2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee Pre-Purchase Inspection Checklist: What to Check Before You Buy

By AutoVetting Editorial · Published July 29, 2026

Quick verdict

The 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee is one of the most satisfying midsize SUVs you can buy on a used-car budget — genuinely capable off-road, comfortable on the highway, and available with everything from a sensible V6 to a 475-horsepower SRT. But it is not a "buy it blind" vehicle. The right one is a great deal; the wrong one is a stack of expensive electrical, air-suspension, and (if you pick the diesel) emissions repairs. Your decision comes down to which of three very different engines is under the hood, whether it rides on air suspension, and whether two specific recalls — the monostable shifter and the Uconnect hack — have actually been performed. Buy the 3.6L V6 or 5.7L Hemi with clean records and completed recalls, and you've done well. Walk into the EcoDiesel only if you understand what you're taking on.

The 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee at a glance

The 2015 model is part of the WK2 generation (sold 2011–2021), and it landed right after the 2014 mid-cycle refresh that brought the eight-speed automatic, a cleaner interior, and updated styling. That makes 2014–2016 the sweet spot of the WK2 run: modern drivetrain, mature design, and prices that have fully depreciated.

The single most important thing to understand is that "2015 Grand Cherokee" describes three quite different vehicles depending on the engine:

3.6L Pentastar V6 (~295 hp) — the volume seller and the value pick. Paired with the eight-speed ZF automatic, it's smooth, cheap to insure, and the least complicated to own. This is the engine most buyers should be shopping for.

5.7L Hemi V8 (360 hp / 390 lb-ft) — the tow-and-go pick. Real V8 muscle, a proven engine, and the smart choice if you want big capability without the diesel's complexity. Watch fuel economy and the usual Hemi "tick," but mechanically it's the confident buy.

3.0L EcoDiesel V6 (240 hp / 420 lb-ft) — huge torque and highway range, but the most complex and highest-risk drivetrain of the three. The 2014–2016 EcoDiesel was caught up in an emissions-software settlement, and its diesel particulate filter (DPF), EGR, and DEF systems add expensive failure points. Only buy one with a full service history and completed emissions modification.

There's also a 6.4L SRT (475 hp) if you're shopping the performance trim — a different animal with its own maintenance appetite. Trims run Laredo, Limited, Overland, Summit, and SRT, and the Overland/Summit/SRT models typically ride on Quadra-Lift air suspension, which is a comfort-and-capability upgrade new and a repair-cost liability used. Four-wheel-drive systems range from Quadra-Trac I up to the locking Quadra-Drive II.

Common problems by mileage band

Under 60,000 miles

At lower miles the Grand Cherokee's issues tend to be electronic rather than mechanical. The Uconnect infotainment system can freeze, drop Bluetooth, or go unresponsive. The eight-speed automatic sometimes shifts abruptly or hesitates when engaging Drive — often a software calibration issue rather than hard damage, but you want to feel it on a test drive. If the SUV has air suspension, note whether it settles evenly and whether a "Check Air Suspension" message appears; some cold-weather warnings are false alarms, but a slow-to-rise corner is not.

60,000–100,000 miles

This is where the TIPM (Totally Integrated Power Module) — the WK2's central fuse-and-relay brain — starts to matter. A failing fuel-pump relay inside the TIPM can cause intermittent stalling, long cranks, or a no-start. It's the single most notorious electrical gremlin on this platform. Air-suspension compressor wear also shows up in this band; a compressor or air-strut replacement runs well into four figures once the warranty is gone. Expect oil weeping from the upper oil-pan gasket and, on Hemi/Pentastar engines, the oil-cooler housing.

Over 100,000 miles

Higher-mileage trucks reward a careful inspection. Watch for water-pump failure, brake-caliper sticking, and continued air-suspension attrition. On the EcoDiesel, this is where DPF clogging, EGR-cooler faults, and DEF-system issues concentrate — diagnosis alone can be pricey, and a neglected diesel here is a money pit. A well-maintained V6 or Hemi at 120k with records, by contrast, can still have a long life ahead.

What an AutoVet inspection covers for this vehicle

A Grand Cherokee-specific inspection focuses exactly where this platform fails. An AutoVet-network mechanic will scan the TIPM and all modules for stored and pending fault codes (not just the dash lights you can see), cycle the air suspension through its height settings and check for leak-down and compressor noise, road-test the eight-speed for engagement quality and shift smoothness, and inspect for the classic oil-pan-gasket and oil-cooler seepage. On an EcoDiesel, the inspection adds DPF soot-load and regen-history checks, EGR and turbo inspection, and verification that the emissions modification and any related campaigns were completed. Every inspection also cross-checks the VIN against open recalls so you're not relying on the seller's word.

A Jeep/Stellantis OEM-aligned inspection protocol is forthcoming in the AutoVet library; in the meantime the checklist above follows the manufacturer's published inspection standards for these systems.

