2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Problems
NHTSA lists 69 engine complaints for the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 29% of the 238 total complaints for the year. Owners reported stalling with burning smells and smoke, unexpected surges or lunging, and one fire tied to the engine. A related recall (23V411000) covers a crankshaft position sensor issue on 3.0L diesel engines.
- Engine complaints
- 69
- 29% of 238
- Crashes reported
- 6
- Fires reported
- 3
- Injuries reported
- 1
- Median mileage
- 7,526 mi
- Related recalls
- 1
Typical engine symptoms owners report
- Some owners describe the vehicle stalling at a stop light with the check engine light on, followed by a burning smell and visible smoke.
- Others report a sudden RPM surge and forward lunge while in second gear at low speed with no foot on the accelerator.
- A similar surge was reported while using rear park assist in reverse, forcing a hard brake to avoid a collision.
- One owner reported the vehicle rapidly accelerating after tapping the cruise control plus button, requiring the brake pedal to cancel it.
- A separate case involved the vehicle catching fire while parked, with the fire's origin traced to the right side of the engine.
When 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee engine complaints were filed
First complaint Dec 6, 2019, latest Sep 3, 2026.
Engine recalls for the 2020 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.
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 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?
- NHTSA lists 69 engine-related complaints for the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, which is 29% of the 238 total complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there an engine recall for the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
- Yes. Recall 23V411000 covers 2014-2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles with 3.0L diesel engines, where the crankshaft position sensor tone wheel may delaminate. The remedy is a free powertrain control module software update.
- At what mileage do engine problems usually appear?
- NHTSA data shows a median mileage at failure of 7,526 miles for engine-area complaints on the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
- Have engine problems caused fires or crashes?
- Among the reported engine-area complaints, NHTSA logged 6 crashes, 3 fires, and 1 injury for the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
- How does 2020 compare to other Grand Cherokee years for engine complaints?
- The 2020 model's engine complaints made up 29% of its total complaints, higher than 2019 (22%) and 2021 (19%), but lower than 2024 (45%) and 2017 (34%).