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Transmission and drivetrainPart report

2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee Transmission and drivetrain Problems

Complaints
39about this part
Share
16%of 241 total for the year
Median mileage
3,900miles
Trend
RisingComplaints filed in the last 3 full calendar years are at least 25% higher than in the 3 years before.

NHTSA recorded 39 complaints about the transmission and drivetrain of the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 16% of the 241 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 3,900 miles. 2 of these say a crash was involved and 2 a fire, according to the filers.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“When using the rear park assist, with my foot completely off the accelerator, the vehicle has spontaneously accelerated while going in reverse, requiring me to hard break to avoid collision. This has happened multiple times.”

NHTSA complaint #11297670, filed 2020-01, 250 miles

“While I was driving down the road the transmission failed and I had to have the vehicle towed and the transmission replaced. The vehicle only had 460 miles total at that time. The vehicle now has 940 total miles and I am beginning to feel hard shifting and slipping while driving, that seems to me that the new transmission they put in the vehicle is going bad already. I will be taking it back to the dealer to have them look at it. I was on a city street going straight at approximately 30mph.”

NHTSA complaint #11321276, filed 2020-04, 460 miles

“After only 350 miles my engine started sputtering and had to pull over. By the time we stopped the car the sputtering was violently shaking the vehicle. We had to get it towed only for the dealer ship to take several hours to replace a spark plug. - at almost all time there the air conditioner never seems to get to the desired temperature for more than 20 seconds. When at a stop, the A/C is non existence and temps drop significantly. Unless you have it set to max A/C it will never feel cold/hot. …”

NHTSA complaint #11338533, filed 2020-07, 350 miles

“With my foot completely off the accelerator, the vehicle spontaneously accelerates under certain conditions. While in standard or sport mode, in second gear going about 20mph, there is a reproducible RPM surge that causes the vehicle to lunge forward. This somewhat feels like being rear ended.”

NHTSA complaint #11297610, filed 2020-01, 350 miles

“At approximately 54,000 miles the transmission is not shifting. I parked in a parking spot, go into a store. Then come out and the vehicle will not shift into park or reverse. The check engine light came on for the park by wire issue. These transmissions have been known to have rough shifting and my vehicle has been no exception. It’s shifted rough at low speeds and the eco mode and auto start/stop system have also made it feel less than smooth to drive.”

NHTSA complaint #11675060, filed 2025-07

Related service bulletins

Transmission and drivetrain: other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
20261238%
20251316%
20243112%
20234010%
20223714%
20215914%
20203916%
20194713%
2018759%
20178824%
20167825%
201535326%
201447520%
2013557%
20121026%
2011905%
20102219%
20092317%
20087710%
200719618%
200617314%
200525312%
2004544%
2003355%
2002584%
200110212%
200015611%
199938624%
199842641%
199725426%
199628031%
199524734%
199411820%
19939918%
1991117%
1989120%

Other parts of the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee

Electrical system
74 complaints
Other or unknown
64 complaints
Engine
50 complaints
Fuel system
21 complaints
Air bags
17 complaints
Vehicle speed control
15 complaints
Brakes
13 complaints
Steering
13 complaints
Forward collision avoidance
9 complaints
Back-over prevention (rear camera)
8 complaints
Body and structure
8 complaints
Suspension
8 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2020 Jeep Grand Cherokee

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 31, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology