Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Replacement Cost 2026: Prices by Year

Introduction

So, the repair shop just called. Your Jeep Grand Cherokee has a ticking noise that won't go away, or the misfire code keeps coming back. Then you hear the words "engine replacement" followed by a price that makes your heart sink.

Now you're probably wondering: is this quote fair? And is your Jeep still worth fixing?

The answer depends on what's under the hood. Replacing the 3.6L Pentastar V6 in a 2015 Grand Cherokee Laredo is a very different job from replacing the 6.4L HEMI V8 in an SRT. Your choice of replacement matters, too. A used engine, a remanufactured unit, or a brand-new replacement can mean a difference of thousands of dollars.

In this guide, we'll break down Jeep Grand Cherokee engine replacement costs for the engines offered from 2011 through 2023. You'll learn what affects the final bill, which cheaper repairs to check before committing to a replacement, and how to decide whether fixing your Jeep makes more financial sense than selling it.

How Much Does a Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Replacement Cost?

Quick answer: expect $4,000 to $7,000 with a used engine and $7,000 to $12,000 with a remanufactured or new one, labor included. The 3.6L V6 is the cheapest to replace. A 6.4L SRT or 6.2L Trackhawk can easily pass $15,000.

These are 2026 independent-shop estimates. Dealers charge more, and a shop in San Diego won't bill the same hourly rate as one in rural Ohio.

Why such wide ranges? Look at what real owners get quoted for the same Hemi. One forum member priced a Jasper remanufactured 5.7 at $7,400 installed, with a 3-year/100,000-mile warranty. Another paid $11,500 for a new engine. Same displacement. Different shop, different route, $4,100 apart.

Check Grand Cherokee Warranty Coverage Before You Pay

Ten minutes on your phone could save you thousands, and it's the step most people skip because they assume a Jeep this old can't possibly still be covered by anything. Many of the older Stellantis programs are now long gone, but surprisingly, a lot of shops still haven't taken the time to check! Before choosing a replacement engine, review our checklist for buying used auto parts online to understand what to check before making a purchase.

3.6L Left Cylinder Head Extended Warranty (2011–2013, X56)

Early Pentastars had a bad left cylinder head. The valve seats and guides wore out ahead of schedule, so cylinders 2, 4 and 6 started misfiring (codes P0302, P0304, P0306). Chrysler responded in 2014 with program X56, which stretched coverage on that left head to 10 years or 150,000 miles for 2011 to 2013 Grand Cherokees with the 3.6L (sales code ERB).

Here's the bad news. Ten years from the original sale date has come and gone for almost all of these Jeeps. If your 2012 is misfiring on the left bank, the head is a likely suspect. You'll probably be paying for it yourself, though.

3.0L EcoDiesel Settlement Warranty (2014–2016)

After the EcoDiesel emissions settlement, 2014 to 2016 diesel Grand Cherokees got a software update plus an extended warranty. Its length is whichever runs longer: 10 years or 120,000 miles from the first sale, or 4 years or 48,000 miles from when the update went in.

That coverage only applies to parts touched by the emissions update. It was never an engine warranty. Most trucks are outside both windows now, but run the VIN on Mopar's EcoDiesel page anyway.

How to Check Your Grand Cherokee VIN

Your 17-character VIN sits at the base of the windshield on the driver's side, and it's printed on your registration too. Two digits matter most here. The 8th tells you which engine the Jeep left the factory with, and the 10th gives the model year.

Run the VIN through a free recall check before you spend anything. Then keep it handy, because it's the fastest way to get the right replacement engine. Send your VIN to Premium Used Auto Parts and our team will match the exact engine code, confirm fitment, and quote a tested used engine for your Grand Cherokee.

Which Engine Is in Your Grand Cherokee?

Pop the hood. The engine cover usually tells you, and the eighth digit of the VIN confirms it.

3.6L Pentastar V6

Most Grand Cherokees have this one. From 2011 to 2013, the left head has gained a notorious reputation as the infamous troublemaker. From 2014 on, the bigger complaint is the "Pentastar tick," which comes from rocker arms and lifters wearing until they start eating the camshaft. Caught early? Top-end job. Left for months with metal flowing through the oil? Now you're shopping for an engine.

5.7L Hemi V8

Lifters. That's the Hemi's story, and it's the reason so many Grand Cherokee owners first hear the word "engine" from a mechanic somewhere between 80,000 and 120,000 miles. A lifter roller stops turning, grinds a flat spot into a cam lobe, and the tick gets louder week by week. One 2011 owner hit exactly that at 90,000 miles: a single lifter failed and wiped out the lobe under it. Lifter shortages have also left Jeeps sitting at shops for weeks.

6.4L SRT and 6.2L Trackhawk

Low production means fewer used engines to go around, so prices run high. The 6.4L can suffer the same lifter wear as the 5.7. Trackhawk engines are scarce enough that some owners wait months for a donor from a wrecked Trackhawk or Durango SRT Hellcat.

3.0L EcoDiesel

Strong torque. Expensive to fix. EGR coolers and oil coolers are the usual headaches, and the worst cases involve crank and bearing damage. Used EcoDiesel engines are getting hard to find, which keeps prices up.

2.0T 4xe Hybrid (2022 Onward)

Good news if you own one: most 4xe Grand Cherokees still fall inside Jeep's 5-year/60,000-mile powertrain warranty. Call the dealer before you think about a used engine.

Grand Cherokee Engine Replacement Cost by Model Year, 2011–2023

Want a fast ballpark? Find your year and engine below. Numbers assume a tested, average-mileage used engine installed by an independent shop.

Notice the newer rows cost more? That's supply. Not many 2022 and 2023 Grand Cherokees have been wrecked yet, so salvage yards charge a premium for the few engines they pull.

