Diagsheet

2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee · symptom sheet

Transmission shudders, slips or shifts hard

  • 58owner reports
  • 16,000median miles
  • 5involved a crash

Newest report Jun 17, 2026 · checked Sep 9, 2026

349 of the 1,354 complaints on this car are about the transmission and drivetrain. 58 of those describe transmission shudder.

Tick what matches of 58 reports

5
28
11
15
12
1

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the valve body (6 reports) and the transmission (5 reports).

Recalls and investigations

One recall on the transmission and drivetrain covers the 2015 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.

16V-240Apr 25, 2016
Power Train:Automatic Transmission:Control Module (Tcm/Pcm/Tecm)

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain model year 2012-2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 vehicles manufactured February 15, 2011, to November 27, 2014, and 2014-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles manufactured July 16, 2012, to December 22, 2015. The affected vehicles, equipped with an eight-speed automatic transmission and a monostable gear selector, may not adequately warn the driver when driver's door is opened and the vehicle is not in PARK, allowing them to exit the vehicle while the vehicle is still in gear.

Risk and remedy
Risk: Drivers thinking that their vehicle's transmission is in the PARK position may be struck by the vehicle and injured if they attempt to get out of the vehicle while the engine is running and the parking brake is not engaged.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will update the vehicle software to mitigate the risk of vehicle rollaway, free of charge. The recall began on June 24, 2016. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is S27. Note: On October 19, 2016 Chrysler identified some previously repaired vehicles did not receive the complete software updates. Chrysler will renotify the affected owners, and dealers will update the software again.

NHTSA investigations into the transmission and drivetrain on the Grand Cherokee

EA16-002opened Feb 3, 2016
Transmission and drivetrain · model years 2014 to 2015

Vehicle rollaway, engine on. Closed jun 24, 2016, led to recall 16V-240.

NHTSA summary
On April 22, 2016, Fiat Chrysler Automotive US LLC, (FCA) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA regarding a defect that could result in unattended vehicle rollaway with the engine running in approximately 811,586 model year (MY) 2012 to 2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 vehicles and MY 2014 to 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 8-speed transmissions and a monostable gear selector (NHTSA Recall #16V-240, FCA Recall #S27). According to FCA's DIR, The existing strategies built into these vehicles to deter drivers from exiting the vehicle after failing to put the transmission into PARK have not stopped some from doing so. Drivers erroneously concluding that their vehicle's transmission is in the PARK position may be struck by the vehicle and injured if they attempt to get out of the vehicle while the engine is running and the parking brake is not engaged.The vehicles recalled by FCA are equipped with Monostable electronic (shift-by-wire) gearshift assemblies supplied by ZF Group (see Figure 1).The subject Monostable shifter has a single neutral position that it snaps back to when the driver releases the shift knob.Although the Monostable gearshift has the familiar appearance of a conventional console mechanical gearshift assembly, it has an unfamiliar movement that does not provide the tactile or visual feedback that drivers are accustomed to receiving from conventional shifters.Consequently, the driver must take additional time to verify that the de
PE15-030opened Aug 20, 2015
Transmission and drivetrain · model years 2014 to 2015

Powered vehicle rollaway. Closed feb 5, 2016.

NHTSA summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE15-030 on August 20, 2015,to investigate 14 complaints alleging incidents of rollaway after intended shifts to Park in Model Year (MY) 2014 and 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees vehicles. The MY 2014-2015 Grand Cherokee vehicles are equipped with Monostable electronic (E-shift) gearshift assemblies supplied by ZF Group (ZF). The E-shift system operates electronically and the gear requested by the driver is transmitted from the shifter via the CAN Bus to the Transmission Control Module which makes the requested shift. The Monostable gearshift does not move into a detent but springs back to a centered/neutral position after the driver selects a gear and releases the shifter. A button on the shift knob must be depressed to shift out of Park, shift out of Neutral, and to shift from Drive to Reverse or Park.The gear selected is shown on a display in the dash and illuminated letters on the shifter. If the driver's door is opened when the gearshift is not in Park, a chime sounds and a message is displayed on the instrument panel to warn the driver.In addition, the engine Start/Stop push-button control logic does not permit normal engine shut-off when the transmission is not in Park. This logic may provide feedback to drivers who attempt to turn the engine off when the transmission is not in Park. However, this function does not protect drivers who intentionally leave the engine running or drivers who do not recognize
DP02-005opened Apr 25, 2002
Transmission and drivetrain · model years 1991 to 1995

Sudden acceleration. Closed sep 10, 2002.

