Stop/Start Illuminated, 0x22 During Fork Wear Routine Technicians may experience the following: SYMPTOM: ● Negative response 0X22 after Recall 01C flash triggers one or more communication codes with controllers.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗2018 Jeep Cherokee electrical problems
moderate Owners of the 2018 Jeep Cherokee have filed 134 NHTSA complaints about the electrical, typically surfacing around 39,000 miles at roughly $850 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See electrical across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
134
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$850
| Model year | electrical complaints |
|---|---|
| 2014 Cherokee | 291 |
| 2015 Cherokee | 201 |
| 2016 Cherokee | 204 |
| 2017 Cherokee | 225 |
| 2018 Cherokee (this page) | 134 |
| 2019 Cherokee | 238 |
| 2020 Cherokee | 20 |
| 2021 Cherokee | 14 |
| 2022 Cherokee | 5 |
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 134 electrical complaints filed for the 2018 Jeep Cherokee, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 25,000-50,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 134 electrical complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
Electrical accounts for 20% of all owner complaints filed against this vehicle, across 8 categories tracked.
Is there a fix? Manufacturer service bulletins
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering electrical on this vehicle — documented repair instructions, service campaigns, or warranty extensions sent to dealers. A TSB isn't a recall (it's not a free safety remedy), but it's the manufacturer acknowledging the issue and how to fix it.
Door Latch, Handle And Ajar Additional Service Information.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC) Inaccurate, Battery Charging Message, Presence of IBS related Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), or Battery Warning Lamp On
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Start Stop Charging Warning Lamp Illuminated On, Intelligent Battery Sensor (IBS) State of Charge (SOC) Inaccurate, Battery Charging Message, Presence of IBS Related Diagnostic Trouble Codes (DTCs), or Battery Warning Lamp On
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Verify "Z" part number availability. Order a "Z" part number for all Exchange Orders: Warranty, Mopar, Customer pay and Service contract. Order"68" part number for New unsold units only
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
The failure pattern owners describe
The 2018 Cherokee electrical problems cluster heavily around a few persistent failures. The Service Shifter warning dominates complaints—it illuminates all gear indicator lights red, blocks the speedometer from view, and forces a power cycle to reset. Owners report it happening daily, while parked, or unpredictably at highway speeds. The shifter harness has been replaced multiple times on the same vehicles with no permanent fix. Dealers admit no diagnostic codes are stored, making diagnosis nearly impossible.
No-start and stalling failures are equally serious. Vehicles stall mid-turn or at traffic lights with no warning lights. Jump starts work temporarily, but batteries fail again within days despite replacement. Alternators have been swapped with failures persisting. One owner replaced the starter twice in four days.
Infotainment system failures disable the backup camera, climate control, and warning tones simultaneously—not just the radio. One vehicle caught fire in a rear defroster short while parked and off, shattering the rear glass.
Key fob recognition errors prevent starting on vehicles with under 14,000 miles. Parking brake engages unprompted due to water intrusion into the control module, and the body leak causing it goes unrepaired for months. Owners cite water damage exclusions in warranties despite purchasing extended coverage.
Dealers consistently report finding no codes, unable to replicate failures, and pointing owners toward expensive part replacements—shifter assemblies ($600+), radios ($1,250), PCM replacements—with no guarantee of resolution.
Same Jeep Cherokee electrical reports on nearby years: 2015 · 2016 · 2017 · 2019 · 2020
Failure modes owners describe
Service Shifter warning light and loss of transmission/drivetrain display
Dashboard displays 'SERVICE SHIFTER' warning and all gear indicator lights on the shifter illuminate red (P, R, N, D). The digital speedometer and gear information become unavailable or frozen. Vehicle may exhibit improper shifting behavior, jerking, or lag during acceleration. Some owners report the vehicle shuts off while shifting or during turns.
When: Occurs intermittently at any time—while parked, at startup, during highway driving, or when hitting bumps. Some owners report daily occurrence; others report weeks between incidents.
Symptoms owners cite: Service Shifter message on dashboard; All shifter lights illuminate red; Speedometer/digital display blocked by warning message; Unable to determine current gear position; Vehicle jerking or delayed shifting; Vehicle stalling during turns or gear changes; Message clears only after turning vehicle off and restarting
Codes mentioned: No diagnostic codes stored (multiple owners confirm)
Repairs/costs cited: Dealers report replacing shifter harness and shifter bezel/assembly. Owner reports harness replacement failed and issue recurred. Some dealers cite $600+ cost for full shifter assembly replacement. One owner states dealer admitted this is 'an ongoing issue with most Jeeps in the last few years' with no recall yet issued.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued. Jeep customer care offered no assistance. Dealers initially claim they cannot find error codes or replicate the problem despite owner documentation and online evidence of widespread occurrence.
No-start, stalling, and battery-related shutdown while driving
Vehicle stalls unexpectedly while driving, at traffic lights, or during turns. Vehicle fails to start, requiring jump starts or multiple restart attempts. Battery appears to drain rapidly or alternator fails to charge. Vehicle may shut off mid-turn or mid-acceleration with no warning lights.
