The Jeep Cherokee might sit in the middle of Jeep’s range of SUVs, but that certainly doesn’t make it average. In fact, many say that it fills the perfect family-SUV brief by being big enough, but not too big.
And because of that it’s popular, so there’s plenty of choice out there. These cars are long beyond the scope of the standard manufacturer warranty, too, which makes them ideal for the home mechanic to work on – ideal at a time when everyone’s keen to avoid extra costs such as shop labor charges. If you can avoid those, why wouldn’t you?
That’s where Haynes can help – all you need to do is invest in the Haynes Cherokee manual, and we’ll be there to guide you through pretty much every repair you’re likely to have to carry out.
What recalls has the Jeep Cherokee been subject to?
A full 6120 examples were recalled because of a faulty cruise control system that could accelerate despite the driver having lifted off the gas pedal.
Then 15,956 cars were recalled because an insufficient weld for the rear shock mounting, which could cause the shock to suddenly detach at one end.
The next one was a biggie – 167,749 cars were recalled because of an airbag fault in which the side curtain and seat airbags could go off without warning during normal operation of the vehicle. That’d get your attention.
Early Cherokee models fitted with a power liftgate were recalled because water could get into the control unit and cause a short circuit.
Models fitted with the 2.4-liter engine were recalled because an air-conditioning hose had been routed incorrectly and could cause a leak of refrigerant oil, with a risk of fire.
Seat fasteners that weren’t tightened to the correct torque cause another recall, as did models running the 9-speed auto transmission, because a wiring harness faulty could cause the transmission to shift to neutral of its own accord.
What common problems does the Jeep Cherokee Mk5 have?
Numerous Jeep Cherokee owners have reported a problem with the right front door handle, which emits a clicking a noise when operated.
The Jeep Cherokee is also prone to a fault that causes it to crank for a long time before starting, and if you happen to notice that your headlights don’t look as bright as they should then there’s a good chance that they’re leaking.
Driving along and being assailed by a droning noise is something that some Jeep Cherokee owners have reported, too.
And another common problem that afflicts the Jeep Cherokee is a chirping, screeching noise. This happens when the engine is started from cold in temperatures around 32F (0C).
Why is your 2014 Jeep Cherokee door handle clicking?
Walking up to your Jeep Cherokee, pressing the unlock button, then tugging at the door handle and hearing a decidedly un-classy click is not something that will convince you of the car’s potential longevity.
The issue is that the exterior handle rubs against the beltline reinforcement inside the door when the handle is pulled and the door is opened.
To effect a remedy, you’ll need to remove the handle from the door, which is a procedure covered in depth in your Haynes Cherokee manual. Jeep then offers a fix that involves trimming the plastic end off the handle mechanism, but an alternative would be to replace the handle itself, and fit the new item using the procedure contained in your Haynes Cherokee manual.
Is your Jeep Cherokee KL slow to fire up?
Jeep Cherokee models fitted with the 3.2-liter engine are known to suffer an issue that causes them to crank for a very long time before firing up, or to fail to fire up altogether.
Even if you plug in a fault-code reader no codes will be present, which means the issue is a dodgy camshaft position sensor.
The only option is to replace the sensor with a new one (part number: 05149141AF), and the procedure to replace the sensor is a fairly straightforward one that’s fully illustrated in your Haynes Cherokee manual. Just follow the steps and your Jeep will be starting instantly once more.
If you want to know how to replace the spark plugs in your Jeep Cherokee, just watch our FREE video below.
Does the Jeep Cherokee have headlight problems?
A headlight has just two tasks in life –to light the way ahead for the driver and to allow the vehicle to be seen by others.
Unfortunately, it isn’t unknown for the headlights on some models to become fogged up, a situation that becomes particularly prevalent when the vehicle is used in low temperatures. The issue is that the ‘sealed unit’ has suffered a failure of the seal. The problem is that the sealing of the unit has failed, and so the headlight unit needs to be replaced.
That’s the bad news. The good news is that this is something you’ll be able to do in an afternoon, so just look up the relevant chapter in your Haynes Cherokee manual and get cracking.
One note of warning: this issue concerns vehicles with halogen headlights, not models with HID (high-intensity discharge) lights. Cars with the latter should be taken to an expert due to the high voltages involved.
The 2014 Jeep Cherokee is droning. Why?
There you are, cruising along in your Jeep Cherokee and… what’s that noise? A weird droning noise. From somewhere underneath and behind you.
There’s been no change is road surface, so that can’t be it. The car’s behaving fine, so it can’t be a flat tire. Odd.
This condition afflicts Cherokees fitted with the Jeep Active Drive system, and is most noticeable when travelling at a faster constant speed in a higher gear. It will only happen if the rear drive module is engaged.
If your Cherokee has a 2.4-liter engine, then it’ll happen at around 2200rpm, and if you have a 3.2-liter unit, it’ll occur at around 1400rpm.
The problem lies with the rear half-shafts, which you’ll need to replace. (left side part number: 68257064AA, right side part number: 68257065AA).
This is a job that’ll likely take quite a few hours, but you’ll be saving yourself hundreds of dollars in labor charges from your local shop. Just look up the Haynes Cherokee manual and off you go.
Does the Jeep Cherokee have cold-start problems?
Winter. Early morning. Clouds shroud your face with every exhale. The sun isn’t up yet, let alone the neighbours, but there you are heading off to work.
So you creep out to your Jeep Cherokee 3.2, get in, start it up and… Screeeeeech! Chirp, chirp, chirp… Dogs start to bark. Lights come on. Quick – drive off before anyone comes out to remonstrate.
The source of the problem is a dodgy idler pulley, and the noise will last for around 90 seconds or so.
Thankfully, the task of replacing the pulley (part number: 05281301AA) is not a difficult one, and is explained in depth in the Haynes Cherokee manual. Beware that on the 3.2 you’ll need to drain and refill the cooling system as part of the procedure. It also makes sense to replace the drivebelt at the same time.
