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moderate Owners of the 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee have filed 31 NHTSA complaints about the lighting at roughly $250 to repair (U.S. federal records, as of July 2026). Source: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation. See lighting across all vehicles →
| Model year | lighting complaints |
|---|---|
| 2017 Grand Cherokee | 7 |
| 2018 Grand Cherokee | 12 |
| 2019 Grand Cherokee | 4 |
| 2021 Grand Cherokee (this page) | 31 |
| 2022 Grand Cherokee | 3 |
| 2023 Grand Cherokee | 5 |
| 2024 Grand Cherokee | 15 |
Among the 18 model years of Jeep Grand Cherokee in our records for lighting problems, this one ranks #2 by owner-complaint volume.
All 3 active lighting recalls on this vehicle land at critical or severe — none classified moderate.
Difficulty activating the headlight high beams may result in reduced visibility, increasing the risk of a crash.
Inoperable headlights can reduce visibility for the driver and oncoming traffic, increasing the risk of a crash.
A tail light side marker that does not illuminate can reduce vehicle visibility to other drivers, increasing the risk of a crash.
The manufacturer has issued service bulletins covering lighting 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.
Headlamp Condensation Clearing Procedure Some customers may report that on occasion, vehicle exterior head lamp assemblies are fogged with a light layer of condensation on the inside of the lenses.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Front Fascia Cover Gaps And Or Poor Fitment Near Headlight.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Outer Tail Lamp Front Edge Has A Gap To The Quarter Panel Or Tail Lamp Appears Loose.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗High Beam Headlamps Cannot be Turned on with the Headlamp Switch Set to ?AUTO?
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Rear Tail Lamp Condensation Clearing Procedure Some customers may report that on occasion, vehicle exterior tail lamp assemblies are fogged with a light layer of condensation on the inside of the lenses. This may be reported after the lamps have been turned on and brought up to operating temperature, turned off, and then rapidly cooled by cold water (such as rain, or the water from a vehicle wash). This bulletin is to communicate the procedure for rear tail lamp condensation clearing.
full bulletin at NHTSA ↗Source: NHTSA manufacturer communications. Bring the bulletin number to your dealer or shop.
Owners report multiple distinct lighting failures in the 2021 Grand Cherokee. The most common complaint involves high beams not functioning when the headlight switch is in Auto mode—the stalk must be held down continuously or the switch manually changed to On position. This issue persisted through recall 21V797000, with owners returning to dealers multiple times without resolution.
Low beam headlights have failed completely in some vehicles, with one owner experiencing both headlights out at 28,000 miles despite an equipped monitoring system that failed to alert them. Another reported both high beam shutters unresponsive simultaneously, suggesting shared electrical or module problems rather than simple bulb failure.
Taillights are a major concern. Multiple owners report complete failure or intermittent operation, often only illuminating when the brake pedal is pressed. Recall 22V544000 was issued in August 2022 for taillight issues and a stop-sale was placed on unsold vehicles, but repair parts remain unavailable months later—owners report their vehicles still unfixed with no remedy in sight.
One owner reported a headlight-related fire shortly after a minor collision, destroying the vehicle. Headlight bulbs have also failed prematurely for some owners, suggesting underlying electrical problems. A few owners report erratic behavior like continuous blinking in Auto mode before headlight failure.
Same Jeep Grand Cherokee lighting reports on nearby years: 2018 · 2024
High beam headlights do not activate when vehicle headlight switch is in Auto position. Owners report the high beam stalk must be held down continuously or the headlight switch must be manually changed to 'On' position to enable high beams. This affects compliance with Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard #108.
When: Reported from vehicle purchase and throughout ownership, as early as 100 miles
Symptoms owners cite: High beam stalk toggle produces no response in Auto mode; High beams only work with continuous manual stalk pressure; High beams require switching headlight control to 'On' position; No warning light illuminates; Issue persists after recall service attempts
Repairs/costs cited: Recall 21V797000 was issued but owners report the repair does not correct the issue, requiring multiple dealer visits with no resolution
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 21V797000 (Exterior Lighting) issued; however owners report repair ineffective. Jeep informed owners the issue was not actually recalled despite NHTSA campaign existing.
Low beam headlights fail to illuminate despite high beams and running lights functioning. Issue occurs in both Auto and manual switch positions. Fuse box and electrical components checked good, indicating a module or bulb issue.