NHTSA summary
There is no summary currently available
EA01-017opened Nov 1, 2001
Transmission and drivetrain · model years 1993 to 2002

Roll-away in reverse when parked. Closed dec 18, 2002, led to recall 02V-053.

NHTSA summary
DAIMLERCHRYSLER HAS RECALLED THE ZJ MODELS TO INCORPORATE A SECONDARY DETENT SPRING INTO THE SHIFTER.EVEN THOUGH THE WJ 6 CYL. VEHICLES USE THE SAME MANUAL DETENT LEVER THAT AS THE VEHICLES IN THE RECALL POPULATION, ODI BELIEVES THAT THE WJ REDESIGNED SHIFTER, WHICH IMPROVES FLOOR SHIFTER FUNCTIONALITY AND ERGONOMICS, HELPS TO PROVIDE FEEDBACK TO THE DRIVER TO INDICATE WHETHER ?PARK? HAS OR HAS NOT BEEN ACHIEVED.ALTHOUGH THE INVESTIGATOR WAS ABLE TO INDUCE A ?FALSE PARK? IN THE WJ PLATFORM FOR 6 CYL. VEHICLES, THE LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY WAS GREATER THAN THAT REQUIRED FOR ALL ZJ MODELS, AND THE COMPLAINT RATE WAS SIGNIFICANTLY LOWER THAN THE RECALLED ZJ POPULATION.FURTHER, THE ODI INVESTIGATOR WAS ALSO ABLE TO CREATE A ?FALSE PARK? IN PEER VEHICLES WITH THE SAME LEVEL OF DIFFICULTY AND FREQUENCY AS THE SUBJECT VEHICLE WJ PLATFORM.THE WJ COMPLAINT RATE WAS INFLATED DUE TO NATIONAL EXPOSURE THROUGH THE PRESS. THE COMPLAINT RATE PRIER TO THE JULY 5, 2001 MEDIA COVERAGE FOR THE WJ VEHICLES IS SIMILAR TO THE PEER VEHICLE INCIDENT RATE.BASED ON THE ABOVE, A SAFETY-RELATED DEFECT TREND HAS NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED AT THIS TIME IN THE WJ POPULATION.ACCORDINGLY, THIS INVESTIGATION IS CLOSED WITH A SAFETY RECAL FOR THE ZJ PLATFORM ONLY.
PE01-021opened Jun 28, 2001
Transmission and drivetrain · model years 1995 to 1999

Inadvertent rollaway in reverse park. Closed nov 1, 2001.

NHTSA summary

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 5,000 and 59,000 miles, from the 39 reports that gave a mileage.

715
1516
817
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419
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621
122
523
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126

What owners wrote

“ACC automatically canceled without braking causing car to either slow down immediately or speed up unsafely, slippery road light turns on, on dash while driving straight, lunging of the car that feels like tires are spinning and or hesitation.”

Filed Jun 17, 2026 · 61,264 miles

“Hard shifting car jumps when put in gear I think it’s a known issue with this vehicle”

Filed Nov 5, 2025

“My car keeps slipping into neutral, not able to go over forty three miles per hour. Will not go into park or drive at times. Electrical issues. This has happened several times two times on the freeway, with one of them and entering the freeway, almost causing an accident.”

Filed Dec 9, 2024

“Loud ticking noise from engine that speeds up upon acceleration. Failing rocker arm causing debris leading to ticking noise. No error codes. Upon personal investigation online, have found "Pentastar Tick" to be a known problem in 2013-2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees on Jeep forums. Problem can lead to misfire while driving, including jerking, damage to cam shaft, as well as engine damage.”

Filed Jul 25, 2023

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 5 of 58 reports involved a crash and 3 people were hurt. 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.

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