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#BS-2021-JEECHE-1721

2021 Jeep CherokeeProblems, Recalls & Reliability

Based on reports from 245 owners and 4 recalls for this exact model.

Data updated ·checked October 30, 2026 · NHTSA complaints through October 28, 2026

Complaints
245
Crashes
16
Fires
8
Recalls
4
TSBs
256
🛑

Preliminary Verdict

Red Flag

Based on 245 complaints, 16 crashes, 8 fires, and 4 recalls.

See full verdict with buy/skip conditions

Top reported problems

1

ptu failure

3 complaints • Severity 9.3/10

$X,XXX
2

excessive oil consumption

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX
3

stalls from stop

1 complaints • Severity 6/10

$X,XXX
4

3-4 sec delay between down shifting

1 complaints • Severity 10/10

$X,XXX
5

svc 4wd 4wd temp unavail

1 complaints • Severity 8/10

$X,XXX

Preview: What's in your full report

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Mechanic Inspection Checklist

!Check the DrivetrainHIGH

99 owners reported drivetrain issues — failures commonly reported around 45K miles.

!Inspect the EngineMED
Look for symptoms of wear and premature failure
+ 6 more items in full checklistUnlock

Failure Timeline by Mileage

18
0–30K
8
30–60K
9
60–90K
4
90–120K
3
120–150K
2
150K+

Peak failure range: 0–30K miles (18 reports) • Median: 45K miles

Full report: which components fail at each mileageUnlock

30,000-Mile Cost Projection

Best Case

$X,XXX

Most Likely

$X,XXX

Worst Case

$X,XXX

Top cost driver: Drivetrain (99 reports).

Includes fuel costs, common repairs, and recall riskUnlock

Also in your report

Owner Intelligence

AI-synthesized themes from real complaints

Buyer Lot Checklist

Questions, test drive checks, walk-away triggers

Negotiation Talking Points

Data-backed dollar deductions

Buy / Skip Verdict

Final recommendation with conditions

10 sections total in the full reportUnlock all

Where the complaints fall

Drivetrain99 (40%)
Engine29 (12%)
Other26 (11%)
Electrical22 (9%)
Brakes13 (5%)
Airbags9 (4%)
Collision Avoidance6 (2%)
Forward Collision Avoidance: Automatic Emergency Braking5 (2%)

2021 Jeep Cherokee: Known Issues & Problem Areas

Drivetrain Issues

Drivetrain complaints account for 40% of all reports filed for the 2021 Jeep Cherokee, with 99 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. The median mileage at time of complaint is 44,600 miles, suggesting issues tend to surface around the 45K-mile mark.

Engine Issues

Engine complaints account for 12% of all reports filed for the 2021 Jeep Cherokee, with 29 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to engine-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Electrical Issues

Electrical complaints account for 9% of all reports filed for the 2021 Jeep Cherokee, with 22 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to electrical-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Brakes Issues

Brakes complaints account for 5% of all reports filed for the 2021 Jeep Cherokee, with 13 owners filing complaints with NHTSA. Owners should pay attention to brakes-related symptoms during test drives and pre-purchase inspections.

Data sourced from NHTSA owner complaints and community reports. The full report analyzes severity, repair costs, and failure patterns for each category.

Complaint trend by year

23
21
22
22
32
23
22
24
62
25
84
26

Complaints filed with NHTSA by year for the 2021 Jeep Cherokee. Recent trend: increasing.

Don't negotiate blind — know what this car costs to own

Repair costs • Negotiation scripts • Mechanic checklist • Buy/skip verdict

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Recall History (4 recalls)

20V657000Oct 2020

SUSPENSION:FRONT:CONTROL ARM:LOWER ARM

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Cherokee Latitude and Jeep Cherokee Limited vehicles. One or both of the front lower control arms may fracture while driving.

21V310000May 2021

POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:COOLER/RADIATOR:HOSES AND FITTINGS

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The transmission oil cooler hose may have been incorrectly cured, allowing transmission fluid to leak.

24V516000Oct 2020

AIR BAGS:SIDE/WINDOW:CURTAIN

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2022 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. An improperly secured connector for the right-side curtain air bag may prevent the air bag from deploying as intended. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard numbers 214, "Side Impact Protection" and 226, "Ejection Mitigation."

