2006 Jeep Commander problems & reliability
1,635 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2006 Jeep Commander, alongside 5 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Aug 7, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several vehicles.
36 complaints report injuries (51 injured, 3 deaths reported).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2006 Jeep Commander vehicles were involved in 41 fatal crashes with 20 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Electrical System | 687 | 42% |
| Power Train | 295 | 18% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 247 | 15% |
| Engine | 203 | 12% |
| Structure | 189 | 12% |
| Unknown OR Other | 87 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 79 | 5% |
| Steering | 68 | 4% |
| Air Bags | 62 | 4% |
| Exterior Lighting | 60 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Half of the failures with a reported odometer reading occurred by 75,000 miles (middle 50% between 41,500 and 106,000 miles), based on 1,227 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“Brakes failed completely. 2-3 car lengths between be and car in front of me with plenty of time to stop. My jeep did not even slow down when brakes we applied.”
Service Brakes · filed Apr 25, 2026
“My jeep will shut off unexpectedly, it will do a up and down idle increase and decrease while at a idle the abs will lock up my wheel tight to where itll drag while trying to move forward. The 4x4 low will not engage at all says service 4x4”
Power Train · filed Jan 12, 2026
“The contact owns a 2006 Jeep Commander. The contact stated while driving approximately 10 MPH in a parking lot the vehicle stalled. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated the failure was intermittent but a recurring failure. The contact stated that the failure occurred at various speeds. The…”
Power Train · filed Oct 17, 2025
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Air Bag Non-deployment
Preliminary Evaluation PE14017 · opened Jun 16, 2014 · closed Dec 23, 2014 · led to recall 14V438000
- Fleet Vehicle Recall Completion Audit
Audit Query AQ10001 · opened Nov 18, 2010 · closed Dec 28, 2015
- ENGINE STALLING
Engineering Analysis EA07007 · opened Apr 27, 2007 · closed May 7, 2008 · led to recall 08V203000
- ENGINE STALL
Preliminary Evaluation PE07009 · opened Feb 12, 2007 · closed Apr 27, 2007
- PETITION RE: UNINTENDED ACCELERATION
Defect Petition DP06002 · opened Jul 13, 2006 · closed Jan 3, 2007
Technical service bulletins
64 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2006 Jeep Commander. The 10 most recent:
Plate - Planetary
101232 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 30, 2024
Security Module Lock Out After Entering the PIN to Unlock The Wireless Control Module (WCM)
S2208000136 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2022
Security Module Lock Out After Entering the PIN to Unlock The Wireless Control Module (WCM)
S2208000136 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 9, 2022
Transmission Kit with Torque Converter 1. All Promaster (VF) 3.6L/62TE equipped vehicles. If the transmission bracket to the transmission case fasteners are removed during servicing, the fasteners (Part Number…
9004009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 7, 2021
Mechanical rocker arm, intake, 1.7 ratio.
9001784 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 22, 2021
Mechanical rocker arm, intake, 1.7 ratio.
9001784 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Feb 22, 2021
KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not…
9004275 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 22, 2020
KEY, Master If replacing the key/FOBIK on a WJ, KJ, TJ, or PT Cruiser, use the "AC" NIC level part number. The "AB" NIC level will not program to these platforms. For all other platforms, if the "AB" NIC level will not…
9004275 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 22, 2020
Disinfectant Solution Recommended for COVID-19
23-015-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 2020
Charging System, Battery Diagnostic Tools and Warranty This information only bulletin discusses using the correct test equipment for testing batteries and charging systems, and also warranty reimbursement when battery…
08-049-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 22, 2020
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2006 Jeep Commander has 5 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2006 Jeep Commander?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Owners most often reported problems around 75,000 miles — budget accordingly if the car is approaching that mileage.