The Lemon IndexAll cars · Jeep Grand Cherokee
2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee.
The 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee is better than average by owner complaints: 23 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 53, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about tires, it has 3 recalls, and it gets 12 to 18 mpg combined. The best Jeep Grand Cherokee year is 2010.
Before you buy. What matters most for this car.
How serious. Out of 138 owner complaints, owners reported:
Older model year: fewer owners filed complaints back then, so treat the score as rough.
Every Jeep Grand Cherokee year. 2009 is highlighted. Lower is better.
What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.
Share of this year's owner complaints filed with NHTSA, not the share of cars that break. One complaint can name more than one area.
When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.
Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 40K to 87K miles on the car (112 complaints listed the miles). This shows when people who had a problem reported it, not the odds that your car will have it.
- electrical complaints mostly came at 51K–113K miles
- transmission & drivetrain complaints mostly came at 28K–80K miles
- engine complaints mostly came at 38K–127K miles
Recalls 3
- transmission & drivetrain 2013
A transfer case electrical failure may result in an unintentional shifting of the transfer case into the neutral position.
- suspension 2009
ROCK KRAWLER IS RECALLING 44 PERFORMANCE SUSPENSION SYSTEMS SOLD AS AFTERMARKET EQUIPMENT FOR USE ON THE VEHICLE LISTED ABOVE.
- electrical 2009
CHRYSLER IS RECALLING 4,314 MY 2009 DODGE JOURNEY, JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE, COMMANDER AND WRANGLER VEHICLES.
Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.
Problems Jeep told dealers about
Jeep sent dealers 52 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:
- Customer complaints may include abnormal engine noise, rough idle, lack of power, misfire
- NAG1 Transmission Before installing the transmission with the engine, check for dowel pins (2)…
- Transmission Kit with Torque Converter 1
Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.
Safety
Crash stars (older test): front ★★★★★ · side ★★★★★ · rollover ★★★☆☆
Fuel cost and engines
About $3550–6650 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.7L 6-cyl, 4.7L 8-cyl, 5.7L 8-cyl, 6.1L 8-cyl.
In owners' words
Most of the time the horn will not sound. You have to pound on it many many times for it to sound. By that time the emergency is past. Jeep has said it is the same on all 2009 jeeps.
2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee owner · NHTSA complaint 10324658
Quick answers
Is the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee reliable?
Yes, better than average by government complaints. It drew 1.9× fewer complaints than average filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 53; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Jeep Grand Cherokee year by this measure is 2010.
What are the most common 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems?
In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are tires (22%), electrical (17%) and engine (17%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.
How many recalls does the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?
3 safety recalls (latest: transmission & drivetrain). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
What gas mileage does the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee get?
12 to 18 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).
At what mileage do 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems start?
Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 40,000 and 87,600 miles. The middle report was at 58,300 miles, from 112 complaints.
Does the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee have transmission problems?
Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 13% of its owner complaints.
How much does the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee cost in fuel a year?
About $3550 to $6650 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.
What engines does the 2009 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?
3.7L 6-cyl, 4.7L 8-cyl, 5.7L 8-cyl, 6.1L 8-cyl.
What Jeep Grand Cherokee year is better than the 2009?
By owner complaints per car sold, the best recent years are 2010, 2019 and 2020.
Lemon Index = safety complaints filed with the U.S. government (NHTSA) in a car's first 3 years, per car sold, against the average car of the same model year. 100 is average; lower is better. A complaint is an owner's report, not a confirmed defect. How it works