Jeep Grand Cherokee 2015 Problems

Perhaps a little strangely, the only recall I could find for this model to do with the transmission was one alerting owners to the fact that the unconventional design of the shifter handle could trick them into leaving the vehicle unattended without first selecting Park. But it doesn’t surprise me that you’ve had this failure as this generation of Jeeps has been plagued by all sorts of quality and reliability problems and, therefore, recalls and technical service bulletins (like a recall but not a safety-related issue).

I would definitely be tapping Jeep on the shoulder as I don’t believe 85,000km is a reasonable expectation when it comes to the life expectancy of such a major component in a modern vehicle. However, your car is clearly out of warranty, so it could come down to a dog-fight between you and Jeep.

I’d like to think that Jeep might meet you half way with the cost of repairs given the youth and full service history of your car, but there are no hard and fast rules here. You could also consider talking to Consumer Affairs over this.

The other thing you can do is talk to a transmission specialist as opposed to a Jeep dealer. Chances are, the cost of a replacement or rebuilt transmission from a specialist might be a fair bit less than a dealership can offer. But I’d definitely talk to Jeep head office first.

We are not aware of any specific issues with the SRT’s big V8, but the Grand Cherokee doesn’t have a great reputation for reliability. It has been subject to a number of recalls for various problems, and we would urge you to have a Jeep dealer check any vehicle you might consider buying before you do so. Fuel consumption is also something to think about with the 6.4-litre V8, it uses fuel and usually more than most people anticipate when they buy one.

The Discovery hasn’t done a lot of kays for its age, presumably those it has done have been tooling around town. If it’s in great shape, has been well maintained and serviced and hasn’t been used off-road I would tend to go for the Land Rover. Against that the Jeep has a good reputation as a towing vehicle, and it’s new, which adds to its appeal.

You're correct in thinking the Mercedes would cost more to service and repair, particularly if you use a dealer. Going to an independent service mechanic with experience of Mercedes-Benz cars would save you plenty. The Jeep would be the cheaper of the two in terms of servicing, and of the two you are looking at that's the one I would opt for.

Jeep is overhauling its customer support systems in Australia and I'm much more confident in recommending the Grand Cherokee. It will also be fine for your towing and any off-road work.

The V8 in the SRT8 sounds great but the core quality is no match for a Mercedes. If you like driving, the new GLE 63 would be my pick.

I'm a fan of the XC60, which still gets The Tick, but you should also consider the Skoda wagon lineup and test drive both the Octavia and Superb as they are from the Volkswagen family but better value.

Getting the Jeep would be overkill if you don't go off-road and it seems you've answered your own question in favour of the Nissan. I give the Pathfinder The Tick and it tops the Kluger for me.

Fiat Chrysler, which handles Jeep in Australia, is working on what it describes as a "transparent" pricing program for its vehicles. It's close but I do not have an introduction date yet.