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2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee · Torque converter replacement
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee torque converter replacement cost
A 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee torque converter replacement typically costs $1,360 to $2,820 at an independent shop, parts and labor included across its engine options. The torque converter itself runs $450 to $1,020, and the job takes 6 to 9 hours. Prices updated September 2026.
Estimated cost, selected engine
$1,360 to $2,480
Charlotte, NC area
Prices updated September 2026
Which engine? They price differently, so pick yours for a closer number.
Torque converter (part)
$450 to $1,020
Labor (6 to 9 hours)
$750 to $1,500
Fluids + supplies
$160 to $300
2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee torque converter replacement: parts and labor
Labor runs $750 to $1,500 (the job takes 6 to 9 hours at typical independent-shop rates), and the torque converter itself typically costs $450 to $1,020 for the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee, plus $160 to $300 in zf 8/9-speed atf (9-10 qts) + pan seal, supplies. Prices updated September 2026.
| Engine | Parts | Labor | Estimated total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3.6L V6 | $450 to $780 | $750 to $1,400 (6.0 to 8.5 hrs) | $1,360 to $2,480 |
| 5.7L V8 | $480 to $1,020 | $800 to $1,500 (6.5 to 9.0 hrs) | $1,440 to $2,820 |
Coverage note: 6.4L SRT V8 and 6.2L supercharged Trackhawk excluded: performance variants with unique converters (Trackhawk runs the 8HP95 with an $874 to $8,287 OEM parts spread) that would distort the range. The 3.0L EcoDiesel is also excluded: it returned only in very limited late-2018 numbers and its OEM converter runs $944 plus, well above the gas-engine band.
RepairPal has no Grand Cherokee-specific torque converter line item (its GC pages cover other repairs), and YourMechanic does not do internal transmission work, so aggregator numbers here are generic: most publish $600 to $1,000 for the part and $1,500 to $3,500 installed, which brackets this estimate fairly well. The dealer path is the real premium: Mopar MSRP for the converter ($483 V6, $994 HEMI), $190 to $230/hr labor, and a frequent insistence on a complete reman transmission instead of a converter push dealer outcomes to $4,000 to $8,000. The independent numbers above assume a shop willing to do converter-only with OEM or Recon-grade reman parts.
Where these numbers come from
- Estimate ranges: a hand-verified research pass for this exact vehicle and repair, cross-referenced across 12 independent sources (parts retailers, labor guides, and published shop pricing), completed September 2026.
- Recall and complaint data: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration) records for the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee specifically, filtered to transmission relevance and refreshed daily from the federal API.
- Local prices: real, accepted quotes from verified Fixxr marketplace jobs, published per metro once five verified jobs of this type have closed. Never estimates dressed up as transactions.
Not included in the estimate: Refundable core deposit on reman converters (about $175, returned when the old unit ships back), Initial diagnosis (road test, scan data, pan drop) typically $100 to $200, often credited toward the repair, Dealer-sublet TCM/PCM software flash if the shop cannot perform it in-house ($150 to $250), Full rebuild, valve body, or pump work if debris contamination is found (turns the job into $3,500 to $5,500), Transmission cooler replacement or thermostat bypass if the cooler cannot be flushed clean, Motor/transmission mounts, driveshaft work, towing, taxes and shop fee percentages.
What actually goes wrong on this exact vehicle
Federal safety data for the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee, filtered to the transmission specifically.
1
transmission recall
41
transmission owner complaints
transmission recall · NHTSA 18V280000
POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Dodge Charger, Durango and Challenger, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler, Chrysler 300, and RAM 1500 vehicles. An incorrect transmission park lock rod may have been installed in the transmission. If the incorrect park lock rod is installed, the transmission may not shift into 'PARK' and keep the vehicle from moving, increasing the risk of unintended vehicle movement and the risk of a crash.
Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will install the correct park lock rod, free of charge. The recall began June 28, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U43.
Real owner report, verbatim from NHTSA:
“I am reporting repeated drivetrain and transmission failures involving my 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT. The problems began with failure of the driveshaft carrier bearing, which was replaced with a brand-new component by an independent mechanic. The transfer case subsequently required replacement and was replaced with a brand-new unit by a reputable dealership. After these repairs, the original transmission mechanically failed at approximately 99,000 miles. I replaced it with a transmission from a 2021 model that had approximately 45,000 miles. That transmission then failed after only approximately 5,000 miles of use in my vehicle. I am now having another transmission installed, meaning my Jeep is receiving its third transmission. By the completion of these repairs, I will have spent more than $20,000 addressing drivetrain and transmission failures. I am concerned that an underlying drivetrain, transmission, electronic/control, or other vehicle-related condition may be contributing to these repeated failures. Replacing major drivetrain components has not resolved the problem, and I am concerned about the safety and reliability of the vehicle. I am also aware of a similar situation involving my niece’s 2021 Dodge Durango R/T with approximately 60,000 miles. Her vehicle is also on its third transmission, with brand-new replacement transmissions being installed under warranty. I am requesting that NHTSA review these repeated failures and determine whether similar transmission or drivetrain problems have been reported and whether they may indicate a safety-related defect or broader pattern.”