Open recalls and TSBs to verify

Two big recalls define the 2015 Grand Cherokee, and both are easy to confirm by VIN:

16V-240 (FCA S27) — monostable gear-selector rollaway. This is the headline. The 2014–2015 Grand Cherokee (and 2012–2014 Charger/300) used an electronic "monostable" shifter that always returned to center, making it easy to think you'd parked when you hadn't. Vehicles rolled away; press coverage tied the defect to the 2016 death of actor Anton Yelchin. The fix is a software update that automatically shifts to Park under certain conditions. Confirm this was performed — it's the most important recall on the car.¹

15V-461 (FCA R40) — Uconnect radio security vulnerability. The landmark "first cybersecurity recall." Researchers remotely took control of a Jeep through its Uconnect system, and FCA recalled roughly 1.4 million vehicles — including the 2014–2015 Grand Cherokee — mailing owners a USB software patch. Verify the update was installed; it's free and quick, but many used cars never had it done.²

Takata airbag inflators. Like most FCA vehicles of this era, some Grand Cherokees carry Takata PSAN inflators that can degrade over time. There isn't one single campaign number covering every affected VIN, so run the specific VIN through NHTSA's lookup.³

One correction worth making, because listings and forum posts get it wrong: the well-known alternator failure recall (17V-435) covers 2011–2014 Grand Cherokees, not the 2015. If a seller waves off charging-system worries by pointing at "the alternator recall," that campaign generally doesn't apply to a 2015 — still worth a VIN check, but don't assume it's covered.⁴ Separately, the TIPM fuel-pump-relay issue was handled in some cases through an external relay-bypass kit or warranty extension rather than a formal recall; treat it as an inspection priority, and confirm any prior TIPM work in the service records.

The EcoDiesel catch every used buyer misses

If you're looking at the 3.0L EcoDiesel, know the history. The 2014–2016 EcoDiesel (Grand Cherokee and Ram 1500) was the subject of a 2019 settlement over undisclosed emissions-control software. As part of the resolution, affected trucks received an approved emissions modification, an extended emissions warranty, and owners were eligible for a settlement payment (up to roughly $3,000). For a used buyer this cuts two ways: it's a genuine risk flag (make sure the emissions modification was actually installed and that the extended-warranty coverage transfers), and it's a negotiation lever on any diesel whose paperwork is incomplete. A clean, fully-updated EcoDiesel with records is a fine truck; an undocumented one is a gamble on some of the most expensive systems on the vehicle.

Red flags to walk away from

• Neither the 16V-240 shifter recall nor the 15V-461 Uconnect recall shows as completed, and the seller can't produce records — both are free fixes a caring owner would have done.
• An air-suspension truck sitting unevenly or throwing a persistent "Check Air Suspension" message — you may be staring at a four-figure repair.
• Any stalling, long-crank, or intermittent no-start history pointing at the TIPM, especially without documented repair.
• An EcoDiesel with no service history, an active check-engine light, or no proof of the emissions modification — this is the single riskiest 2015 Grand Cherokee you can buy.
• Erratic or clunky eight-speed shifting that persists after a warm-up and software check — most cases are calibration, but rule out real transmission damage before you sign.

Negotiation leverage

Use what you know. If the air suspension is anything less than perfect, price in a compressor or strut job — sellers rarely disclose it and it's a legitimate discount. If either major recall is outstanding, note that you'll have to take the truck to a dealer to close it out. On an EcoDiesel, incomplete emissions paperwork or a thin service history is worth real money off, given the repair exposure. And on any WK2, a documented history of TIPM or Uconnect trouble — even if "fixed" — is fair grounds to negotiate, because these are the platform's known weak points. Come with the specifics and you'll rarely pay sticker.

Get a manufacturer-aligned inspection

The 2015 Grand Cherokee is a case where a pre-purchase inspection pays for itself many times over, because its biggest risks — TIPM electronics, air suspension, and (on the diesel) the emissions hardware — are invisible on a test drive but expensive to fix. An AutoVet inspection puts a network mechanic on exactly those systems and cross-checks your VIN against every open recall before you hand over a deposit. You can also see how this SUV stacks up on the Grand Cherokee's Pinpoint card.

If you're still weighing options, it's worth comparing against a few alternatives we've covered: the 2020 Ford Explorer as a same-size three-row alternative, the 2017 Chrysler Pacifica if you want the family-hauler version of the same Stellantis engineering, and the 2010 Lexus RX 350 if reliability is your first priority over capability.

Related maintenance reading: the alternator replacement guide, transmission fluid service, and coolant flush guides all bear on the systems above.

Sources

1. NHTSA recall lookup — Recall 16V-240 / FCA S27 (monostable gear-selector rollaway, 2014–2015 Grand Cherokee); verify by VIN.
2. NHTSA recall lookup — Recall 15V-461 / FCA R40 (Uconnect radio security vulnerability, 2014–2015 Grand Cherokee); verify by VIN.
3. NHTSA recall lookup — Takata airbag inflator campaigns (by VIN across FCA vehicles).
4. NHTSA recall lookup — Recall 17V-435 (alternator failure) covers 2011–2014 Grand Cherokee; confirm applicability by VIN.

Researched and written by AutoVetting Editorial. Recall and reliability details draw on the NHTSA recall database and owner-reported reliability data; always confirm recall status and vehicle specifics by VIN before purchase. Recall campaign numbers were verified at the time of writing — reconfirm the exact VIN before buying.