The Lemon Index

All cars · Jeep Grand Cherokee

2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

The 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee is worse than average by owner complaints: 324 complaints in its first 3 years and a Lemon Index of 153, where 100 is the average car. Owners complain most about electrical, it has 10 recalls, and it gets 14 to 19 mpg combined. The best Jeep Grand Cherokee year is 2010.

153Lemon Index · 100 = average car

Worse than average. 1.5× the average car's complaints.

Best year 2010 · Worst year 2014

Jeep Grand Cherokee
Photo shows a 2022 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Alexander Migl, Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 4.0 · background removed

Before you buy. What matters most for this car.

Owner complaints324first 3 years
Fuel economy14–19 mpgcombined, EPA
Crash test★★★★☆NHTSA overall

Fixes owners look up most.

From 100 YouTube videos about the 2011–2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 21.5M views. The 2013 is the same generation.

  1. Infotainment, battery & electrical2.2M views
    Jeep Grand Cherokee Battery Replacement - 2011-2022Jeep Grand Cherokee Battery Replacement - 2011-2022LJs Garage · 634K views · 11 videos
  2. Gauges, lights & wiring2.2M views
    Jeep Grand Cherokee Headlight Bulb Replacement (2011-2019)Jeep Grand Cherokee Headlight Bulb Replacement (2011-2019)Inspiring Builds · 893K views · 5 videos
  3. Driveshaft, axles & 4x41.2M views
    Shifting The Transfer Case In and Out of Neutral On a 2018 Jeep Grand CherokeeShifting The Transfer Case In and Out of Neutral On a 2018 Jeep Grand CherokeeBusMaster99 · 264K views · 10 videos
  4. Transmission & shifter578K views
    How to Use Transmission Oil Dipstick 2011-2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L V6How to Use Transmission Oil Dipstick 2011-2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L V6TRQ · 218K views · 3 videos
Show 4 more
  1. Heat, A/C & blend door439K views
    How to Replace HVAC Blend Door Actuator 2011-2021 Jeep Grand CherokeeHow to Replace HVAC Blend Door Actuator 2011-2021 Jeep Grand CherokeeTRQ · 127K views · 4 videos
  2. Spark plugs & ignition coils392K views
    Jeep Grand Cherokee Spark Plug Replacement | 2018 WK2 3.6LJeep Grand Cherokee Spark Plug Replacement | 2018 WK2 3.6LOutJeeping · 211K views · 2 videos
  3. Cooling system285K views
    How to Replace Radiator 2011-2021 Jeep Grand CherokeeHow to Replace Radiator 2011-2021 Jeep Grand CherokeeTRQ · 195K views · 2 videos
  4. Oil leaks & gaskets207K views
    How to Replace Oil Filter Housing and Cooler 2011-2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L V6How to Replace Oil Filter Housing and Cooler 2011-2021 Jeep Grand Cherokee 3.6L V6TRQ · 207K views

Before you buy, watch

Views show how many people looked up each fix, not how often it breaks. Videos belong to their creators; we link to them.

How serious. Out of 805 owner complaints, owners reported:

23crashes
26injuries
27fires
29tows

What owners complain about most. From owner complaints to the government.

electrical52%
brakes35%
engine6%
lights5%
transmission & drivetrain4%

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.

Transmission problems in every Jeep Grand Cherokee year →

When owners reported problems. From owner complaints to the government.

half by 67K
0K50K100K150K200K

Most owners who filed a complaint with NHTSA had 32K to 97K miles on the car (435 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 36K–100K miles
  • brakes complaints mostly came at 9K–52K miles
  • engine complaints mostly came at 32K–93K miles

Recalls 10

  • electrical 2019

    The fuel pump relay inside the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM-7) may fail, causing the vehicle to stall without warning.

  • engine 2017

    The supercharger mounting bracket may contact and damage the ABS line, possibly resulting in a brake fluid leak.

  • brakes 2017

    The affected vehicles had brake booster shields installed under a previous campaign to prevent water from entering the brake booster and limiting braking ability.

Show all 10 recalls
  • electrical 2017

    The affected vehicles have electro-hydraulic power steering (EHPS) and are equipped with a 5.7L or a 3.6L engine and a 160, 180 or 220 amp alternator.

