Before you buy a used Jeep Cherokee (KJ).

2001–2008 · Petrol / Diesel · 2 engines

Taken only from Testigo's sourced sheets. Use it to question the seller and on the test drive: it does not confirm that any particular car is affected.

M 93 · CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons · Photo source

The essentials.

2 documented, sourced faults across its 2 engines.
That is not much data: if no other faults show up here, it does not mean it has none.
1 of them depends on the equipment or the production date: ask what this car has.
6 official recalls on record: ask for the chassis number (VIN) and confirm they have been done.
According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 2.4 / 3.7 (Petrol).

Typical faults by engine

The period and mileage are those mentioned by each sheet's sources. They are not a maintenance interval and do not predict that any particular car will fail.

All versions

Sheets the catalogue links to all 2 of its engines.

Fuel tank exposed in a rear impact (Cherokee KJ)Fuel system
Period mentioned
2002–2007
Mileage mentioned
The sheet does not mention a mileage.

2.4 / 3.7

Petrol

We have no faults specific to this engine, only those common to every version.

2.5 / 2.8 CRD

Diesel

EGR, turbo and timing belt on the 2.8 CRD (VM Motori)Engine
Period mentioned
2001–2018
Mileage mentioned
What the sheet says: The block is considered robust: problems usually come from the ancillaries (turbo, intercooler and emissions equipment, especially the EGR valve). Owners point out that the timing belt is expensive and must be changed on time (about 160,000 km).
Applies if: Only the 2.8 CRD.

Which engine has the fewest documented faults?

Documented faults and recalls by engine for the Jeep Cherokee (KJ)
Engine	Documented faults	Recalls
2.4 / 3.7PetrolFewest documented	1	6
2.5 / 2.8 CRDDiesel	21 with conditions	6

According to the data we have, the engine with the fewest documented faults is the 2.4 / 3.7 (Petrol).

By fuel type, the one with the fewest documented faults is: Petrol.

We only count the sourced sheets we have. An engine with fewer is not guaranteed to be more reliable: it may have been studied less or sold in smaller numbers.

Official recalls: ask before you pay

A recall existing does not mean this car is affected or that it is still outstanding: it depends on the chassis number, the market and the production date.

Ask the seller for the chassis number (VIN): it has 17 characters, appears in the car's documents and can usually also be seen at the base of the windscreen.
Ask an official Jeep dealer, or the brand's official website if it lets you check by chassis number, whether each recall has been done or is still outstanding for that VIN.
Manufacturer recalls are normally carried out free of charge by the official service network. If one is outstanding, ask for it to be done before you close the sale.

Unintended airbag or pretensioner activationAirbags and seat belts

How to check it: Confirm recall; fit the wiring filter under the official procedure.

View full entry

Jeep airbag and seat-belt recalls (2000–2026)Airbags and seat belts