2014 Jeep Cherokee · symptom sheet
"Service Transmission" message or wrench light comes on
- 273owner reports
- 42,000median miles
- 2involved a crash
Newest report Nov 6, 2025 · checked Sep 29, 2026
2144 of the 2,427 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 273 of those describe transmission warning light.
Tick what matches of 273 reports
Transmission warning light on other Cherokee years
Report counts are for each model year on its own, so a newer car has had less time to collect them. Model years with too few reports of it for a sheet: 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022.
What this problem usually is
This sheet is for a "Service Transmission" message, a transmission fault warning or a wrench light. Owners say it often shows up with lost power, a stall or a car that won't accelerate, and sometimes clears on the next start.
What got replaced
Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the transmission control module (27 reports), the valve body or solenoid (9 reports), the transmission (8 reports) and the clutch (3 reports).
Recalls and investigations
7 recalls on the transmission and drivetrain cover the 2014 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.
An electrical short in the power liftgate module may lead to a vehicle fire with the ignition on or off.
Relative movement in the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) between the differential input splines and the transmission output shaft may cause some input spline teeth to wear off, which may eventually cause a loss of engagement between the…
In the event that a clutch becomes stuck in the transmission, the transmission software may shift the transmission to neutral.
These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging.
The transmission sensor clusters may have insufficient crimps in the transmission wire harness, and as a result, the transmission may unexpectedly shift to neutral.
The affected vehicles are equipped with radios that have software vulnerabilities that can allow third-party access to certain networked vehicle control systems.
When the adaptive cruise control is engaged and the driver presses the accelerator pedal to increase the vehicle's speed more than the cruise control system would on its own, the vehicle may continue to accelerate briefly after the accelerator pedal is released.
All 13 recalls on the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, with the owner complaints on each recalled system
NHTSA investigations into the transmission and drivetrain on the Cherokee
Electronic parking brake water ingress. Closed oct 29, 2023.
Software security vulnerability. Closed jan 5, 2016, led to recall 15V-508.
Engine compartment fire. Closed dec 9, 2015, led to recall 15V-676.
Crash related fuel tank fires. Closed nov 14, 2014, led to recall 13V-252.
Sudden acceleration. Closed sep 10, 2002.
Faulty gas gauge indicators. Closed nov 13, 1997, led to recall 97V-194.
Vehicle sudden acceleration. Closed dec 5, 1995.
Driveshaft/univ.joint fail. Closed nov 25, 1994.
Driveshaft/univ.joint fail. Closed oct 29, 1993.
Stalling. Closed oct 3, 1989.
Throttle control. Closed sep 19, 1988.
Engine compartment fires. Closed jan 9, 1990, led to recall 88V-132.
Fires caused by cltch lk. Closed jan 28, 1988.
High speed stalling. Closed mar 10, 1988.
Electronic ignition failure and gas fume. Closed nov 3, 1976.
When it happens
The middle half of failures fell between 21,000 and 74,000 miles, from the 231 reports that gave a mileage.
What owners wrote
“I was driving down the road when all of a sudden my car was in neutral and I was unable to get the car moving. Called AAA they towed me to In a state Transmission because the transmission light came on. Interstate Transmission said there was nothing wrong with the transmission. Itâs a computer problem. Soooo we going to fix this anytime soon?”
Filed Jul 11, 2024
“My vehicle had no service light or warnings prior to shutting down in a parking lot. Now it wonât start and says 4WD is unavailable, service transmission. I had to pay for it to be towed to my home. Iâm a disabled veteran living on a fixed income and cannot afford to take it to a dealer. Seems to me that the recall W47 20V343000 directly addresses the reason my vehicle is inoperable and so SHOULD include my VIN!”
Filed Apr 17, 2024
“Service transmission light came on while driving. I had a warranty on the vehicle so I took it in to dealership in DeQueen AR they fixed the valve body on the transmission and almost exactly 1 year later the service transmission light came on again. Following that my service parking brake light came on and now the emergency brake is engaged and will not disengage. Why has there not been a recall on these items?”
Filed Sep 20, 2023
“Truck stopped in the middle of the road almost causing me and my daughter to get by oncoming traffic. Service transmission appeared on the screen before the car stop and power off.”
Filed Feb 9, 2023
Should you keep driving it?
This page can't tell you that. 2 of 273 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.
File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation. How reports land on this sheet.
Guide Paid for this repair before a recall covered it? How recall reimbursement works
Other problems on this car
- Engine stalls or loses power while driving 562 reports
- Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard 436 reports
- Brakes grind, pulse or wear early 168 reports
- Service 4WD light or power transfer unit (PTU) failure 155 reports
- Transmission fails or needs replacement 127 reports
- "Shift to Park" or "Service Shifter" warning comes on 121 reports
- Check engine light or misfire 118 reports
- Transmission drops into neutral or downshifts on its own 112 reports
- Infotainment, screen or backup camera fails 86 reports
- Traction control or StabiliTrak light comes on 75 reports
- Multiple warning lights come on at once 70 reports
- Battery dies or the car will not start 66 reports
- Driveshaft, axle or transfer case problems 56 reports
- Loses power when accelerating 50 reports
- Airbag warning light or recall 46 reports
- Suspension noise, struts or alignment 45 reports
- Steering wheel shakes or the "death wobble" 37 reports
- Brakes on its own (automatic emergency braking) 31 reports
- Burns oil or oil level rises 29 reports
- Engine leaks oil 29 reports
- Fuel pump failure 28 reports
- Engine failure, knocking or rod bearing 26 reports