Diagsheet

Midsize and three-row SUVs · model years 2014 to 2024

Jeep Grand Cherokee vs Toyota Highlander: problems and reliability

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Highlander looks better on 3 and the Grand Cherokee on 0, with 4 too close to call.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Jeep Grand Cherokee

6,778 complaints · 69 recalls

Toyota Highlander

Toyota Highlander

2,742 complaints · 29 recalls

Newest report Sep 24, 2026 · checked Sep 27, 2026

Counts are not adjusted for sales. The more cars of a model there are on the road, the more complaints it draws, so the raw totals above say a lot about sales. Everything below compares shares of each model's own complaints, the mileage problems start at, recalls per model year and each model's years against its own median.

Scorecard

Measure, 2014 to 2024Grand CherokeeHighlander
Complaints that report a crash6.6%5.9%
Complaints that report a fire1.4%0.6%
Complaints that report an injury4.3%4.1%
Median miles when problems are reported45,00041,000
Recall campaigns per model year6.32.6
Do-not-drive recalls00
NHTSA investigations120

The shaded side is lower (for miles, higher). Values within about a tenth of each other count as too close to call.

What owners complain about

The system Grand Cherokee owners complain about most is electrical; for the Highlander it is transmission and drivetrain. Complaints citing electrical make up 25% of all Grand Cherokee complaints, against 11% on the Highlander. The Highlander leans the other way on transmission and drivetrain: 28% of its complaints, against 18% for the Grand Cherokee.

Jeep Grand CherokeeToyota Highlander

Transmission and drivetrain18%28%
Electrical25%11%
Engine19%10%
Brakes5.5%11%
Fuel and propulsion7.2%8.2%
Seats11%2.1%
Airbags6.0%6.2%
Structure2.4%9.3%
Steering5.2%2.7%
Speed control4.4%3.3%

Share of each model's complaints that cite each system, from NHTSA's own component codes. One complaint can cite several systems, so the shares add up to more than 100%.

The most reported problems

The most reported problem on the Grand Cherokee is seat belt problems (15% of its complaints). On the Highlander it is brake wear (11% of its complaints), against 7.1% on the Grand Cherokee.

ProblemGrand CherokeeHighlander
Engine stalls or loses power while driving12% 809most in 2014 · 42k mi8.9% 245most in 2019 · 43k mi
Brakes grind, pulse or wear early7.1% 483most in 2019 · 38k mi11% 311most in 2021 · 25k mi
Seat belt or seat problems15% 1,017most in 2014 · 70k mi3.1% 8632k mi
Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails12% 839most in 2018 · 35k mi4.3% 11925k mi
Airbag warning light or recall6.0% 404most in 2014 · 60k mi6.2% 169most in 2021 · 23k mi
Transmission fails or needs replacement0.6% 4330k mi11% 289most in 2021 · 74k mi
Check engine light or misfire5.4% 368most in 2014 · 72k mi3.5% 96most in 2019 · 34k mi
Battery dies or the car will not start5.4% 369most in 2014 · 40k mi1.8% 50most in 2017 · 44k mi

Share of each model's own complaints, with the count beside it. "Most in" links to the symptom sheet for the model year with the most reports of it, and the mileage is the median from reports that gave one.

When problems start

Problems show up at about the same mileage on both. Half the Grand Cherokee complaints that give a mileage come before 45,000 miles, and half the Highlander complaints before 41,000. 53% of Grand Cherokee reports and 55% of Highlander reports come before 50,000 miles. Older model years have had longer to reach high mileage, so a window that runs to recent years pulls both medians down.

Jeep Grand CherokeeToyota Highlander

Under 25k31%35%
25k to 50k22%20%
50k to 75k20%22%
75k to 100k14%13%
100k to 150k9.8%8.0%
Over 150k2.6%1.5%

Share of the complaints that state a mileage: 3,256 for the Grand Cherokee and 1,194 for the Highlander.

