2015 Jeep Cherokee Transmission Problems [5 Common Issues]

You’ve always enjoyed speedy and smooth rides when driving your 2015 Jeep Cherokee. But now, the vehicle’s transmission keeps shifting roughly, and nothing you try will fix the problem.

In this post, we’ll explore the common transmission problems with the 2015 Jeep Cherokee. You’ll also discover how to eliminate the issue and prevent similar issues from occurring in the future.

But first, you should know why your car’s transmission has gone bad.

Here are the common causes of transmission issues in a 2015 Jeep Cherokee:

A bad PCM.
A faulty gearbox.
A broken shift solenoid.
Clogged transmission filter.
A weak MAP (Manifold Absolute Pressure) sensor.
A bad fuel injector.
Errors in TCM (Transmission Control Module) and PCM (Powertrain Control Module).
A faulty torque converter.
Loose transmission bands.
Low transmission fluid levels.

Table of Contents

Common Problems with Jeep Cherokee Transmission

1. Rough Shifting

The most common transmission problem in a 2015 Jeep Cherokee is rough shifting.

This problem usually occurs in the 1st–3rd gears, and it feels like your transmission slams into gear. You might also notice that the vehicle stalls before changing gears. Other signs of rough shifting in a 2015 Jeep Cherokee include jerking, and a failure to accelerate.

Your transmission might be shifting roughly because you have a bad PCM (Powertrain Control Module). When you push on your gas pedal, your PCM receives the message from your vehicle’s sensors and pushes your transmission to shift gears. A failure of the PCM may cause the system to stall or jerk while changing gears.

You can resolve this problem by replacing your PCM. The PCM in a 2015 Jeep Cherokee is usually located on the left side of the engine bay. Search for the system beside your battery or on the firewall.

A faulty gearbox can also cause a rough shifting in a 2015 Jeep Cherokee. The Car Connection credits rough gear shifts to a manufacturing defect in the vehicle’s transmission. Since Fiat Chrysler hasn’t recalled affected vehicles yet, there is no current solution for this issue.

2. Service Transmission Warning

If your Service Transmission warning appears on your dashboard, your transmission is faulty. A Check Engine Light usually accompanies a Service Transmission Light warning.

There are several transmission issues that activate the Service Transmission warning in a 2015 Jeep Cherokee. That’s why it’s difficult for us to diagnose the exact problem you’re facing.

That said, some dealers have recommended solutions like changing the TCM, valve body, or drive axle; all to no avail. Even a software re-flash hasn’t fixed the problem.

The only proven solution for a Service Transmission warning is a transmission replacement. That said, not all affected vehicles will require a new transmission.

If the CEL turns on when your Service Transmission warning appears, you can use an OBD-II scanner to scan error codes on your vehicle’s computer. The error code you get will give you an insight into how to resolve your transmission problem.

Some common error codes for transmission issues in a 2015 Jeep Cherokee include:

P0218: Overheating transmission
P0613: Faulty TCM processor
PO700: Bad TCM (Transmission Control Module)
P0706: Broken transmission range sensor
PO715: Bad input speed sensor circuit
P0720: Faulty output speed sensor circuit

3. Delayed shifting

Another sign of a transmission problem in a 2015 Jeep Cherokee is when the vehicle takes a long time to change gears. During a slow shift, the transmission stalls before accelerating. It may also jump from 1st to 3rd gear, completely omitting the 2nd gear. In addition, you might be unable to downshift after shifting to 3rd gear.

If you are currently facing this issue, don’t activate your Cruise Control settings. Otherwise, you won’t be able to slow down when driving.

One of the common reasons for delayed shifting in Jeep Cherokees is a bad shift solenoid.

The shift solenoid regulates the flow of transmission fluid in the transmission. When this solenoid goes bad, the transmission may not get sufficient fluid.

Poorly lubricated transmission components often grind against each other while changing gears, thus slowing down the gearshift.

Consider changing your shift solenoid to prevent your transmission from shifting slowly. You’ll find your shift solenoid in the valve body of your transmission housing.

