Model year 2018 · Small Sport Utility Vehicle 4WD, Small Sport Utility Vehicle 2WD

2018 Jeep Cherokee: recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings

EPA rates the 2018 Jeep Cherokee at 21–25 mpg combined across 10 versions. NHTSA lists 7 safety recalls and 688 owner complaints for this model year. Its best NHTSA overall crash-test rating is 4 out of 5 stars.

Safety recalls

7

EPA combined mpg

21–25

NHTSA overall rating

4/5

Recall file dated Oct 27, 2026 · EPA file dated Sep 29, 2026 · updated Oct 27, 2026, 7:34 AM EDT

Check your own car: enter your 17-character VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls to see open recalls for that exact vehicle, and contact a Jeep dealer to schedule the repair — safety recall repairs are free. The list below covers the whole model year, so not every recall applies to every car.

2018 Jeep Cherokee recalls

NHTSA's recall file lists 7 safety recalls for the 2018 Jeep Cherokee, newest first.

Power train

NHTSA 25V011000 Reported Jan 16, 2025
Filed by
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (manufacturer recall no. 01C)
Units affected
63,130 (estimate)
Problem
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power and/or loss of park function.
Risk
A loss of drive power can increase the risk of a crash. A loss of park function can cause an unintended vehicle rollaway, which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy
Dealers will update the drivetrain control module and PTU software and replace the PTU, as necessary free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed beginning February 19, 2026. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 01C.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Electrical system: Wiring: Front underhood

NHTSA 18V524000 Reported Aug 9, 2018
Filed by
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (manufacturer recall no. U87)
Units affected
12,779 (estimate)
Problem
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.
Risk
A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Power train: Axle assembly: Axle shaft

NHTSA 18V494000 Reported Jul 26, 2018
Filed by
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (manufacturer recall no. U78)
Units affected
702 (estimate)
Problem
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee all-wheel-drive vehicles. The bearing cage for the right front halfshaft assembly may not have been properly heat treated, possibly resulting in the bearing cage breaking and a potential halfshaft assembly failure.
Risk
If the halfshaft bearing cage breaks, the halfshaft may not be able to transmit engine power, causing a loss of drive or it can allow the vehicle to move while in the "Park" position. Either condition may increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front right halfshaft assemblies, free of charge. The recall began September 20, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U78.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Electrical system: Software and 2 more components

NHTSA 18V332000 Reported May 17, 2018
Filed by
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (manufacturer recall no. U49,U59-U65,U68,U73)
Components
Electrical system: Software; Vehicle speed control: Cruise control; Electrical system: Wiring
Units affected
4,815,661 (estimate)
Problem
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.
Risk
If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Fuel system, gasoline: Delivery: Hoses, lines/piping, and fittings

NHTSA 18V282000 Reported May 1, 2018
Filed by
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (manufacturer recall no. U39)
Units affected
48,990 (estimate)
Problem
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a 2.4L engine. These vehicles may have been manufactured with a fuel tube that may leak fuel into the engine compartment.
Risk
A fuel leak in the presence of the ignition source can increase the risk of a fire.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the fuel tube, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began May 24, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U39.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Engine and engine cooling: Engine

NHTSA 17V670000 Reported Oct 24, 2017
Filed by
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (manufacturer recall no. T65)
Units affected
357 (estimate)
Problem
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Cherokee and Compass vehicles equipped with 2.4L engines. The engines may have a cracked oil pump housing that can result in oil pump failure.
Risk
If the oil pump fails, the engine will stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the oil pump, replacing it as necessary, free of charge. The recall began December 5, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T65.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Equipment: Other: Labels and 1 more component

NHTSA 17V543000 Reported Aug 31, 2017
Filed by
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) (manufacturer recall no. T53)
Components
Equipment: Other: Labels; Wheels: Rim
Units affected
22,242 (estimate)
Problem
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2017-2018 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The tire and rim size information required to be on the Certification label was omitted during manufacturing, which may result in an incorrect tire and rim combination being installed on the vehicle. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 110, "Tire Selection and Rims."
Risk
The missing tire and rim designation information may lead to an incorrect combination being installed on the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.
Remedy
Chrysler will notify owners and will provide a corrected certification label, free of charge. The recall began October 13, 2017. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is T53.

Full recall record on nhtsa.gov

Recall summaries are written by NHTSA from manufacturers' defect reports. Dates are when NHTSA received the report.

2018 Jeep Cherokee fuel economy by version

EPA city/highway/combined estimates for each engine, transmission and drive combination. Annual fuel cost is EPA's estimate for 15,000 miles a year (55% city, 45% highway) at EPA's current fuel-price assumptions; your cost will vary.