When: Throughout vehicle ownership; incidents reported from early ownership to 133,000+ miles. Some owners replaced battery twice within months.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle stalls while driving without warning; Vehicle fails to start; requires jump start or multiple restart attempts; Flickering dashboard and interior lights; Battery light illuminates on dashboard; Engine cuts off after 2–3 minutes of driving; Clicking or abnormal sounds during restart attempts; No warning lights prior to failure
Codes mentioned: No codes retrieved in some cases, U0103, U11DE, U0002, U1465, C10CD (reported in one case with Service Airbag)
Repairs/costs cited: Battery replaced multiple times (owner reports replacing twice within months, still failed). Dealership replaced alternator; failure persisted. PCM (Powertrain Control Module) identified as faulty and needed replacement in one case. Electronic Control Module, throttle body, and O2 sensor replaced in another case but failure recurred. One owner replaced starter twice in 4 days.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No manufacturer assistance provided. VIN not included in NHTSA Campaign 18V524000 (Electrical System) despite owners experiencing symptoms listed in recall.
Infotainment/radio system malfunction and loss of secondary functions
Infotainment screen displays '911 Car Phone malfunction contact dealer' warning. Screen goes black intermittently, disabling backup camera, climate control, and backup warning tone. Owner reports this is not just a radio issue since the unit controls backup camera, climate, and other critical functions.
When: Intermittent failures over weeks. Vehicle has 55,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Red warning: '911 Car Phone malfunction'; Infotainment screen goes black; Backup camera inoperative; A/C controls unresponsive; Backup warning tone silent; Screen comes back on after vehicle is moving for a few minutes
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnosed as bad 'radio' and ordered replacement unit at cost of $1,250. Owner disputes characterization as merely a radio problem given the scope of functions affected.
Electrical fire in rear defroster/liftgate area
Rear defroster or related electrical wiring in the rear glass/liftgate area shorted and ignited while vehicle was parked, turned off, and unattended. Fire caused rear glass to shatter/blow out. Incident recorded on residential security camera.
When: While vehicle was stationary, parked, and powered off.
Symptoms owners cite: Electrical short in rear defroster/wiring; Fire in rear liftgate area; Rear glass shattering
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership inspected and provided repair estimate consistent with rear defroster/glass area failure.
Clock Spring/steering wheel control failure
Steering wheel controls including cruise control, hands-free function, and steering wheel heater stop working. Dealer identifies clock spring (squib) failure. Entire clock spring and airbag unit must be replaced. Owner reports uncertainty about airbag deployment safety until work is completed.
When: At undisclosed mileage; noted within 50–60,000 miles on another vehicle.
Symptoms owners cite: Steering wheel controls non-functional; Cruise control inoperative; Hands-free controls inoperative; Steering wheel heater inoperative
Repairs/costs cited: Full clock spring and airbag unit replacement required at cost of ~$1,000. Owner notes dealer stated this is common for Jeep and is recall-worthy but no recall issued.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Jeep customer service advised to keep receipts in event of future recall; stated nothing can be done now.
Key fob not recognized/cannot read key fob error
Vehicle displays 'CANNOT READ KEY FOB' error at startup and fails to start on multiple occasions. Remote start function exacerbates the problem. Workaround: locking/unlocking vehicle remotely at hatch sometimes allows engine to start. Driver-side door latch also sticks intermittently and can only be freed by remote locking/unlocking sequence.
When: Recurring over three-month period starting Labor Day 2018. Brand new vehicle purchased April 2018 with less than 14,000 miles at time of complaints.
Symptoms owners cite: Cannot read key fob error at startup; Failure to start or delayed start; Remote start unreliable; Driver-side door latch stuck; Door will not shut properly
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership picked up vehicle three times to repair. Owner expressed intent to pursue legal representation if not resolved.
Parking brake engages unexpectedly; water intrusion into control module
Parking brake engages on its own. Warning appears on dash. Water intrusion has damaged the parking brake control module. Extended warranty (purchased for ~$2,000) refused to cover due to water damage, claiming it is not covered. Mechanic replaced control unit, but brake re-engaged weeks later. Second diagnosis found body of car is leaking, allowing water to run into control module again.
When: Beginning of July; issue unresolved as of November (five months later) due to parts unavailability.
Symptoms owners cite: Parking brake engages without driver input; Warning message on dash; Difficulty disengaging brake; Recurrence after repair
Repairs/costs cited: Parking brake control module replaced; issue recurred. Second diagnosis found body panel leak; control unit awaiting parts replacement for five months.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Extended warranty denied coverage, claiming water damage is not covered despite marketing claim that warranty 'covers everything.' Dealer stated this is 'a common issue with Jeeps' and no warranty covers it.
Alternator and voltage regulation failure
Instrument panel lights, dome lights, and center console flicker continuously. Battery voltage erroneously fluctuates between 10 and 14 volts. Alternator replaced by dealer but failure persisted. PCM (Powertrain Control Module) then determined to be faulty.
