2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Problems

NHTSA component category: ENGINE · data through 07/12/2026

283Engine complaints

17.3%Of all 1,637 complaints

#2Most-reported category

Source: U.S. NHTSA complaint data. Complaints are unverified reports from vehicle owners — a complaint is not a confirmed defect.

How engine ranks on this vehicle

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM802 · 49%

ENGINE283 · 17.3%

SERVICE BRAKES277 · 16.9%

FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM215 · 13.1%

Unspecified / other118 · 7.2%

Share of the 1,637 complaints citing each category; one complaint can cite several. Full breakdown on the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee overview page.

What owners report

“THERE HAVE BEEN FOUR INCIDENTS WHILE DRIVING MY VEHICLE AT SPEED FROM 35 TO UPWARDS OF 70 MPH, MY 2012 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE WITHOUT WARNING…”NHTSA complaint 10604764 — filed 06/20/2014

“BOUGHT JEEP NEW ON 12/2012. CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON LAST WEEK, TOOK IT TO AUTO PARTS STORE TO HAVE IT HOOKED UP TO COMPUTER…”NHTSA complaint 10588174 — filed 05/13/2014

“2012 GRAND CHEROKEE V8 OVERLAND SUMMIT. ENGINE WON'T START AT RANDOM TIMES. ENGINE JUST CRANKS AND CRANKS BUT WON'T FIRE. LET IT SIT FOR A…”NHTSA complaint 10563666 — filed 02/10/2014

Excerpts are shortened and scrubbed of personal details; they are individual, unverified reports.

Engine complaints by year filed

Frequently asked questions

Does the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee have engine problems?

Engine is the #2 most-reported problem area on the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee: 283 of 1,637 complaints on file (17.3%). Complaints are unverified owner reports, not confirmed defects.

How many complaints does the 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee have in total?

1,637 complaints were on file with NHTSA as of 07/12/2026. Across all categories, 46 involved a crash, 104 involved a fire, 35 reported injuries, and none reported deaths.

What does NHTSA's engine category include?

NHTSA assigns each complaint to standard component categories; this page reports the ENGINE category exactly as NHTSA defines and records it.

About this data — Complaint figures on this page are consumer reports submitted to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), a U.S. government agency. NHTSA does not verify individual complaints; a complaint is not proof that a defect exists, and counts reflect what owners chose to report, not confirmed failure rates. Recall information comes from official NHTSA safety recall campaigns; recall repairs are free at authorized dealers. Always check your specific vehicle by VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. CarModelProblems.com is an independent site and is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. Data through 07/12/2026.