Grand Cherokee Cylinder Head vs Cam and Lifters vs Full Engine

A tick or a misfire doesn't always mean you need a whole engine. Plenty of owners buy one when a head or cam job would have fixed it for half the money.

So price the smaller jobs first. RepairPal's average for a Grand Cherokee cylinder head replacement is about $3,000 to $3,500. On the 3.6L, Chrysler's service bulletin allows 8.2 to 10.2 labor hours just to swap the left head. A camshaft job usually runs $1,200 to $1,500, but that rarely includes new lifters and rockers, and you'll want those done at the same time.

How do you know which way to go? Check the oil. Ask the shop to drain it and cut open the filter. A filter full of metal glitter usually means the bearings have taken damage too, and fixing only the top end can leave you with another failure a few months later.

We use the same test on our side of the counter. Every used Grand Cherokee engine we sell gets its filter cut open and a compression test before it's listed, and any engine that shows metal or weak compression doesn't ship.

Skipping that step gets expensive. One Grand Cherokee owner on an RV forum ended up on his third engine: cam and lifter wear killed the first, and the untested salvage-yard replacement blew a head gasket on its first long trip.

Here's the simple rule. Clean oil and one bad cylinder: repair it. Metal in the filter, low oil pressure or a knock from the bottom end: replace the engine.

Used, Reman or New: Grand Cherokee Engine Prices Side by Side

Remanufactured engines aren't just rebuilt with fresh gaskets. The better ones fix the original weak spots. Jasper's Pentastar Gen II, which fits 2016 to 2018 Grand Cherokees, uses redesigned pistons and a reworked head gasket, and its 3-year/100,000-mile parts and labor warranty transfers if you sell.

Rebuilding your own engine looks cheapest on paper. It remains affordable as long as the damage doesn't escalate! Once the crankshaft or cylinder walls are scored, the machine shop bill creeps right up to reman territory.

Want to see how engine replacement costs vary for another vehicle? Read our Ford F-150 engine replacement cost guide for another vehicle-specific price breakdown.

Grand Cherokee Engine Swap Labor Hours and Downtime

Pulling and installing an engine in a Grand Cherokee usually takes 12 to 18 shop hours. The 3.6L is the quickest. The EcoDiesel and Trackhawk take the longest, with more plumbing and cooling hardware in the way. At $120 to $200 an hour you're looking at roughly $1,800 to $3,500 in labor alone.

How long will you be without it?

• Used engine: 3 to 7 days, most of that waiting on freight
• Reman engine: 1 to 2 weeks
• Rebuild: 2 to 4 weeks, longer if parts are back-ordered

Pro tip: while the engine is out, have the shop replace the motor mounts and water pump and refill every fluid. The labor on those parts is nearly free with the engine already pulled.

Is a Grand Cherokee Worth a New Engine, or Should You Sell?

Grab a calculator. Start with what your Grand Cherokee would sell for with a healthy engine, based on similar Jeeps listed in your area. Subtract the repair quote. If the number left over beats what someone would pay for it broken, fix it.

Take a 2016 Limited. Worth $14,000 running, maybe $5,000 with a dead engine. A $6,000 used engine swap leaves you $3,000 ahead of selling it as-is. Now try a 2012 Laredo worth $6,000 running. That math falls apart quickly.

Owe more than it's worth? Then an engine with a warranty is often the cheapest option, because it lets you keep driving the Jeep and paying down the loan instead of giving up a broken SUV and still owing the bank the difference.

Buying a Used Grand Cherokee Engine: 7 Checks

1. The engine code matches your Grand Cherokee VIN

The same size isn't the same engine. Match the code and year to your VIN so the sensors, connectors and computer all agree.

2. The donor Jeep's mileage is verified

A number scribbled on a tag proves nothing. Ask for the donor vehicle's VIN and odometer photo.

3. A compression or leak-down test report is provided

Good sellers test before they ship. On a 3.6L, anything over 25% leakage on the left bank should make you walk away.

4. Warranty length and who covers labor

Read the fine print twice. A lot of used engine warranties replace the part but won't cover labor for a second swap. Some also void coverage unless you replace specific parts during install. Review our engine warranty policy before you buy.

5. The 3.6L oil filter housing change in 2014

Chrysler changed the Pentastar's oil filter setup around 2014, and the filters don't interchange. Putting an early engine into a later Jeep, or the other way around? Keep the matching housing and filter with it.

6. The 5.7 Hemi MDS lifters are in good condition

Ask the seller straight out: did they listen for the lifter tick, and did they check the cam? An engine that sounds clean at idle is a good start.

7. Will a Durango or RAM engine fit your Grand Cherokee?

Often, yes. The 2011-and-newer Dodge Durango rides on the same platform, so same-year 3.6L and 5.7L engines tend to swap over cleanly. A RAM 1500 Hemi is a bigger job: plan on moving over your Grand Cherokee's oil pan and accessory brackets, and sometimes wiring. Confirm fitment with the seller before money changes hands.

Jeep Grand Cherokee Engine Replacement FAQs

Final Thoughts

Start with your VIN. Even expired programs are worth a quick check. Next, make the shop prove you need a whole engine before you agree to one, because a head, cam or lifter job costs far less. If replacement really is the answer, the route you choose moves your Jeep Grand Cherokee engine replacement cost more than anything else. For an older, high-mileage Jeep, a tested used engine is usually the smart buy. Planning to keep it another five years? Look at a reman.

When you're ready, Premium Used Auto Parts can match a tested, low-mileage Grand Cherokee engine to your VIN, back it with a 90-day warranty, and ship it to your shop anywhere in the US.

Get your free quote today!