- Almost 62,000 Jeep Cherokees are being recalled across the US.
- The faulty unit can unexpectedly cut engine power while driving.
- Jeep has been dealing with PTU issues for more than six years.
Few things shake your confidence in a car faster than a part that can strand you in traffic or let the thing roll away in your own driveway. Jeep now finds itself dealing with that problem. Again.
The Cherokee has long been one of Jeep’s core models, particularly in North America, but owners of examples built between the 2019 and 2023 model years have reason to pay attention. Jeep says certain vehicles may suffer a failure of the power transfer unit, or PTU, severe enough to leave the SUV without drive.
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Documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration state the PTU can fail internally, although Jeep stops short of explaining precisely what goes wrong inside the unit. What happens after is less ambiguous. Affected Cherokees could lose power while driving, and in some cases may roll away even when shifted into Park.
Jeep says that owners of impacted vehicles may notice noise or vibrations while driving and may also receive a Service 4WD message on the dashboard. A total of 61,711 Jeep Cherokees are involved in the recall, all of which were manufactured between December 12, 2018, and February 24, 2023.
Power transfer unit issues are nothing new for the Jeep Cherokee. In mid-2020, a recall was issued for 2014-2017 models due to potential PTU input spline failures. In March 2023, the FCA began investigating 2016-2017 models for potential PTU spline failures and quickly issued a recall for those models.
One Accident, One Injury
In January 2025, Jeep recalled 2017-2019 Cherokee models for potentially improperly seated snap rings in the PTU, and just days later, opened an investigation into 2019-2023 models for total PTU failures. The automaker is aware of 387 warranty claims, 5 field reports, and 16 other service records that may be related to the issue across all markets. It’s also aware of one accident and one injury that could be related.
Owners can expect to hear from the car manufacturer by June 25. While Jeep has been dealing with PTU issues for years, it says “the remedy is under development” for these failures, leaving owners in the dark as to when their vehicles will actually be fixed.