When: Reported at 77,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Low beam headlights completely inoperative; High beams and running lights function normally; No warning light illuminates; Problem persists in both Auto and manual switch modes
Repairs/costs cited: Independent mechanic verified fuses functioning properly; vehicle not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 21V950000 (Exterior Lighting) referenced by owner but manufacturer not formally informed
Both headlights went out completely with no warning from the headlight monitoring system. Vehicle equipped with headlight monitoring failed to alert owner. Issue potentially unaddressed in Summit trim level while recalls exist for Laredo and Overland models.
When: Since 2024, detected at 28,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Both headlights completely blown; No dashboard warning despite monitoring system equipped; DRL lights still functional; Vehicle set to Auto headlight mode
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Owner reports Jeep Wave support was unresponsive. Recall available for Laredo and Overland but not Summit trim.
Internal shutter door mechanism within headlamp assembly fails to respond, preventing high beam activation. Both headlamps experienced failure simultaneously, suggesting a systemic issue rather than isolated bulb failure.
When: Unknown mileage
Symptoms owners cite: High beam lights do not illuminate; Both headlamp assemblies affected simultaneously; Internal shutter door unresponsive
Repairs/costs cited: Dealer diagnosis completed; parts or repair availability unknown
Headlights blink repeatedly when set to Automatic Off/On mode, bulb turns red, then headlights become inoperative. Headlights function normally when switch is in On position.
When: At 70,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Continuous blinking when in Auto mode; Bulb turns red; Complete headlight failure follows; No warning light illuminated; Normal operation in manual On position
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not repaired
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 21V950000 (Exterior Lighting) referenced but manufacturer not formally notified
Rear taillights fail to illuminate or function intermittently. Multiple owners report taillights only work when brake pedal is depressed, or fail completely. Widespread recall 22V544000 issued but parts remain unavailable months after recall announcement.
When: Reported at 16,300 to 19,000 miles; recall issued August 2022 with parts unavailable as of several months later
Symptoms owners cite: Taillights completely dark; Taillights only illuminate with brake pedal depression; Failure while driving at night; No warning indicator
Repairs/costs cited: Parts unavailable for repair; multiple owners unable to have recall work completed
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: NHTSA Campaign 22V544000 (Exterior Lighting) issued; manufacturer confirmed parts not yet available. Stop sale issued on unsold vehicles in August 2022 due to safety concern, but repair remedy remains unavailable months later.
High beams activate momentarily when pulled back on stalk but deactivate automatically after approximately one minute. High beams do not activate when pushed forward.
When: Experienced on dark highway
Symptoms owners cite: High beams activate only when stalk pulled back; Automatic deactivation after about one minute; Forward stalk push produces no response
Low beam headlight bulbs fail repeatedly and prematurely. Owner reports second failure within ownership period and notes this is abnormal for vehicle headlights, suggesting underlying electrical issue.
When: Multiple failures within warranty period
Symptoms owners cite: Low beam headlight bulb failure; Repeated failures (second failure reported); No warning light; Electrical issue suspected
Repairs/costs cited: Owner past warranty period and responsible for replacement costs
Vehicle caught fire in garage following minor deer collision that damaged one headlamp. Fire started with odd smell and spread to entire front of vehicle, resulting in total loss. Raises safety concern about headlight electrical integrity.
When: February 14, 2023, shortly after collision repair
Symptoms owners cite: Odd smell from headlight area; Fire ignition in garage; Rapid spread to entire front end; Total vehicle loss
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle total loss; fire department responded
Dashboard displays trailer lighting error on vehicles equipped with factory-installed trailer package.
When: Unknown
Symptoms owners cite: Trailer lighting error message on dashboard
Synthesized from 31 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V554000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact…
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V544000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact…
When the lights are set on Auto mode the high beams feature will not work. You push the steering column cluster switch forward to turn on high beams and it kicks it back immediately and will not turn on high beams. This is a huge safety issue. We've had to drive through wooded areas at night with elk and deer on the roads and almost been hit. Jeep needs to recall this and modify to allow…
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V544000 (Exterior Lighting) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part was not available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The…
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V544000 (Exterior Lighting). The contact stated that the taillights were no longer illuminated. The contact made a local dealer aware of the failure and recall notification; however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a…
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 31 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $250 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
Based on the 31 complaints filed, lighting issues most often appear around 39,860 miles. Some report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 with no symptoms. Maintenance habits matter — vehicles that received timely fluid services and were not regularly overworked tend to last longer.
Independent shops typically charge around $250 for lighting 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.
Yes — 3 active recall(s) cover lighting issues on this vehicle. Recall fixes are always free regardless of mileage or warranty status. Use the VIN decoder at the top of the page to check if your specific vehicle is affected.