YearToAvoid

2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Caution

Complaint Index

60/100

#7 most-complained of 16 Grand Cherokee years

The 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee has a Complaint Index of 60 and ranks 7th worst out of 16 model years, earning a Caution verdict. NHTSA lists 802 complaints, 9 recalls, and 23 crashes, with Electrical System issues making up 48% of complaints.

Complaints
802
Recalls
9
Crashes / fires
23 / 27
Injuries / deaths
28 / 1
NHTSA overall rating
4 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
16
14 city / 20 hwy

Top 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems

NHTSA owner complaints by component group. Groups with 15+ complaints have their own page.

  1. Electrical System384 (48%)
  2. Brakes159 (20%)
  3. Engine126 (16%)
  4. Fuel System111 (14%)
  5. Structure & Body70 (9%)
  6. Other63 (8%)
  7. Transmission & Powertrain55 (7%)
  8. Airbags33 (4%)
  9. Steering26 (3%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires26 (3%)

What owners report

  • Owners report sudden brake failure at low speeds, resulting in collisions with fixed objects or other vehicles.
  • Some describe the transmission shifting unexpectedly from park to neutral, causing the vehicle to roll into another car.
  • Others report the vehicle lurching in reverse at full throttle with unresponsive brakes, leading to a crash.
  • Side airbags reportedly failed to deploy during side-impact collisions at moderate speeds.
  • Smoke was reported coming from the vanity lamp wiring while the vehicle was parked, tied to a later electrical recall.
  • Engine RPM reportedly surged unexpectedly while parking, requiring hard braking and a shift to neutral to stop.
2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee complaints: complaints filed per quarter712012 Q32014 Q32016 Q32018 Q32020 Q32022 Q32024 Q32026 Q3
1080 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2012 Q3 to 2026 Q3; peak 2015 Q3 (71).

2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee recalls

9 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. NHTSA 19V813000Nov 14, 2019Electrical System528,594 vehicles

    Electrical system

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2013 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with a 3.6, 5.7, or 6.4 liter engine and previously recalled under NHTSA Recall 14V530 or 15V115. The fuel pump relay inside the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM-7) may fail, causing the vehicle to stall without warning.

    Risk: A vehicle stall increases the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler (FCA US LLC) will replace the affected fuel pump relay and related wire harness. Interim notices informing owners of the safety risk were mailed beginning December 19, 2019. Vehicles that experience a fuel pump failure will receive an interim repair. Owners will receive a second notice when the final remedy becomes available. Owner notification letters were mailed on December 10, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is V62.

  2. NHTSA 17V572000Sep 18, 2017Brakes646,394 vehicles

    Service brakes

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2011-2014 Dodge Durango and Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The affected vehicles had brake booster shields installed under a previous campaign to prevent water from entering the brake booster and limiting braking ability. This recall is to verify that the brake booster shield installation was performed properly.

    Risk: If the brake booster shield was not installed properly, the vehicle's braking ability may be reduced, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the brake booster shield, correcting the installation as necessary, free of charge. The recall began November10, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T59.

  3. NHTSA 17V435000Jul 10, 2017Electrical System442,214 vehicles

    Electrical system:alternator/generator/regulator

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2011-2014 Dodge Challenger, Dodge Charger, Chrysler 300, Dodge Durango, and 2012-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The affected vehicles have electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) and are equipped with a 5.7L or a 3.6L engine and a 160, 180 or 220 amp alternator. In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail.

    Risk: If the alternator fails, the vehicle may stall without warning, increasing the risk of a crash. There is also the possibility that the alternator may short circuit, increasing the risk of a fire.

    Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the alternator and depending on the part number, will replace the alternator, if necessary, free of charge. The recall began February 12, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T36.

See all 9 recalls for the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee →

2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee fuel economy and fuel cost

City
14 MPG
Highway
20 MPG
Combined
16 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,600
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Gasoline or E85
Current regular gas
$4.32/gal
national avg.

EPA figures; median across configurations of this model year. Estimate your own cost with the fuel cost calculator.

2013 compared with other Grand Cherokee years

Complaint Index by model year (0 = fewest issues, 100 = most)0255075100’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
Complaint Index: 0 = fewest issues, 100 = most, relative to other years of this model. Avoid Caution Good Best
YearVerdictIndexComplaintsRecallsMPG
2011Avoid801,640618
2012Avoid871,6421016
2013Caution60802916
2014Avoid1002,3751819
2015Avoid931,359919

All Jeep Grand Cherokee years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee reliable?
Compared to other Grand Cherokee model years, the 2013 sits in the middle with a Complaint Index of 60 and a Caution verdict, ranking 7th worst out of 16 years tracked.
What is the biggest problem with the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Electrical System complaints make up 48% of all reports for this year, with 384 complaints and a median failure mileage of 67,863 miles.
Does the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee have brake problems?
Yes. Brakes account for 20% of complaints (159 total), with 10 crashes reported and a median failure mileage of only 26,298 miles, and two related recalls were issued.
How many recalls does the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?
NHTSA lists 9 recalls for the 2013 Grand Cherokee, covering electrical system wiring, fuel pump relays, alternators, and brake booster shields, none marked do-not-drive.
How does the 2013 compare to other Grand Cherokee years?
The 2013 (Complaint Index 60) is better than 2014 (100), 2015 (93), 2012 (87), and 2011 (80), but worse than 2016, 2017, 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022, which all rank Good or Best.

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.