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The Most Complained About SUVs Aren’t Even a Suprise

Some SUVs just don’t have a great reputation. Jeeps in particular. Some people love them and some people hate them. Either way, there’s no denying that people complain about them. A lot. According to iSeeCars, the Jeep Wrangler and the Jeep Grand Cherokee are the most complained about SUVs between the years 2005 and 2016. …

Some SUVs just don’t have a great reputation. Jeeps in particular. Some people love them and some people hate them. Either way, there’s no denying that people complain about them. A lot. According to iSeeCars, the Jeep Wrangler and the Jeep Grand Cherokee are the most complained about SUVs between the years 2005 and 2016.

2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk
2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Trackhawk | Jeep

This particular list pertains to safety complaints. SUVs are a popular family car. Safety complaints, for this reason, are of particular concern. Everyone wants to feel that their family is safe in the daily driver that carts them from one place to the next.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV

The Jeep Grand Cherokee, according to iSeeCars, is the most complained about SUV. It has more complaints per 10,000 sold than any other sport utility vehicle on the market. In fact, 63.6 complaints per 10,000 units. That may not seem astronomical, but when you take into account that there are roughly 120,000 – 200,000 or more units sold each year it adds up.

In terms of general complaints and not just complaints about safety-related issues, the Jeep Grand Cherokee is also the most complained about SUV on CarComplaints. Over 3,000 complaints have been reported for the Jeep Grand Cherokee. Most of these complaints are for detrimental electrical problems or engine issues––not exactly what we look for in a reliable family hauler.

A 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee on display at an auto show.
The 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is unveiled at the New York International Auto Show | STAN HONDA/AFP via Getty Images

The Jeep Wrangler SUV

2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited driving on road
2020 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited | Jeep

iSeeCars reports that the Jeep Wrangler is the second most complained about SUV. In terms of safety, 60.9 owner complaints per 10,000 units sold are on record with the NHTSA. According to iSeeCars “the popular Jeep Wrangler, fourth on the list, received many complaints about its fuel system—consisting of 17 percent of all Wrangler complaints–such as gas spraying out from the fill neck when the tank was being filled.”

The Jeep Wrangler has also received nearly 2,000 complaints on CarComplaints. According to the complaints filed on CarComplaints, the Jeep Wrangler commonly suffers from TIPM failure and the infamous “death wobble.” Additionally, many owners need to replace the head after just under 40,000 miles.

The 2006 Jeep Wrangler is displayed 09 January 2006 during the press days at the North American International Auto Show
The 2006 Jeep Wrangler | JEFF HAYNES/AFP via Getty Images

The most complained about SUVs

Many people just love Jeeps. They don’t really care that they aren’t considered to be reliable. Both the Jeep Wrangler and the Jeep Grand Cherokee are what we call “lifestyle vehicles.” They carry with them a certain aura of prestige. Each one can go off-road and can also be completely customized with Mopar factory parts. But they also aren’t the safest vehicles out there.

Jeep Grand Cherokee on display at a car dealership
Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles are seen on a sales lot | Joe Raedle/Getty Images

They each have loads of complaints and this could potentially sway new buyers from choosing the Jeep Wrangler SUV or Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV. These complaints on CarComplaints are notably filed by actual owners who actually dealt with the problems. There is something especially tangible about this type of reporting.

So, it’s probably important to think about these common issues if you are shopping for a Wrangler or a Grand Cherokee. Not to say either is a terrible car or that these SUVs should necessarily be avoided. However, a lot of people complain about them––which isn’t exactly shocking when you take their reputation into account. So before you spend your money on one of these models, be sure to do your research.

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