  • electrical 2015

    In the affected vehicles, the wiring for the vanity lamp in the sun visor may short circuit, after having been remedied for a prior recall for the vanity lamp wiring.

  • electrical 2015

    In the affected vehicles, the fuel pump relay inside the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM-7) may fail, causing the vehicle to stall without warning.

  • electrical 2014

    In the affected vehicles, the alternator may suddenly fail.

  • electrical 2014

    In the affected vehicles, the wiring for the vanity lamp in the sun visor may short circuit, after a service repair is performed.

  • brakes 2014

    The subject vehicles have a brake booster with a center shell that may corrode and allow water to get inside.

  • brakes 2014

    Under certain braking events, the Ready Alert Braking System (RAB) may result in the driver experiencing a hard brake pedal feel.

Recall repairs are free at any dealer. A recall only matters if it's still open on that exact car, so check its VIN.

Check a VIN for open recalls

Problems Jeep told dealers about

Jeep sent dealers 291 repair notes for this car. The ones about its biggest problems:

  • There is contact between rear brake caliper adapter mounting bolts and brake dust shield, due
  • 2012-2015 jeep grand cherokee: at approximately 8.4khz the customer may describe a high…
  • Squeal Noise From Front Of Vehicle When Braking This bulletin involves verifying the front…

Ask a seller or mechanic if these were done. Some are free under warranty or a special program.

Government investigations

  • OpenDesiccated air bag inflator rupture2021
  • ClosedActive head rest inadvertent deployment2019–2026
  • ClosedPost 14v-391 headliner fires2015–2016
  • ClosedTotally integrated power module failure2014–2015

NHTSA looks into a problem when enough owners report it. Many end in a recall.

Safety

Stability controlStandard
Collision warningOptional
Lane departure warningNot offered
NHTSA front crash test of the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee
Front crash test · NHTSA
Crash test details
VersionOverallFrontSideRollover
Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV 4WD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★★☆
Jeep Grand Cherokee SUV 2WD★★★★☆★★★★☆★★★★★★★★☆☆
Fuel cost and engines

About $3400–5700 a year in fuel (EPA estimate). Engines: 3.6L 6-cyl, 5.7L 8-cyl, 6.4L 8-cyl.

In owners' words

Total failure of the alternator at 65k miles resulting in no electrical response from the vehicle.

2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee owner · NHTSA complaint 10934852
More owner reports

The navigation system is unreliable in that the "guidance" it gives is grossly wrong.

NHTSA complaint 10649743

In about one of every thirty starts, the engine dies quickly even though the dash still says "run". I have taken it to the Jeep dealer about 4 times, but they have no fix & I am afraid it will happen while the Jeep is moving.

NHTSA complaint 10630104

Quick answers

Is the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee reliable?

No, it is worse than average by government complaints. It drew 1.5× the average car's complaints filed with NHTSA in its first 3 years, per car sold (Lemon Index 153; 100 is average, lower is better). The best Jeep Grand Cherokee year by this measure is 2010.

What are the most common 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems?

In owner complaints to the government, the parts named most are electrical (52%), brakes (35%) and engine (6%). That is the share of complaints, not the share of cars that break.

How many recalls does the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?

10 safety recalls (latest: electrical). Recall repairs are free at any dealer; check a specific car's VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.

What gas mileage does the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee get?

14 to 19 mpg combined, depending on the engine (EPA estimate).

Is the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee safe?

NHTSA gave it 4 out of 5 stars overall in its best tested version. Ratings differ by body style, and the full table is on the advanced page.

At what mileage do 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee problems start?

Half of the owners who gave a mileage reported the problem between 32,000 and 97,000 miles. The middle report was at 67,000 miles, from 435 complaints.

Does the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee have transmission problems?

Transmission and drivetrain issues make up 4% of its owner complaints.

How much does the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee cost in fuel a year?

About $3400 to $5700 a year, by the EPA's current estimate.

What engines does the 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee have?

3.6L 6-cyl, 5.7L 8-cyl, 6.4L 8-cyl.

What Jeep Grand Cherokee year is better than the 2013?

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

Updated

Free to use with credit: Source: The Lemon Index (lemonindex.com). Get the data