Worst and best years

The 2014 Grand Cherokee draws 2.3 times the complaints of a typical Grand Cherokee year for its age. The 2021 Highlander draws 2.9 times the complaints of a typical Highlander year for its age.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

Every Grand Cherokee model year

Toyota Highlander

Every Highlander model year

Jeep Grand CherokeeToyota Highlander

Each model year against its own model's median. Grand Cherokee: 2014 2.3, 2015 1.7, 2016 0.4, 2017 0.5, 2018 1.4, 2019 0.7, 2020 0.5, 2021 1.0, 2022 0.8, 2023 1.4, 2024 1.2. Highlander: 2014 0.3, 2015 0.5, 2016 0.3, 2017 0.9, 2018 1.0, 2019 2.0, 2020 1.5, 2021 2.9, 2022 1.7, 2023 1.5, 2024 0.5.2014 Grand Cherokee: 2.3 times its median2014 Highlander: 0.3 times its median'142015 Grand Cherokee: 1.7 times its median2015 Highlander: 0.5 times its median'152016 Grand Cherokee: 0.4 times its median2016 Highlander: 0.3 times its median'162017 Grand Cherokee: 0.5 times its median2017 Highlander: 0.9 times its median'172018 Grand Cherokee: 1.4 times its median2018 Highlander: 1.0 times its median'182019 Grand Cherokee: 0.7 times its median2019 Highlander: 2.0 times its median'192020 Grand Cherokee: 0.5 times its median2020 Highlander: 1.5 times its median'202021 Grand Cherokee: 1.0 times its median2021 Highlander: 2.9 times its median'212022 Grand Cherokee: 0.8 times its median2022 Highlander: 1.7 times its median'222023 Grand Cherokee: 1.4 times its median2023 Highlander: 1.5 times its median'232024 Grand Cherokee: 1.2 times its median2024 Highlander: 0.5 times its median'241x

Each bar is that model year's complaints for each year on the road, divided by the same figure for a typical year of the same model (the dashed line). Measuring each model against itself takes the sales gap between the two out of the picture, so they can share a scale. Years too new to judge are left out.

Recalls and investigations

The Grand Cherokee draws more recalls: 6.3 campaigns per model year against 2.6 for the Highlander. A recall counts once however many cars it covers, so this figure does not grow with sales the way complaint totals do.

Jeep Grand Cherokee

69 recall campaigns and 12 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: electrical (9), engine and engine cooling (6) and equipment (6).

  • 22V-406 (fuel system, diesel) covers 7 model years
  • 23V-411 (engine and engine cooling) covers 7 model years

Investigations

  • RQ25005: Recall 23v-413 post remedy failures (open, led to a recall)
  • EA23001: High pressure fuel pump failure (open, led to a recall)
  • DP22005: Pedestrian alert sounds (closed, led to a recall)

Toyota Highlander

29 recall campaigns and 0 NHTSA investigations across these model years. Most recalled: equipment (6), electrical (4) and fuel system (4).

  • 18E-107 (electrical) covers 5 model years
  • 23V-720 (structure) covers 4 model years

Whether a particular car is included depends on its VIN. Check yours at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

Crashes, fires and injuries

Crashes turn up in about the same share of complaints on both (6.6% and 5.9%). Fire reports: 98 for the Grand Cherokee and 17 for the Highlander. Complaints on file report 2 deaths in the Grand Cherokee and 2 in the Highlander for these model years.

Jeep Grand CherokeeToyota Highlander

Report a crash6.6%5.9%
Report a fire1.4%0.6%
Report someone hurt4.3%4.1%

Share of each model's complaints in which the owner reported it. These are owners' own accounts as filed with NHTSA, and one report on its own doesn't prove a defect.

Questions

Is the Jeep Grand Cherokee or the Toyota Highlander more reliable?

On the 7 measures below that do not grow with sales, the Highlander looks better on 3 and the Grand Cherokee on 0, with 4 too close to call. NHTSA complaint totals cannot settle it alone: the Grand Cherokee has 6,778 complaints and the Highlander 2,742 for model years 2014 to 2024, and those totals follow how many of each were sold.

Which has more recalls, the Grand Cherokee or the Highlander?

The Grand Cherokee has 69 recall campaigns and the Highlander 29 across model years 2014 to 2024. The Grand Cherokee draws more recalls: 6.3 campaigns per model year against 2.6 for the Highlander.

What are the most common problems on the Grand Cherokee and the Highlander?

The most reported problem on the Grand Cherokee is seat belt problems (15% of its complaints). On the Highlander it is brake wear (11% of its complaints), against 7.1% on the Grand Cherokee.

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