2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems & reliability
733 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee, alongside 4 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.
9 complaints report injuries (10 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles were involved in 60 fatal crashes with 24 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 | 472 | 64% |
| Engine | 107 | 15% |
| Power Train | 77 | 11% |
| Air Bags | 40 | 5% |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 39 | 5% |
| Unknown OR Other | 35 | 5% |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 27 | 4% |
| Steering | 24 | 3% |
| Service Brakes | 20 | 3% |
| Visibility | 20 | 3% |
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 45,000 and 100,000 miles), based on 501 complaints that included mileage.
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“The contact owns a 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact stated that the vehicle was started in the driveway but immediately turned off. The vehicle was restarted and shifted into reverse(R); however, the vehicle drove forward instead. The vehicle was immediately turned off to avoid a crash. The following day, while…”
Electrical System · filed Feb 23, 2026
“5.7L Hemi Engine fire. The primary cause was a wire harness retention clip failure that allows the starter wiring harness to lay on the steering column. As it turns, it cuts into the harness and provides battery voltage to the steering column. In my case, there was a power steering fluid leak combined with the…”
Engine · filed Feb 11, 2026
“Driver's steering wheel airbag malfunctioned and deployed unexpectedly while backing into a parking space. Safety of passengers through potential of bodily injury and car crash due to lack of sight and sudden explosion/deployment of airbag while car is actively being driven could have been causedby this malfunction…”
Air Bags · filed Feb 7, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Technical service bulletins
62 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The 10 most recent:
Verify Reman part number availability. Order the "R" part number for all orders: Warranty, Mopar, customer pay and service contract. Order "68" part number for New unsold units only.
9100645 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Aug 15, 2025
Plate - Planetary
101232 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Oct 30, 2024
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
Connector kit Before ordering this connector repair kit 68018957A$, check it in the Mopar Connector Repair Kit Website to confirm part number and applicability. There is an error with the wiring diagrams in Service…
9100226 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 15, 2023
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
NAG1 Transmission Before installing the transmission with the engine, check for dowel pins (2) for alignment. If the pins are missing request to add the dowel pin first and then install the transmission
9004361 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 31, 2021
NAG1 Transmission Before installing the transmission with the engine, check for dowel pins (2) for alignment. If the pins are missing request to add the dowel pin first and then install the transmission
9004361 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Mar 31, 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
Disinfectant Solution Recommended for COVID-19
23-015-20 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Apr 30, 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 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee has 4 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 2008 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
- · 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.