a little while to bring the Liberty to market, and some fans have never forgiven them for it. Let’s take a look at a few more recent blunders. 

Major Jeep Recalls

An Increased Fire Risk 

Recently, Jeep issued a major recall for 2018 – 2020 Jeep Wranglers and Jeep Gladiator trucks equipped with manual transmissions because they had a fire risk. 

The clutch pressure plate or mechanism that transfers torque to the transmission was found to be prone to overheating. It caused a lot of friction to occur that could cause the transmission case to crack. Then other debris around the cracked case could ignite.

If this occurs, drivers may notice road debris from under their Jeep, the smell of smoke, or notice that their clutch moves farther than usual. 

Faulty Floor Mats 

In 2018, Jeep issued a recall for Grand Jeep Cherokee models due to having thick floor mats. We know you can’t make this stuff up. While it seems like a simple issue to fix, the floor mats were pretty problematic. 

They were too thick and didn’t have enough space around the accelerator pedal. As a result, the floor mats prevented the pedal from returning to idle and increased the risk of crashing. At least the fix was simple. Drivers simply got to replace their floor mats for free. 

Powertrain Failure 

Jeep also had to issue a recall for multiple models, including the 2018 Renegade, Compass, Grand Cherokee, 2017 – 2018 Wranglers, and 2018 – 2019 Cherokees due to having a faulty powertrain chip. 

The powertrain control module could have a faulty voltage regulating chip that prone to failing. If the chip fails, then your Jeep may not start and could randomly stall in traffic, increasing the risk of accidents or getting stranded. 

Transmission Issues 

In 2019, Jeep issued a recall for the 2019 Jeep Cherokees equipped with the 2.4-liter engines because of faulty transmissions. The transmissions in these Jeeps may have been improperly calibrated. 

As a result of improper calibration, the Jeeps may randomly stall, causing a significant risk of traffic accidents. But at least a simple recalibration of the transmission that’s free of charge was a simple fix for this issue. 

Structural Issues 

In 2019, particular 2018- 2019 Jeep Wrangler models were recalled due to having structural issues. Now that sounds like a massive problem, and it was. 

The front track bar brackets may be improperly welded. As a result, the bracket may become separated from the frame, making it more challenging to steer once the ability to steer becomes compromised, the risk of crashing increases. 

Apparently, dealers can inspect the structure for this issue and repair the damage via welding. However, if the structure has a problem in the first place, then we aren’t sure about how much confidence to place in your Jeep.