YearToAvoid

2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Problems, Recalls & Reliability

Verdict

Best

Complaint Index

20/100

#13 most-complained of 16 Grand Cherokee years

The 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee ranks 13th worst out of 16 model years, with a Complaint Index of 20 and verdict of "Best" relative to other Grand Cherokee years. NHTSA lists 238 complaints, 3 recalls, and a top problem area of Electrical System (74 complaints, 31% share).

Complaints
238
Recalls
3
Crashes / fires
24 / 5
Injuries / deaths
13 / 0
NHTSA overall rating
5 / 5 ★
EPA combined MPG
17
14 city / 22 hwy

Top 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems

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

  1. Electrical System74 (31%)
  2. Engine69 (29%)
  3. Other65 (27%)
  4. Transmission & Powertrain39 (16%)
  5. Fuel System21 (9%)
  6. Airbags17 (7%)
  7. Collision Avoidance & Cameras17 (7%)
  8. Brakes13 (5%)
  9. Steering13 (5%)
  10. Suspension, Wheels & Tires10 (4%)

What owners report

  • Owners report sudden unintended acceleration or brake failure while parking or backing up at low speed, sometimes resulting in crashes into structures.
  • Some describe the vehicle failing to shift into gear and stalling at a stop light, accompanied by a check engine light and a burning smell.
  • Airbags reportedly failed to deploy during head-on or side-impact collisions, including one at a median mileage of 34,000.
  • Owners describe brake pedals becoming unresponsive or one front brake locking up while braking to avoid an obstacle in the road.
  • One owner reported an engine fire that started on the right side of the engine while the vehicle was parked.
  • A transmission surge forward while slowly turning into a parking space was reported, causing the vehicle to jump a curb and strike a building.
2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee complaints: complaints filed per quarter362019 Q42020 Q42021 Q42022 Q42023 Q42024 Q42025 Q4
360 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2019 Q4 to 2026 Q3; peak 2025 Q2 (36).

2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee recalls

3 NHTSA recall campaigns list this model year.

  1. 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.

  2. NHTSA 22V406000Jun 9, 2022Fuel System138,645 vehicles

    Fuel system, diesel:delivery:fuel pump

    Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, and 2014-2019 Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. A high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) failure may introduce internal debris into the fuel system, potentially resulting in fuel starvation.

    Risk: Fuel starvation may result in an unexpected loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Dealers will replace the HPFP, and inspect and replace, if necessary, additional fuel system components, free of charge. Interim notification letters informing owners of the safety risk were mailed July 21, 2022. Owner notification letters for were mailed for Jeep Grand Cherokee owners starting January 11, 2024. Owner notification letters for Ram 1500 owners were mailed March 7, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLS's number for this recall is Z46.

  3. NHTSA 20V191000Sep 10, 2020Collision Avoidance & Cameras319,610 vehiclesOver-the-air fix

    Back over prevention: sensing system: camera

    Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Gladiator and Jeep Cherokee, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, and Jeep Renegade and 2019 Dodge Challenger vehicles equipped with 8.4" or 12" radio displays. A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors."

    Risk: The lingering rearview image can distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.

    Remedy: Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will update the radio display software, free of charge. Optionally, owners can choose to remotely update their software via an Over-The-Air (OTA) update available as of May 1, 2020. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W30-W37.

2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee fuel economy and fuel cost

City
14 MPG
Highway
22 MPG
Combined
17 MPG
Annual fuel cost (EPA)
$4,350
15,000 mi/yr
Fuel
Regular
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.

2020 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
2018Caution678531021
2019Good33367719
2020Best20238317
2021Good474031217
2022Good272601321

All Jeep Grand Cherokee years: best and worst →

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee reliable?
Based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls, the 2020 Grand Cherokee has a Complaint Index of 20 and ranks 13th worst of 16 model years, earning a "Best" verdict relative to other years of this model.
What are the most common problems with the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The top problem area is the Electrical System, with 74 complaints making up 31% of all reports, followed by Engine issues at 69 complaints (29%) and Transmission & Powertrain issues at 39 complaints (16%).
Does the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee have any recalls?
NHTSA lists 3 recalls for the 2020 Grand Cherokee, covering the Engine (crankshaft position sensor tone wheel), Fuel System (high pressure fuel pump), and Collision Avoidance & Cameras (radio display software).
How does the 2020 Grand Cherokee compare to other years?
With a Complaint Index of 20, the 2020 model performs far better than years like 2014 (index 100) or 2012 (index 87), which carry "Avoid" verdicts, and is close to 2016 (7) and 2017 (13).
What is the fuel economy of the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
EPA rates the 2020 Grand Cherokee at 17 mpg combined (14 city / 22 highway), with an estimated annual fuel cost of $4,350.

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.