2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee Problems

What owners report

Owners of this model year most often write about interior door handle and door panel failures and about electrical problems in which gauges, lights and other accessories cut out while the vehicle is being driven. Many electrical complaints describe stalling or a no-start condition tied to the ignition switch, and several say a recall repair was delayed, incomplete or could not be performed. Engine ticking or lifter noise and transmission shudder or harsh shifting come up as well, usually on higher-mileage vehicles.

1. 1
   Electrical system

   Ignition switch cutouts, stalling and no-start

   • 1,182 complaints (58%)
   • median 85,900 mi at 9.5 yrs old (696 state mileage)
   • 52 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $900 (median of 35 quotes)
   • filed 2004–2026

   Complaints describe the engine shutting off while driving, sometimes briefly losing power steering and brake assist, and on other occasions refusing to start or requiring several attempts with the key. Owners report dash lights, gauges, headlights, wipers and radio going dark or flickering, sometimes staying out until a restart. Several say the ignition switch was diagnosed or replaced, and some report the symptom returned afterward. Many mention NHTSA Campaign 14V438000 and say the dealer did not have parts, could not schedule the work, or could not perform the remedy because of the vehicle's age. A separate customer satisfaction notice from the manufacturer discusses an interim procedure and an ignition-key/FDCM software update for related symptoms. Scattered widely across mileage, from very low miles to nearly 200,000; complaints span all model years of ownership and were filed from 2005 through 2025.

   Recall 14V4380001 related service bulletin

   What to check: Ask whether the 14V438000 ignition switch recall was completed and get the paperwork, and drive the vehicle over rough pavement with the key in place to see whether power or gauges drop out. Check for a single key with nothing else on the ring, and test whether the key turns smoothly from lock to start.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Numerous times when driving everything electrical will go out, the dash lights,headlights radio lights everything like the car is completely off. One time I hit the dash and everything came back on another time just to see I opened my driver door and everything came back on when I closed the door back everything went back off. It started as random but is now more and more often. It happens alway when I am driving.”

   NHTSA complaint #11408546, filed 2021-04, 176,000 miles

   “We received a recall notice june 2014 for ignition switch. My vehicle dash board, gauges hear, air, everything shuts off at least 5 times a week. I am told from subclass that the part is still not in. In doing research, I have found the some cars completing shut down. Some while driving 60 on a highway. This needs to be fixed. I feel that over a year is long enough. I need my Jeep fixed and safe to drive around with my 4 year old grandson in the back seat. Thanks, deb”

   NHTSA complaint #10731978, filed 2015-07, 60,000 miles
2. 2
   Body and structure

   Interior door handles and panels cracking

   • 462 complaints (23%)
   • median 75,000 mi at 6.9 yrs old (365 state mileage)
   • 7 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $750 (median of 98 quotes)
   • filed 2005–2022

   Owners describe the plastic trim around the inside door handles cracking and breaking away, then the handle pulling loose or the door becoming impossible to open from inside. Complaints say this happens in normal use with no impact or abuse, often door by door until several or all four are affected. Several owners were told by the dealer that the part had been redesigned repeatedly and that the fix was a new door panel, quoted at hundreds of dollars per door. Complaints also describe sharp plastic edges left where the trim broke. Mostly reported between roughly 50,000 and 150,000 miles, in complaints filed from 2005 through 2022.

   What to check: Open and close every door from the inside and look closely at the plastic surround around each handle for hairline cracks. Ask whether any door panels or handles have been replaced, since the repair is usually done as a full panel.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “The door handles on the interior of my Jeep are very brittle. 2 out of 4 handles are currently broken as they are made only of plastic. This is a major issue with my vehicle as it poses a safety risk. Many people online have this same issue, this needs to be looked into, I am fearful for myself and my families safety in this car.”

   NHTSA complaint #11321640, filed 2020-04, 180,000 miles

   “Three of the door handles on my 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee have broken off and are unusable. The other two are cracking and I am fearful that they will be breaking off soon. The handles and the supporting door frames are all cracking in the same location and the handles then fall off. The manufacturer has been unwilling to even discuss the issue. The dealer states it is $700 -$900 per door to fix. Parts to fix the door handles are unavailable for sale outside the dealerships. …”

   NHTSA complaint #10429422, filed 2011-10, 72,000 miles
3. 3
   Engine

   Engine tick, tapping and lifters

   • 129 complaints (6%)
   • median 76,000 mi at 8.6 yrs old (112 state mileage)
   • 9 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • filed 2005–2024

   Owners describe a tapping or ticking sound from the engine, often noticed at start-up and getting louder over time, with no warning light. Some were told by the dealer the noise was normal for the engine and mileage; others had lifters identified as the cause. A few complaints describe smoke, a burning smell and the engine stopping, with an independent shop recommending engine replacement. Heavier hesitation and stutter on acceleration, sometimes with a check engine light, also appear in owners' accounts. Generally reported from about 60,000 miles upward, most commonly around 85,000 to 150,000 miles.

