YearToAvoid

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 102 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee, about 6% of its 1,642 total complaints for the year. The median mileage at failure was 65,500, and no related recalls are listed for this component.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
102
6% of 1,642
Crashes reported
4
Fires reported
2
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
65,500 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Vehicles roll or lurch backward unexpectedly when shifted into reverse, even while the driver keeps a foot on the brake, sometimes leading to a collision.
  • Some owners report the vehicle rolling away on its own while parked with the engine running, without any warning.
  • Drivers describe unintended acceleration, including surging forward at startup or while in park.
  • During highway driving, some owners felt the transmission shudder or briefly drop into neutral between 50 and 65 mph, with power loss on grades.
  • One owner reported the vehicle losing speed and being unable to exceed 30 mph until the dealer reprogrammed the computer.
  • A separate report describes the shift lever downshifting unexpectedly when bumped while driving over 65 mph.

When 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Jan 24, 2012, latest Sep 10, 2026.

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter82012 Q12014 Q12015 Q32017 Q12018 Q32020 Q22022 Q42025 Q1
102 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2019 Q3 (8).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Grand Cherokee model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 201022 (19%)
  2. 201190 (5%)
  3. 2012102 (6%)
  4. 201355 (7%)
  5. 2014474 (20%)
  6. 2015351 (26%)
  7. 201678 (25%)
  8. 201788 (24%)
  9. 201875 (9%)
  10. 201945 (12%)
  11. 202039 (16%)
  12. 202158 (14%)
  13. 202236 (14%)
  14. 202338 (10%)
  15. 202428 (12%)
  16. 202511 (15%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?
NHTSA lists 102 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2012 model year, which is about 6% of the 1,642 total complaints filed for that year.
Is there a recall for the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee transmission?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for this component on the 2012 model year.
At what mileage do transmission problems usually appear?
The median mileage at failure among reported cases is 65,500 miles, though some complaints describe issues at much lower mileage.
Did the 2012 Grand Cherokee's transmission problems cause crashes?
NHTSA data associates 4 crashes and 2 fires with Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2012 Grand Cherokee, with no injuries reported.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.