When: At 133,000 miles.
Symptoms owners cite: Continuous flickering of instrument panel, dome, and console lights; Erratic battery voltage fluctuation (10–14 V)
Repairs/costs cited: Alternator replaced; failure persisted. PCM identified as faulty and requiring replacement. Vehicle not yet repaired at time of complaint.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer notified but provided no assistance. VIN not included in NHTSA Campaign 18V524000 despite matching described failure.
Headlight/high-beam malfunction with Smart Lighting Module
When running lights and headlights are set to Auto mode, moving lever to High Beam causes headlights to shut off completely. Known issue with Smart Lighting Module. Software update issued for newer model years but not applied to 2018 Cherokee.
When: Ongoing issue since purchase; owner has requested correction for years.
Symptoms owners cite: Headlights shut off when high beam lever is engaged in Auto mode; Headlights do not activate on high beam
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued for 2018 model. Software update available for newer models but dealer will not apply it to 2018 Cherokee. Dealer refuses to correct under any recall specific to VIN.
WM (Window Module) failure and key programming loss
Vehicle stopped completely mid-drive, would not restart. Requires jump start but eventually will not turn on at all. Dealership diagnosis: WM (Window Module) needs replacement, battery needs recharge, and new keys needed. Vehicle is brand new (1 year 6 months old), purchased with 0 miles.
When: Occurred twice within two days (December 2019). Vehicle was only 1.5 years old.
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle stops while in motion turning into apartment complex; Vehicle will not turn on; Jump start temporarily restores function; No restart capability after second failure
Repairs/costs cited: WM (Window Module) replacement needed. Battery recharge needed. New key programming needed.
Excessive electrical drain on battery during storage; Auto Start/Stop system failure
Auto Start/Stop system stops functioning. Battery warning light displays 'battery is charging' even though battery is fully charged. Subsequent attempts to start vehicle result in electrical system shutdown and no-start condition. Battery voltage reads around 11.5 volts. Vehicle requires multiple jump-start attempts.
When: Auto Start/Stop failure occurs first; starting issues follow.
Symptoms owners cite: Auto Start/Stop system stops working; Battery light shows charging warning when battery is fully charged; Electrical system shuts down on start attempts; Partial engine rotation before system resets; Low battery voltage (11.5 V) despite recent battery replacement
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple jump-start attempts required; issue persists.
Service Airbag warning light; loss of electrical function during turns
Service Airbag light comes on, particularly when turning left. Vehicle stalls during these events with dashboard lights lighting up. Multiple diagnostic codes retrieved. Dealership tore apart center console but found no problem. Codes reappear after test drive. Second dealership unable to determine fix. Vehicle out of service since May 2022, moved to third dealer by June 2022.
When: Starting May 2022.
Symptoms owners cite: Service Airbag warning light illuminates; Vehicle stalls, often during turns; All dashboard warning lights illuminate; Multiple codes present then disappear
Codes mentioned: U0103, U11DE, U0002, U1465, C10CD
Repairs/costs cited: Dealership tore apart center console with no findings. Unable to replicate failure or find cause.
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Jeep customer care contacted but no resolution provided.
Door handle overheating; potential electrical fault at door
Driver-side door knob/handle becomes extremely hot to the touch—difficult to grab. Owner suspects electrical fault. Also reports clicking sound when depressing brake pedal and squeezing/resistance at rear wheels when turning.
When: At undisclosed mileage.
Symptoms owners cite: Door handle burns to touch; Cannot safely grab handle
Synthesized from 134 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
Service shifter light, r,p,n,d, all lights turn red. Happened months ago at 36,300 miles, didn't happen for a month then came back. Now comes on every couple weeks, sometimes multiple times in a row. Turn car off and back on the lights go off. Happens at intial start up and while driving.
We were traveling in our 2018 Jeep cherokee latitude and at a red light, the car just turned off. We had to sit for awhile and then restart it by putting on the brake and some other thing. We replaced the battery and it ran for about 20 minutes. Then, it stopped while we were at a red light again! It only restarted after replacing the battery twice. We aren't spending money on a new battery until…
Service shifter error
I believe TSB 08-054-18 does not take seriously enough the danger of an automatic car shutting off mid drive. Only by luck did I avoid being hit on a small road. This has happened pretty much every year of owning the car but I thought it was a fuel/oil issue related to weather until the shifter messages popped up this year.
service shifter warning light and It seems like it's happening to a lot of jeep. I believe it should be a recall.
Had electrical trouble with your 2018 Jeep Cherokee?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the electrical problem on the 2018 Jeep Cherokee?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 134 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $850 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the electrical typically fail?
Across the 74 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most electrical failures cluster between 24,500 and 47,000 miles, with the median around 39,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 24,500; a quarter make it past 47,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $850 for electrical repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to electrical?
No active recalls currently cover electrical issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2018/Jeep/Cherokee.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.