26V290000

POWER TRAIN

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2023 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may fail.

Recall severity analysis & seller scripts

The full report rates each recall's severity and gives you scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.

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2021 Jeep Cherokee NHTSA Safety Ratings

Overall

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

Frontal crash

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

Side crash

★★★★★

5 of 5 stars

Rollover

★★★★★

4 of 5 stars

From NHTSA's New Car Assessment Program (5-Star Safety Ratings). Where NHTSA tested more than one version of this vehicle, the lowest rating is shown.

The worst model year for the Jeep Cherokee is the 2019 — worth knowing if you're cross-shopping years. The biggest problem area is transmission.

2021 Jeep Cherokee vs. Class Average (Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD)

This vehicle

245

Class avg

207

Complaint volume is roughly in line with other small sport utility vehicle 2wd vehicles from 2021.

Complaint counts correlate with sales volume — popular vehicles naturally generate more reports. The full report normalizes for this.

About this data

NHTSA Complaints

Federal database of owner-filed safety complaints. 245 records for this vehicle.

NHTSA Recalls

Manufacturer-issued safety recalls. 4 recalls found for this vehicle.

Repair Cost Data

Real-world repair costs from owner reports and independent databases.

Last updated (checked October 30, 2026). NHTSA complaints received through October 28, 2026; safety ratings from NHTSA's 5-Star program.

Other Jeep Cherokee Model Years

2026202320222021202020192018201720162015201420062001200019991998199719961995199419931992199119901989198819871986198519841983198219811980197919781977197619751974
View all Jeep Cherokee years →

2021 Jeep Cherokee: Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most common problem with the 2021 Jeep Cherokee?
The most commonly reported issue with the 2021 Jeep Cherokee is related to the drivetrain, with 99 complaints filed with NHTSA.
Is the 2021 Jeep Cherokee reliable?
The 2021 Jeep Cherokee has 245 complaints, 16 crash reports, and 8 fire reports filed with NHTSA. The full report analyzes whether these numbers indicate real risk or are proportional to the vehicle’s popularity.
How safe is the 2021 Jeep Cherokee?
NHTSA rates the 2021 Jeep Cherokee 4 out of 5 stars overall, with 4 stars in frontal crash tests, 5 stars in side crash tests, 4 stars for rollover resistance. Where NHTSA tested more than one version, the lowest rating is shown.
How much does it cost to fix 2021 Jeep Cherokee problems?
Repair costs vary by issue. The full BumperScan report includes detailed repair cost estimates (low/median/high) for every major issue, plus a 30,000-mile total cost of ownership projection.
Does the 2021 Jeep Cherokee have any recalls?
Yes, the 2021 Jeep Cherokee has 4 recalls on record. The full report includes recall severity analysis and scripts for asking the seller about recall completion.
What mileage do Jeep Cherokee problems start?
Based on 44 complaints with mileage data, the median mileage at time of complaint is 44,600 miles. The highest concentration of reported issues occurs in the 0–30K mile range. The full report breaks down exactly which components fail at each mileage bracket.
When was the 2021 Jeep Cherokee data last updated?
BumperScan last checked this vehicle against NHTSA on October 30, 2026, covering owner complaints received through October 28, 2026 plus the latest recalls, investigations and technical service bulletins. Its numbers last changed on October 21, 2026.
What’s in the full report?
10 sections of AI analysis: severity-ranked issues, component scores (0-100), 30K-mile cost projection, failure timeline by mileage, recall details with seller scripts, owner sentiment analysis, mechanic checklist, buyer lot checklist, negotiation ammo with dollar figures, and a buy/skip verdict.
How is this different from free NHTSA data?
NHTSA gives you raw complaint text. BumperScan cross-references 2.1M+ complaints with community repair cost data, EPA fuel data, and recall records — then uses AI to synthesize it into actionable advice with dollar figures.
How is this different from Carfax?
Carfax is VIN-specific history ($45/report). BumperScan is model-level reliability intelligence — what problems this car is known for, what they cost, and whether you should buy it. Complementary, not competing.
What if the report isn’t useful?
100% money-back guarantee. If the report doesn’t help you make a more informed decision, we’ll refund you — no questions asked.
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