American muscle meets genuine off-road capability
The Grand Cherokee is Jeep's premium large SUV, offering genuine off-road pedigree wrapped in a luxury interior. In the UK it targets buyers who want Land Rover capability without the Discovery's price tag, appealing to those who value American muscle and all-terrain competence. Strong depreciation makes it a compelling used buy for those willing to accept higher running costs.
We track 5 known issues across the Jeep Grand Cherokee range, including 1 rated as safety-critical. Knowing which variants and configurations to approach with caution can save you from expensive surprises after purchase.
Found a Jeep Grand Cherokee? Enter the reg to see which of our 5 known issues apply to that exact car, plus full MOT history and mileage checks.
WK2 (2005–2021) — Petrol options included the 6.4 HEMI V8, with 3.0 CRD V6 on the diesel side. Our database flags 5 known issues on this generation, 1 of which are rated as safety-critical. The most significant concern is Parking brake efficiency failure.
The parking brake system on WK2 Grand Cherokee shows severe degradation in efficiency, with MOT failures occurring at up to 84.6 times the national fleet average. The system fails to meet minimum legal efficiency requirements, typically falling below the mandatory 16% efficiency on a rolling road test. This appears to be a combination of brake shoe wear, adjuster seizure, and cable stretch in the drum-in-disc rear parking brake setup.
A parking brake operating below 16% efficiency is an MOT failure and the vehicle cannot be driven legally on public roads. More critically, the vehicle may not hold securely on slopes, creating a serious safety risk to occupants and other road users. The car could roll away when parked, potentially causing injury or property damage.
Check brake disc condition for lipping or scoring. Test braking at moderate speed for pulling to one side or vibration through the steering wheel. Review MOT advisories for brake-related items.
The power steering system on WK2 Grand Cherokee suffers from multiple failure modes including fluid leaks from pump seals, reservoir cap failures, and complete system malfunctions. MOT data shows this model fails power steering tests at 6.4 times the national fleet average, with fluid level failures occurring at 93.4 times the fleet rate. The hydraulic system appears undersized for the vehicle's weight and steering loads, leading to premature component wear.
Complete system failure results in heavy, unassisted steering which significantly increases driver effort and reduces safety, particularly during parking manoeuvres and emergency situations. Continued operation with low fluid destroys the pump and potentially damages the steering rack. Pump replacement typically costs £800-1,500 plus labour.
During the test drive, check the steering for excessive play, vibration or pulling to one side. Listen for groaning or whining when turning the wheel at low speed. Power steering fluid level and condition should be checked on hydraulic systems.
Shock absorbers on WK2 Grand Cherokee fail prematurely, with MOT data showing failures at 4.5 times the fleet average even on very low mileage vehicles (0-20k miles). The failures typically manifest as severe oil leakage from the damper seals, rendering the shock absorber completely ineffective. This premature failure suggests undersized components or inadequate seal design for the vehicle's weight and suspension loads.
Failed shock absorbers severely compromise vehicle stability, braking performance, and tyre life. The car becomes dangerous to drive in emergency manoeuvres or adverse weather conditions. Continued driving damages tyres through irregular contact patches and may cause MOT failure. Replacement typically costs £600-1,200 for a full set including labour.
Listen for knocking, clunking or rattling over bumps during the test drive. Inspect the underside for corroded or cracked suspension components. Check the MOT history for suspension-related advisories, which often predict future failures.
The electronic stability control (ESC) system develops faults that trigger the malfunction indicator light, with MOT failures occurring at The system integrates multiple sensors and control modules to prevent skidding and loss of control. Common failure points include wheel speed sensors, yaw rate sensors, and communication faults between control modules affecting the system's ability to intervene during emergency situations.
ESC malfunction eliminates crucial safety systems that prevent loss of control during emergency manoeuvres or slippery conditions. The vehicle remains driveable but is significantly less safe, particularly in adverse weather or emergency situations. Diagnosis requires specialist equipment and repair costs vary from £200-800 depending on the specific component failure.
Check all electrical functions systematically: windows, mirrors, lights, infotainment, heated seats, air conditioning. Look for any warning lights on the dashboard. A diagnostic scan before purchase can reveal stored fault codes.
The steering rack protective gaiters (rubber boots) deteriorate prematurely on WK2 Grand Cherokee, failing MOT tests at 12.2 times the national fleet average. These rubber components protect the steering rack internals from dirt and moisture ingress. When they split or detach, contamination enters the rack mechanism causing accelerated wear of internal seals and steering components.
Split gaiters allow dirt and water to contaminate the steering rack internals, accelerating wear of seals and internal components. This leads to steering rack fluid leaks, play in the steering, and eventual rack replacement. Early gaiter replacement typically costs £100-200, while steering rack replacement costs £1,000-2,000.
During the test drive, check the steering for excessive play, vibration or pulling to one side. Listen for groaning or whining when turning the wheel at low speed. Power steering fluid level and condition should be checked on hydraulic systems.
For the full breakdown of all 5 tracked issues with repair costs, see the Jeep Grand Cherokee common problems page.
Based on 37k real DVSA MOT tests, the Jeep Grand Cherokee fails more often than average on several items. The biggest outlier is light unit fault at 187x the fleet average, followed by power steering fault (93x).
When viewing a specific car, check its MOT history for recurring advisories in these categories. See the full Jeep Grand Cherokee MOT failure breakdown for data at every mileage point.
Routine servicing (oil and filter change every 10k miles) typically costs £80–£120 at an independent garage.
See the full Jeep Grand Cherokee service schedule for every interval and cost breakdown.
The Jeep Grand Cherokee has some well-documented weak points, including 1 safety-critical issue that demand careful checking. The right example, properly maintained, can still be a sound purchase — but cutting corners on the pre-purchase inspection is not advisable. The 2014-2018 WK2 facelift models offer the best balance of modern features and proven mechanicals, with the 3.0 V6 CRD diesel being the sensible UK choice. The 2021+ WL fifth generation is the most refined but still too new to judge long-term reliability. Avoid 2011-2013 models which had the most electrical and transmission complaints.
Before committing, check the car's full MOT history, verify the service record is complete, and if possible arrange a specialist inspection. Enter any registration into our free report to see the complete picture.
Get Car Wise maintains a database of known mechanical issues for every popular car on UK roads, tracking the faults that owners, specialists and DVSA data reveal.
When you run a report on a specific Jeep Grand Cherokee, we cross-reference the exact variant, engine and age against our database of 5 known issues. Combined with full MOT history analysis, mileage verification and DVLA data, you get a complete picture before viewing.
Enter the registration for MOT history, mileage verification, known faults for that exact variant, and a Get Car Wise Score.
This guide was compiled from independent expert reviews, DVSA MOT data, specialist workshops and our own database of 5 known Jeep Grand Cherokee issues. We are not affiliated with any source listed.