2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Problems
Engine problems account for 102 of 310 complaints (33%) on the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee, the highest share of any model year. Owners most often described sudden unintended acceleration and stalling, with a median failure mileage of 34,000 miles.
- Engine complaints
- 102
- 33% of 310
- Crashes reported
- 11
- Fires reported
- 3
- Injuries reported
- 4
- Median mileage
- 34,000 mi
- Related recalls
- 3
Typical engine symptoms owners report
- Vehicle suddenly accelerates on its own while shifting into drive or reverse, often at low speed and ending in a crash into a garage, building, or fence.
- Accelerator pedal travels to the floor unexpectedly at low speeds without any warning indicators, leading to a collision.
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving at low speed, in one case followed by smoke and flames from under the hood.
- After the auto stop/start feature shuts off the engine, restarting causes the car to surge forward unexpectedly.
- Throttle sticks wide open during low-speed maneuvers such as backing out of a parking spot, overpowering the brakes.
- Transmission becomes stuck in drive and will not shift to park, coinciding with sudden unintended acceleration.
When 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee engine complaints were filed
First complaint Jun 21, 2016, latest Jul 29, 2026.
Engine recalls for the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee
- NHTSA 23V411000Jun 8, 2023Engine80,629 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Ram 1500 and 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 3.0L Diesel engines. The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate, causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the fuel injector pulses and cam shaft timing, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed August 3, 2023. Some owner notification letters were mailed October 31, 2023. The remaining owner notification letters will be mailed at a future date, anticipated July 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 66A. This recall is an expansion of recall 20V-475.
- NHTSA 20V699000Nov 12, 2020Engine28,884 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling:exhaust system:emission control:gas recirculation valve (egr valve)
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2019 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with the 3.0L EcoDiesel engines. The Exhaust Gas Recirculation (EGR) cooler may crack and allow pre-heated vaporized coolant to enter the EGR system. This mixture may combust inside the intake manifold.
Risk: Combustion in the intake manifold can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy: FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will replace the EGR cooler, free of charge. Dealers will also inspect and, as necessary, replace the intake manifold. Parts are not currently available. Owners were mailed an interim notification on December 21, 2021. A second notification will be mailed when parts are available, currently expected to be around March 11, 2021. The recall began March 11, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is W79.
- NHTSA 20V475000Aug 13, 2020Engine58,016 vehicles
Engine and engine cooling:engine:diesel
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Ram 1500 and 2014-2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. The crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate causing the engine to lose its ability to synchronize the fuel injector pulses and cam shaft timing, possibly resulting in an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will update the powertrain control module software to maintain vehicle propulsion by reading the camshaft position signal in the event that the crankshaft position signal is lost, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed on May 13, 2021. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-2002. FCA US's number for this recall is W58.
Engine complaints by Grand Cherokee model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many engine complaints does the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?
- NHTSA lists 102 engine-related complaints for the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is 33% of its 310 total complaints for the year.
- Is there an engine recall for the 2016 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
- Yes. NHTSA lists three engine-related recalls tied to this vehicle: a crankshaft position sensor tone wheel issue (23V411000 and 20V475000) and an EGR cooler crack issue on 3.0L EcoDiesel engines (20V699000).
- At what mileage do engine problems typically appear?
- The median mileage at failure for engine complaints on the 2016 Grand Cherokee is 34,000 miles.
- Did the engine problems cause crashes or fires?
- NHTSA data tied to this Engine complaint category shows 11 crashes, 3 fires, and 4 injuries reported for the 2016 Grand Cherokee.
- Is the engine complaint rate worse in 2016 than other Grand Cherokee years?
- Yes. The 2016 model's 33% engine complaint share is higher than most other years, including 2015 (19%), 2018 (20%), and 2021 (19%), and is close to 2017's 34% and 2024's 45%.