The Lemon IndexC14A7 is a manufacturer-specific code, so its exact meaning depends on the make. Full C14A7 page
83 owner complaints · the #1 code Jeep Cherokee owners name · 44% of Jeep Cherokee complaints that name a code (every car: 0.5%)
Middle of 138,000 miles · most between 90,000 and 158,000 (6 owners gave it)
Jeep Cherokee owners named C14A7 in 83 complaints to the U.S. government (NHTSA), most often on the 2019, 2016 and 2017 model years, at a middle of 138,000 miles. The part they name most is the engine software (a reflash) (4 complaints). Complaints are owner reports, not proof of a defect.
Jeep Cherokee model years that report C14A7
Owner complaints naming C14A7, by model year. Raw counts: years that sold more get more complaints, so this is each model year's record, not a failure rate.
Mileage when it happened
138,000 miles is the middle of what 6 owners entered. Half were between 90,000 and 158,000 miles.
The mileage on the complaint form, when the owner gave one.
What owners say caused it or fixed it
The most-named part is the engine software (a reflash), in 4 of the 83 complaints (5%). 4 of those mention it being replaced or repaired, and 2 say the problem came back afterwards.
- Software update (reflash)4 complaints4 mention a repair or replacement, 2 of them say the problem came back
56 complaints mention a recall and 11 mention a warranty.
Counted from the owners' own words: a part counts when a sentence names it with a cause or repair word. What owners wrote, not a diagnosis. A shop should confirm the cause before replacing parts.
Symptoms owners describe with C14A7
6% of these complaints say the check engine light came on.
- Loses power or goes into limp mode16%13 of 83 complaints
- Warning lights and electrical faults7%6 of 83 complaints
- Transmission slips or shifts hard6%5 of 83 complaints
- Stalls or shuts off5%4 of 83 complaints
- Brakes or ABS act up4%3 of 83 complaints
- Rattles or knocks2%2 of 83 complaints
Share of the complaints naming C14A7 whose text also describes each problem. A complaint can describe more than one.
Codes owners report with it
P1720 2 P215C 2 U0010 2
Other codes named in the same Jeep Cherokee complaints, and in how many.
Recalls on these Jeep Cherokee years
- Transmission & drivetrain · 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022 · issued 2026
The power transfer unit (PTU) may fail. NHTSA 26V290000 - Transmission & drivetrain · 2017, 2018, 2019 · issued 2025
The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power and/or loss of park function. NHTSA 25V011000 - Transmission & drivetrain · 2016, 2017 · issued 2023
The power transfer unit (PTU) may become damaged and disengage the transmission and differential, resulting in a loss of drive power or loss of park function. NHTSA 23V302000 - Transmission & drivetrain · 2021 · issued 2021
The transmission oil cooler hose may have been incorrectly cured, allowing transmission fluid to leak. NHTSA 21V310000 - Transmission & drivetrain · 2014, 2015, 2016, 2017 · issued 2020
Relative movement in the Power Transfer Unit (PTU) between the differential input splines and the transmission output shaft may cause some input spline teeth to wear off, which may eventually cause a loss of engagement b… NHTSA 20V343000
12 recalls for the same systems (powertrain) on the Jeep Cherokee model years above. A recall for the same system isn't proof it's behind C14A7. Recall work is free at any dealer: check a VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls or with our VIN check.
Keep going
- C14A7: meaning, causes and every car that reports it
- Jeep Cherokee reliability by year
- 2019 Jeep Cherokee problems and recalls
Other codes Jeep Cherokee owners report
The details
How we count
We read every owner complaint in the NHTSA file whose text names this trouble code, and count the ones filed about this model (matched by the make, model and model year on the complaint). Mileage is what the owner entered on the form.
Parts: a complaint counts for a part when one of the owner's own sentences names that part together with a cause word (failed, bad, diagnosed, caused by, leaking ...) or a repair word (replaced, repaired, new, reprogrammed ...). "Came back" means the same complaint also says the problem returned or the repair didn't fix it. These are counts of what owners wrote, not a diagnosis, and one complaint can name several parts.
Complaints are reports, not proof of a defect, and most owners never file one. Popular models get more complaints, so the counts are not a failure rate. The code meaning is the standard SAE J2012 definition in our own words, or the carmaker's meaning where we verified it for that make.
What C14A7 means
C14A7 is a manufacturer-specific code: each carmaker decides what it means, so the same code can point to different problems on different brands. We haven't verified its meaning for Jeep yet. A dealer or a scanner with the maker's software can tell you exactly.
Check the complaints yourself
NHTSA complaint numbers (search them at nhtsa.gov): 11776310, 11776140, 11776006, 11774160, 11773786, 11773488, 11764839, 11764484, 11763711, 11763670, 11761066, 11755891 and 71 more.
Quick answers
Which Jeep Cherokee years have the most C14A7 complaints?
In complaints to NHTSA, owners of the 2019 (28), 2016 (22), 2017 (9) Jeep Cherokee named C14A7 most (83 complaints in all, 2014–2022). Raw counts, not a failure rate.
What fixes C14A7 on a Jeep Cherokee?
Owners most often name the engine software (a reflash) (4 of 83 complaints). That's what owners wrote, not a diagnosis: have a shop confirm the cause with a scan and tests before replacing parts.
At what mileage does C14A7 show up on a Jeep Cherokee?
Owners who gave their mileage reported a middle of 138,000 miles; half were between 90,000 and 158,000 (6 owners).
Sources: NHTSA owner complaints that name C14A7 on the Jeep Cherokee, counted by The Lemon Index; NHTSA recalls; repair bills owners named. Meanings: SAE J2012 in our own words. Owner reports, not a diagnosis or repair advice for your car.