A clogged transmission filter can also cause your transmission to delay shifting gears.

Your transmission filter purifies the transmission fluid to promote the smooth functioning of the transmission.

Over time, some of the dirt in your transmission fluid will block the filter, making the component unable to clean the fluid. Since dirty transmission fluid can’t lubricate your transmission properly, the parts of the system may grind against each other while changing gears. This delays the gearshift.

If you have a clogged transmission filter, you’ll need to replace it. Detach your transmission pan from your car to find your transmission filter.

4. Car loses power

Does your car often lose power? Then, your transmission might be problematic.

A quick way to tell that your 2015 Jeep Cherokee has lost power is when the car suddenly stops on the road. The vehicle may also manifest a loss of power by failing to increase its speed, or driving backwards when your foot leaves the gas pedal.

When you experience this problem, you’ll likely assume that you have a bad spark plug. But changing your spark plug won’t fix the problem.

Some dealers have even recommended PCM and TCM updates and transmission fluid replacements. But in most cases, those repairs ruined the transmission.

Yourmechanic.com recommends changing your Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor (MAP sensor) and your fuel injector to fix the power loss issue in a 2015 Jeep Cherokee.

5. Car jerks during upshift

If your car jerks every time you push on your gas pedal, there might be an issue with your transmission.

While your car is jerking, your transmission stalls before engaging a gear. Then, it shifts roughly into the 2nd and 3rd gears. After moving into 3rd gear, the transmission may work smoothly until the 5th gear, where the vehicle will resume vibrating.

Currently, there is no permanent solution to this problem. However, you can circumvent the problem by shifting to the manual transmission.

6. RPM revs when driving downhill

When you are driving down a hill, your car is supposed to slow down, and your RPM should decrease. But in some 2015 Jeep Cherokees, the RPM spikes while the vehicle is going downhill. As a result, your car may accelerate. This is another common transmission issue in the vehicle.

Improper revving of your RPM may indicate that your vehicle’s computer software is outdated.

You can try resetting the software on your car’s computer to resolve this problem. That said, a software reset doesn’t always guarantee that the problem will disappear. But it may prevent the issue from occurring frequently.

If your RPM keeps revving while you are moving downhill, you should consider reprogramming your TCM (Transmission Control Module) or PCM (Powertrain Control Module). Errors in the PCM or TCM can also cause your transmission to malfunction when changing gears.

7. Transmission stalls on Reverse gear

You can tell that your transmission is faulty if it keeps stalling before engaging the Reverse gear. In this scenario, your Check Engine Light or Service Transmission Light may turn on, and the car might shake. You may also hear strange grinding noises from the transmission.

The usual culprits behind this problem are bad brake boosters.

Before you shift to Reverse gear, you have to depress your brake pedals. But the force you apply on these brakes isn’t enough to pull your car to a stop. That’s why brake boosters exist.

The brake booster in your car multiplies the force you apply to your brake pedals, giving it enough power to stop the vehicle. If these brake boosters become faulty, your brake pedals won’t have sufficient power to stop your vehicle. As such, they might have to rely on the force you provide to stop the car.

Since you aren’t Superman, it’ll take a while for you to garner enough force to stop your car. The extra time it takes to place an adequate force on your brakes may cause the transmission to stall.

Ask your repair guy to inspect your brake booster. You’ll need to replace the brake booster if it seems faulty.

Other causes of a stalling problem in a 2015 Jeep Cherokee transmission are the fuel system and the throttle body. Your engine gets power to work by combining the fuel and air from the fuel and throttle body systems. The engine then spreads the power through its transmission and other systems in the vehicle.

Without a functional throttle body or fuel system, your transmission won’t get the power it needs at the correct time. This may cause the transmission to stall before engaging your Reverse gear.

If your transmission keeps stalling after changing your brake booster, you might need to replace your fuel system or throttle body. You need your dealer or an auto expert to examine both systems and determine where the problem is.

8. Transmission doesn’t engage on low RPM

Your transmission is faulty if it doesn’t engage when your RPM is low. When the transmission finally goes into gear, it may produce banging noises. You might also hear your wheels screech loudly.