   What to check: Listen to the engine cold and again when warm for a rhythmic tick, and ask whether lifters or any top-end work has been done. Scan for stored codes and check oil level and condition rather than relying on a warning light.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “My Jeep 5.7l v8 was under extended warranty and was taken to the dealer for recall on ignition and computer flash for receiver. While there I asked them to check the ticking noise coming from my motor. I was advised this was normal for this motor and mileage(88,000). This tick keeps getting worse and I see most 5.7s up to now still have it ,before the lifters ruin a crankshaft. Is the NHTSA going to correct this travesty or hide behind their reputation ,like the crash dummy next to this page? …”

   NHTSA complaint #11343045, filed 2020-08, 88,000 miles

   “Won't speed up and when is does it gets jammed and it shakes and when I break its shakes even when I turn. I just bought it and they are telling me that it's either the motor messed up or the computer. They told me that it'll cost me 3,000 I don't have that. I saved up for a head to by it. And a month after I got it it's messing up. But when I first bought it. I took it to a shop and it threw no codes nothing was wrong with it. It took all of a month to break down on me. And the battery won't stay charged they put in a new battery when I first got it. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11338721, filed 2020-07, 150,000 miles
4. 4
   Transmission and drivetrain

   Transmission shudder and harsh shifting

   • 492 complaints (24%)
   • median 72,314 mi at 8.5 yrs old (403 state mileage)
   • 53 mention a crash, fire or injury
   • owner-quoted repair $1,200 (median of 31 quotes)
   • filed 2004–2024

   Complaints describe a shudder or chatter during driving and around shifts, hard or delayed shifts, and on some vehicles an independent change of gear while moving. A few owners link the shudder to Campaign 05V396000 on the automatic transmission and say it persisted even after that repair. Others report overheating or a transmission temperature warning, and some describe intermittent slipping out of gear with warning lights on the dash. Most commonly reported between about 60,000 and 160,000 miles, across complaints filed from 2006 through 2022.

   Recall 05V3960002 related service bulletins

   What to check: Ask for transmission service records and whether 05V396000 was performed where it applies. Test-drive from cold through light and moderate throttle, feeling for shudder at torque converter lock-up, and check that the 4WD mode switch works and the service 4WD light stays off.

   2 excerpts from owner complaints in NHTSA records

   “Its all on city streets when I'm driving the ABS lights come on and my engine lights comes on and off I have to shut the car off and restart it then it says everything is ok. When I come to a stop light and stop it dies but starts right back up”

   NHTSA complaint #11372559, filed 2020-11, 65,000 miles

   “My 2005 Jeep Grand Cherokee laredo (3.7 liter v6) has about 78,500 miles. In 2018 my Jeep had an engine service soon light incident. I had the obdii read by o'reilly auto parts for the failure codes. The codes downloaded were u0404 & p0700. I went to my mechanic and he stated, 'drive it for a while and it should go away', he was right - the failure code (dash light) went away. Now, feb. 7, 2020 my engine service light went on. Again I went to o'reilly auto part to have the obdii error codes read. Again, the error codes came up u0404 & p0700. …”

   NHTSA complaint #11308068, filed 2020-02, 78,500 miles

Buying note. With this model year, the paperwork matters more than the badge: confirm that the ignition switch recall and the transfer case recall were both completed, and inspect the interior door hardware on every door. A pre-purchase scan and a cold-start listen for engine tick will tell you more than a short warm test drive.

Summary written with AI from a sample of 80 NHTSA complaints for this model year (picked at random, with complaints that state a mileage and recent ones taken first), then checked automatically against the source records. Where a problem shows a complaint count, every complaint for this model year was matched with fixed keyword rules (written with AI and tested against the sample), and the mileage, age and repair figures are calculated from those complaints; owners' figures are as stated, not verified. Other counts refer to the sample. The excerpts come from NHTSA's public complaint records and are unverified; capitalisation is normalised, NHTSA staff notes are removed, and shortened text ends with “…”. Something wrong? Request a correction.