Which Jeep Cherokee years have the most steering complaints?

The 2019 model year leads with 130 complaints, then 2021 with 117. The 2018, 2023 and 2020 years have fewer. The 2024, 2025 and 2026 years show very few, but they have had less time to collect complaints, so that does not make them safer.

Is it safe to drive a Cherokee with a steering problem?

No. Owners describe steering that went heavy or locked without warning, leading to crashes into curbs, signs, trees and guard rails. If the wheel stiffens or a steering warning appears, have the car inspected by a dealer before driving it further.

Is there a recall for Jeep Cherokee steering?

Yes, for some years. Recall 19V637000 covers certain 2019 and 2020 Cherokees, where the steering rack gear may break and cause a loss of steering control. Dealers replace the steering gear free of charge. Check your VIN to see if your car is included.

Why does the power steering cut out along with other warnings?

Owners report stability control, blind spot monitoring and cruise control switching off at the same time as the assist. Some 2018 cases involved engine shutdowns tied to low oil. The data does not give a single cause, so a dealer diagnosis is needed.

Last updated: 2026-10-10

Jeep Cherokee Steering Problems

Sudden power steering loss is the main Jeep Cherokee steering complaint. The wheel goes heavy or locks, often with no warning.

Owner complaints: 370
Share of all complaints: 7%
Crash / fire / injury reports: 25 / 1 / 11
Related recalls: 3

Cherokee steering complaints by model year

The 2019 model year has the most steering complaints by far, at 130, followed by 2021 at 117. The 2018, 2023 and 2020 years sit in the middle, with 42, 44 and 28. The 2024 and 2025 years show only 7 and 2, and 2026 shows none. Those recent years have had little time on the road, so low counts there do not make them safer. The federal recall in the data covers 2019 and 2020 Cherokees.

2018
42
2019
130
2020
28
2021
117
2023
44
2024
7
2025
2
2026
0

Owner complaints filed with NHTSA under steering. Newer model years have had less time to collect complaints.

What goes wrong

Power steering that quits without notice is the core steering failure on this model. The wheel turns very heavy or seems to lock, at parking-lot speeds and at 70 mph alike. A steering warning sometimes lights up, but several owners say nothing appeared first. Stability control, blind spot monitoring and cruise control often drop out at the same moment. A restart brings the assist back for some drivers and not for others. Dealers most often replace the steering rack or the whole steering gear.

This is a safety problem, not a nuisance. Owner complaints in this area total 370, and many describe drivers who could not finish a turn. Reports include hits on curbs, signs, trees, poles and guard rails. The 2019 model year alone has 8 crash reports and 4 injuries, plus one fire report. Some cars were towed and some were out of service for repairs afterward. A few filings blame engine shutdowns that took the steering assist with them, so the cause is not always the rack.

Symptoms owners report

Power steering cuts out suddenly

The assist disappears in a turn or on the highway, and the wheel becomes very hard to turn. A steering warning may show, or none at all. Driver-assist features often switch off together. Restarting sometimes restores it.

Wheel locks or seizes

Some owners say the wheel locked completely, in one case at about 25 mph and in another while exiting a freeway, where the car spun. One 2020 crash was blamed on a fractured steering rack gear.

Steering lost after engine shutdown

In 2018 models, engines shut off mid-turn and left steering and brakes heavy. Dealers tied several stalls to low oil with no warning light. Newer filings also describe full shutdowns while moving, including one exiting a car wash.

Dead spot or jerking near center

Owners report a loose, catching feel within a quarter inch of center on the highway, or random jerks of the wheel. One dealer fixed a dead spot with a steering update. Another found no fault and set no code.

Front-end parts breaking

A group of reports describe front steering or suspension parts failing. Wheels turned inward, a front end fell off, and a control arm detached. These cases ended with lost control and sometimes crashes.

Wobble when flat towing

Owners who tow the Cherokee behind a motorhome report a violent side-to-side wobble at low speed after turns. One crash caused heavy damage to both vehicles. The owner reports a fix part costing $286.39 plus $460 labor.

When the problems start

Problems show up early. Several 2018 stalls with locked steering happened under 30,000 miles, and one rack and pinion broke at 37,000. Dealers replaced 2019 steering racks in cars from under 15,000 to 62,000 miles. Dead spots were reported at 5,500 and 10,340 miles. A 2024 rack was replaced at 3,216 miles, and 2021 owners describe failures within the first few thousand miles.

Repairs and recalls

Dealers usually replace the steering rack. For 2020 models, they replace the whole steering gear because the module inside cannot be serviced. One owner waited on back-ordered rack parts. Software updates fixed a 2019 dead spot and one 2023 case. A 2025 owner had a dead wheel at startup and needed a tow and a new rack. Federal recall 19V637000 covers 2019 and 2020 Cherokees for a steering rack gear that may break. Dealers replace the steering gear free of charge. Two other steering recalls in the data name Grand Cherokee models.

Model years	Campaign	Problem
2024	24V131000	Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. An improperly machined steering knuckle may separate between the ball joint and knuckle, causing the wheel to fall outward and resulting in…
2021, 2023	23V352000	Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2022-2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2021-2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vehicles. An incorrectly assembled steering column intermediate shaft may disconnect from the u-joint, and…
2019, 2020	19V637000	Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019-2020 Jeep Cherokee vehicles. The steering rack gear may break, possibly causing a loss of steering control.

Checking a used Cherokee for steering problems

Run the VIN through federal recall records and confirm the steering gear recall work was done on any 2019 or 2020 car.
Ask for service records showing any steering rack or steering gear replacement, and who paid for it.
Test drive through tight turns and on the highway, watching for a heavy wheel, a dead spot near center, or a steering warning.
Check the oil level yourself and ask for proof of regular oil changes, since some 2018 stalls were tied to low oil.
Scan for stored faults and confirm no steering, stability control or driver-assist warnings appear after a restart.
Look in the wheel wells for worn or loose front suspension and steering parts, and listen for clunks over bumps.

3 steering recalls cover the Jeep Cherokee. A VIN check shows whether the car you're looking at had its recall work done, plus accident and title history.

Look Up a VIN →