Showing the 2017 Cherokee Sport. We haven't verified this trim's engine; the numbers below cover every version of this model year. Every version
Owner complaints, recalls, fuel economy and safety ratings from public NHTSA and EPA data, updated Oct 17, 2026.
About every 2017 Cherokee
The 2017 Jeep Cherokee has 1,337 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, with the most, 649, about transmission and drivetrain. It gets 21 to 25 mpg combined, with a 5-year fuel cost of $12,990 to $17,700 at U.S. average prices. NHTSA gives it 4 overall stars. There are 6 recall campaigns, covering transmission and drivetrain, electrical system, cruise control and throttle, and others, which may apply to a car.
Written by AI from public EPA and NHTSA data. Not a review.
Fuel economy
21–25 mpgcombined; city 18–21, highway 24–30; every version of this model year
Five years of fuel
$12,990–$17,700U.S. average; Ohio $11,610–$15,980 at local prices; every version of this model year; fuel only, not other costs of owning it; 15,000 miles a year, at EIA fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026
NHTSA's VIN data lists these trims for the 2017 Cherokee. A trim's engine and numbers are shown as its own only where EPA names versions after the trim and no other version could be it; "seen with" means a source shows that engine on the trim, not that it was the only one. Recalls and complaints cover the whole model year: whether a recall applies to a car depends on its VIN, on NHTSA's recall lookup.
Owners have filed 1,337 complaints with NHTSA about the 2017 Cherokee. These are unverified owner reports, counted by the part of the car they name; one complaint can name several parts. Counts aren't adjusted for how many were sold, so they don't show how reliable a car is.
Complaints by part of the car
Part
Complaints
Crashes
Fires
Injuries
Power train
649
5
0
3
Unknown or other
343
4
2
9
Electrical system
342
3
3
1
Engine
260
3
2
1
Vehicle speed control
60
2
0
2
Service brakes
56
4
0
1
Steering
45
1
0
1
Electronic stability control (ESC)
42
0
0
0
Air bags
26
14
0
21
Fuel/propulsion system
18
1
1
0
Forward collision avoidance
17
1
0
1
Suspension
16
1
0
0
10 more parts
Structure
12
1
0
1
Wheels
12
1
0
0
Exterior lighting
8
0
0
0
Visibility/wiper
7
0
0
0
Seat belts
6
1
0
3
Engine and engine cooling
5
0
0
0
Parking brake
5
0
0
0
Back over prevention
4
0
0
0
Service brakes, hydraulic
3
0
0
0
Latches/locks/linkages
1
0
0
0
Complaints by model year
Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, and counts aren't adjusted for sales, so a shorter bar doesn't mean a more reliable year.
NHTSA lists 6 recall campaigns for the 2017 Cherokee over its history. Campaigns are matched by model and year, so each one may apply to a given car, and its repair may already be done: check a VIN on NHTSA's recall lookup for the open recalls on that exact car.
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.
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2016-2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power 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: FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed May 11, 2023. Owners may contact FCA USA LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 45A. This recall expands previous recall number 20V-343.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles equipped with a two-speed Power Transfer Unit (PTU). Relative movement in the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) between the differential input splines and the transmission output shaft may cause some input spline teeth to wear off, which may eventually cause a loss of engagement between the transmission and the differential inside the PTU. If this occurs, power cannot be transferred between the front wheels and the transmission which results in a loss of drive while the vehicle is in motion and a loss of the Park function while stationary.
Risk: A loss of drive can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning. A loss of the Park function can cause unintended vehicle rollaway which can increase the risk of a crash or injury.
Remedy: FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will perform a software update that will maintain vehicle propulsion by engaging rear wheel drive and prevent rolling in Park by activating the electronic parking brake if a failed input spline occurs. This recall began July 14, 2020. Owners may contact FCA USA LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is W47.
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.
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.
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2017 Jeep Cherokee vehicles manufactured October 13, 2016, to October 17, 2016. Improper welds on the driver's knee air bag inflator may prevent the air bag from properly inflating.
Risk: If the driver's knee air bag does not properly inflate, there is an increased risk of injury in the event of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driver's knee air bag module, free of charge. The recall began November 9, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S84.
Carmakers sent NHTSA 257 service bulletins and notices that cover the 2017 Cherokee, the latest on Jul 23, 2026. They tell dealers how to fix known issues.
The parts they mention most: electrical system (73), power train (65), equipment (52), structure (38), engine and engine cooling (33).
NHTSA defect investigations
Opening an investigation isn't a finding of a defect. Outcomes are as NHTSA's summary states them. A recall is shown as an investigation's outcome only where NHTSA's summary names it; other recalls NHTSA's file lists with it are marked as listed, not caused.
Investigation
Part
Opened
Status
Engineering analysis EA21002 Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture · covers 37 makes
The owner's manual gives the oil and how often to change it. We show oil facts only once we've checked them against the manual, and we haven't yet for the 2017 Cherokee.
These are searches on those sites; we don't copy or check their listings. Your ZIP is used for these links and never kept.
Specs
EPA class: small sport utility vehicle. EPA greenhouse gas score: 4–5 out of 10. Each version EPA tested:
Swipe the table sideways for more columns.
Version
Engine
Transmission
Fuel
City / hwy / comb
Cherokee Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
21 / 30 / 25
Cherokee Front-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline or E85
21 / 30 / 25
Cherokee Front-Wheel Drive
3.2 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Midgrade Gasoline
21 / 29 / 24
Cherokee All-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
21 / 28 / 23
Cherokee All-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline or E85
21 / 28 / 23
Cherokee All-Wheel Drive
3.2 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Midgrade Gasoline
20 / 27 / 23
Cherokee Active Drive II 4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
21 / 27 / 23
Cherokee Active Drive II 4-Wheel Drive
3.2 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Midgrade Gasoline
18 / 26 / 21
Cherokee Trailhawk 4-Wheel Drive
2.4 L, 4 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Regular Gasoline
19 / 25 / 22
Cherokee Trailhawk 4-Wheel Drive
3.2 L, 6 cyl
Automatic 9-spd
Midgrade Gasoline
18 / 24 / 21
Sources and dates
U.S. EPA fuel economy data, file of Sep 29, 2026
NHTSA owner complaints, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA recalls, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA manufacturer communications, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA defect investigations, file of Oct 17, 2026
NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings, file of Aug 7, 2026
U.S. Energy Information Administration, file of Oct 12, 2026
Fuel cost: EPA mpg with fuel prices for the week of Oct 12, 2026 and electricity prices for Jul 2026. Source: U.S. Energy Information Administration (Oct 2026). Complaints are unverified reports owners filed with NHTSA. About the data