YearToAvoid

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 58 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 14% of all 403 complaints filed for the year, with a median mileage at failure of 28,000 miles. No related recalls are listed for this problem area.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
58
14% of 403
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
28,000 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Owners report the vehicle stalling or losing power suddenly while driving, sometimes just after delivery from the dealer.
  • Some describe the engine shutting off at freeway speed with no warning lights, leaving the vehicle without propulsion control.
  • Owners report harsh or rough shifts, including hard jerks when downshifting from 5th to 1st gear or kicking hard at a stop.
  • Some describe transmission shuddering and banging during downshift or when lifting off the gas pedal, in one case after a dealer software update.
  • One owner reported the front drive shaft breaking while driving at 45 mph, causing a loss of vehicle control.
  • One owner described the paddle shifters unexpectedly dropping the transmission into manual mode at highway speed, forcing a stop and restart.

When 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 4, 2021, latest Sep 8, 2026.

2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per month4Mar 2021Jan 2022Oct 2022Nov 2023Aug 2024Jun 2025Feb 2026
58 complaints filed with NHTSA from Mar 2021 to Sep 2026; peak Dec 2021 (4).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2021 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 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?
NHTSA lists 58 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2021 model year, which is 14% of the 403 total complaints filed for that year.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
No related recalls are listed in NHTSA data for the Transmission & Powertrain area on the 2021 Grand Cherokee.
At what mileage do transmission problems typically show up on the 2021 Grand Cherokee?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this problem area is 28,000 miles.
Are the 2021 Grand Cherokee transmission complaints linked to crashes or fires?
NHTSA data shows 0 crashes, 0 fires, and 0 injuries among the reported Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2021 model year.
How does the 2021 Grand Cherokee compare to other years for this problem area?
The 2021 model's 14% share of complaints tied to Transmission & Powertrain is lower than several other years, including 2015 at 26%, 2016 at 25%, and 2017 at 24%.

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.