But once the vehicle is moving on the road, it will work normally until the RPM reaches 5,000. Then, the RPM may start fluctuating randomly. In some cases, your car won’t move unless the RPM revs up to 5000.

Your dealer may suggest changing your wheels or adjusting your shifter to fix this problem. But nothing will change after you take their advice.

Sadly, there is no proven fix for this transmission issue yet.

9. Gear slippage

If your transmission keeps popping out of gear, the system has developed an issue.

In most 2015 Jeep Cherokees, gear slippage only occurs if you have neglected fixing other transmission problems even after they’ve occurred several times. This is why you should never ignore any transmission issue you encounter while driving.

If you experience frequent gear slippages in your car, your transmission may be warning you that it is about to die. So, you might have to replace your transmission.

That said, a dead transmission isn’t the only reason for gear slippages. A malfunction in your transmission components, such as the torque converter, solenoid, or transmission fluid, can also cause your transmission to slip. Make sure to examine these components for faults before you consider replacing your transmission.

If any of these components are faulty, change them. If your transmission slips after you’ve replaced your bad transmission components, get a new transmission.

10. Clunking noise

Do you hear a clunking noise when your transmission shifts gears? Then, the transmission is faulty.

Usually, the transmission in a 2015 Jeep Cherokee clunks when accelerating in the 44 – 47 mph range. It could also occur while you are putting your car in Reverse. While your transmission is clunking, your RPM might increase rapidly, and the tires may squeal.

This issue is caused by a software error in the vehicle’s computer. If you take your car to your dealer, they might recommend updating the computer software or rebooting the computer. But none of these solutions will eliminate the problem.

The only way to fix a clunking transmission is to reprogram the computer software. Doing this will remove the bugs in the software, thus making your transmission work properly again.

Ask a dealer near you to reprogram the computer in your 2015 Jeep Cherokee.

Jeep Cherokee Models with the Most Transmission Problems

The following Jeep Cherokee models have the highest number of transmission problems:

2014 Jeep Cherokee
2015 Jeep Cherokee

According to carcomplaints.com, the 2015 and 2014 Jeep Cherokee models have the most transmission problems. The 2015 model got 424 transmission-related complaints, making it the most notorious Cherokee model for transmission issues.

On the other hand, 421 users of the 2014 Jeep Cherokee reported issues with their transmissions.

Most of the negative reports about the transmissions in the 2014 and 2015 models focused on transmission failures, delayed and rough shifting.

Jeep Cherokee Models with the Least Transmission Problems

1987 Jeep Cherokee
1988 Jeep Cherokee
1990 Jeep Cherokee
1991 Jeep Cherokee
1992 Jeep Cherokee
1993 Jeep Cherokee
1995 Jeep Cherokee
1996 Jeep Cherokee
2001 Jeep Cherokee
2020 Jeep Cherokee.

Data from carcomplaints.com show that none of the models in the list above received any negative reports about their transmissions from users.

How Much Does It Cost to Fix 2015 Jeep Cherokee Transmission Problems?

It costs between $150 -$6000 to repair a faulty transmission in a 2015 Jeep Cherokee.

That said, the cost of a transmission repair depends on the severity of the issue. For instance, while you may only need to pay $150 for a transmission flush, a transmission replacement can be priced at $3500.

Your location can also affect the price you pay to fix your transmission. Dealers in a bustling metropolis like California may charge up to $6000 for a transmission replacement. In contrast, a dealership in a low-profile suburban area, such as Indiana, may change your transmission for $3000.

Tips to Prevent 2015 Jeep Cherokee Transmission Problems

Never overload your car.
Don’t shift to the Reverse gear while driving on the freeway.
Apply your parking brakes when putting your car in park.
Change your transmission fluid every 30,000 miles.
Fix transmission issues as soon as they occur.

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Wrapping Up

Apply the recommended tips in this article to eliminate transmission problems in your 2015 Jeep Cherokee. If you don’t know how to identify a component in your transmission, ask your mechanic for help.