2018 Jeep Cherokee EPA fuel economy
VersionEngineTransmissionDriveFuelCity/Hwy/CombFuel cost/yrCO2 g/mi
Cherokee 4WD2.4L 4-cylAutomatic 9-spdAll-Wheel DriveRegular21/28/23 mpg$2,900378
Cherokee 4WD2.4L 4-cyl ffvAutomatic 9-spdAll-Wheel DriveGasoline or E85 / E8521/28/23 mpg$2,900378
Cherokee 4WD3.2L 6-cylAutomatic 9-spdAll-Wheel DriveMidgrade20/27/23 mpg$3,300388
Cherokee 4WD Active Drive II2.4L 4-cylAutomatic 9-spd4-Wheel DriveRegular21/27/23 mpg$2,900385
Cherokee 4WD Active Drive II3.2L 6-cylAutomatic 9-spd4-Wheel DriveMidgrade18/26/21 mpg$3,600416
Cherokee FWD2.4L 4-cylAutomatic 9-spdFront-Wheel DriveRegular21/30/25 mpg$2,700361
Cherokee FWD2.4L 4-cyl ffvAutomatic 9-spdFront-Wheel DriveGasoline or E85 / E8521/30/25 mpg$2,700361
Cherokee FWD3.2L 6-cylAutomatic 9-spdFront-Wheel DriveMidgrade21/29/24 mpg$3,150377
Cherokee Trailhawk 4WD2.4L 4-cylAutomatic 9-spd4-Wheel DriveRegular19/25/22 mpg$3,050412
Cherokee Trailhawk 4WD3.2L 6-cylAutomatic 9-spd4-Wheel DriveMidgrade18/24/21 mpg$3,600432

Source: FuelEconomy.gov (U.S. DOE and EPA), file dated Sep 29, 2026. Each version links to its FuelEconomy.gov record.

EPA estimates come from standardized lab tests so cars can be compared fairly; real-world mileage depends on speed, weather, load, tires and driving style.

2018 Jeep Cherokee crash-test ratings

NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings for the tested versions. More stars mean a lower chance of serious injury in that type of crash. Rollover risk is NHTSA's estimated chance of rolling over in a single-vehicle crash.

2018 Jeep Cherokee NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings
Tested vehicleOverallFrontalSideRolloverRollover riskForward collision warning
2018 Jeep Cherokee SUV 2WD4 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars17.4%Optional
2018 Jeep Cherokee SUV 4WD4 stars4 stars5 stars4 stars16.9%Optional

Source: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings (New Car Assessment Program), checked Oct 26, 2026.

Star ratings compare vehicles of similar size and weight; a frontal rating for a large pickup is not directly comparable with one for a small car.

2018 Jeep Cherokee owner complaints

Owners have filed 688 complaints with NHTSA about the 2018 Jeep Cherokee, most recently on Oct 21, 2026. 11 mention a crash, 5 a fire, 7 injured people and 0 deaths. These are unverified reports; a complaint is not proof of a defect.

Most-cited components in 2018 Jeep Cherokee complaints
Component named in complaintsMentions
Power train295
Electrical system188
Unknown or other174
Engine155
Service brakes34
Steering30
Fuel/propulsion system26
Vehicle speed control20
Air bags16
Electronic stability control (ESC)15

Source: NHTSA consumer complaint files (complaints received since January 1, 2015). One complaint can name several components.

Had a safety problem with your vehicle? You can report it to NHTSA at nhtsa.gov/report-a-safety-problem.

Other Jeep Cherokee model years

Jeep Cherokee by model year
YearCombinedRecallsComplaintsOverall rating
2026 Cherokee37 mpg49—
2023 Cherokee22–24 mpg134/5
2022 Cherokee21–26 mpg3524/5
2021 Cherokee21–26 mpg41764/5
2020 Cherokee21–26 mpg33344/5
2019 Cherokee21–26 mpg111,6714/5
2017 Cherokee21–25 mpg61,3384/5
2016 Cherokee22–25 mpg91,4124/5
2015 Cherokee21–25 mpg111,7784/5

All Jeep Cherokee years compared · Decode a VIN

Other 2018 Jeep models

Sources

  • Recalls: NHTSA recall flat file (FLAT_RCL_POST_2010), dated Oct 27, 2026, plus a live check of api.nhtsa.gov in your browser.
  • Complaints: NHTSA consumer complaint flat files (COMPLAINTS_RECEIVED), counts only — we do not republish complaint text.
  • Crash tests: NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings API.
  • Fuel economy: FuelEconomy.gov vehicles file (U.S. DOE and EPA), dated Sep 29, 2026.
  • NHTSA, EPA and DOE do not endorse OpenVIN. Vehicle names identify vehicles only; OpenVIN is not affiliated with Jeep.