Get the failure confirmed with a real diagnosis before you approve the repair, so you fix the part that actually failed.
Recall fixes are free at the dealer. Everything else deserves a fair price.
Source: NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), recalls and complaints for the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Refreshed periodically.
Not sure what’s wrong?
A shudder or slip can be the torque converter, the transmission itself, worn mounts, or even misfires. Describe what your truck is doing and our free diagnostic tool narrows it down before you spend a dollar.
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Get connected with a mechanicHow your torque converter works
The torque converter is the fluid coupling between the engine and the automatic transmission in your 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It lets the engine keep spinning at a stoplight, multiplies torque when you pull away, and at cruising speed an internal lockup clutch grips solid to stop wasting fuel. That clutch is the part that wears out, and because the converter bolts on between the engine and transmission, replacing it means removing the transmission, which is why labor is most of the bill.
Four signs it’s the torque converter
Shudder at steady speed
A rumble-strip vibration at light throttle on the highway. The classic sign of a worn converter lockup clutch.
RPM flares, truck doesn't
Engine revs climb without matching speed. The converter or transmission is slipping instead of gripping.
Delayed or harsh engagement
A pause or clunk when shifting into drive or reverse, especially cold.
Hot, dark, or burnt fluid
A slipping converter cooks the fluid. Dark color or a burnt smell means friction material is circulating.
The free check: on a quiet road, hold a steady 45 to 55 mph at light throttle. A vibration that appears in that zone and fades when you accelerate or lift off points at the converter clutch. Mention exactly when it happens to your shop; it is the single most useful thing you can tell them.
What a torque converter replacement is like on the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee
2018 is the changeover year for the V6 transmission: WK2 Grand Cherokees with the 3.6L Pentastar got the Chrysler-built 850RE (a licensed ZF 8HP45) starting in 2018, replacing the 845RE, while every 5.7L HEMI runs the ZF-built 8HP70. The converters are different parts at very different prices: Mopar lists the V6 converter (RL234051AA) at $341 street / $483 MSRP, while the 5.7 converter (RL404379AA) runs $824 street / $994 MSRP at moparpartsgiant. That OEM price gap, not labor, is most of why the HEMI row costs more. On the reman side, Transmission Parts Distributors sells a rebuilt 8HP70 converter (replaces code C178, fits 2014 to 2018 Grand Cherokee AWD) for $345 to $390 with a 4 year / 100k mile warranty plus a $175 refundable core deposit, and OEM 850RE converters show up around $480 on eBay.
The classic failure on these 8-speeds is torque converter clutch shudder: a rumble-strip vibration at light throttle around 25 to 45 mph as the TCC locks, easily mistaken for bad motor mounts or an out-of-balance driveshaft. FCA's first prescription is a TCM software flash plus a fluid exchange, and on 2018 to 2022 trucks that genuinely fixes a chunk of complaints, so a good shop verifies with a scan tool (TCC slip rpm) and a pan inspection before selling a converter. Glitter or friction material in the pan means the converter clutch is actually shedding, and if that debris has been circulating a converter-only repair may not stick because the pump and valve body are contaminated. That is the fork in the road where a roughly $2,000 converter job becomes a $4,500 rebuild; a jeepgarage member reported exactly that, $4,500 for a rebuild including the converter, $1,200 of it labor, with a 3 year / 100k warranty.
There is no shortcut to the converter on a WK2: the transmission has to come out, which on a 4x4 means exhaust work, both driveshafts, the transfer case, the crossmember, and disconnecting cooler lines before the box drops. The converter swap itself takes minutes once the trans is on the bench; the 6 to 9 billed hours is all removal and reinstallation. A 4x2 Laredo sits at the bottom of the labor spread and a Quadra-Trac II or Quadra-Drive 4x4 at the top, with the heavier 8HP70 behind the HEMI adding a bit more wrestling. After install the TCM needs its adaptives reset and drive-learn performed with a capable scan tool, and some independents sublet a PCM/TCM software update to the dealer, which is worth confirming before you book.
Budget real money for fluid on this job, because on both the 850RE and the 8HP70 the plastic pan IS the filter, a molded pan with integrated filter that gets replaced as a unit ($110 to $180) rather than a $15 drop-in element. With the converter out you are replacing most of the roughly 9.5 quart system fill, and it must be ZF-spec fluid, Mopar ZF 8 and 9 Speed ATF (68218925AB) or ZF Lifeguard 8 at roughly $16 to $28 a quart. That is why consumables here run $160 to $300 and why dealers can charge $400 plus just for an 8-speed fluid service. A quote that reuses the old pan and tops off with universal ATF is a red flag on this transmission.
Expect wildly different answers depending on who you call. Chrysler dealers frequently decline converter-only work on the 8HP and quote a complete Mopar reman transmission instead, which lands in the $4,000 to $8,000 range; one documented dealer quote for converter replacement alone was about US$4,000 (CDN$5,000) even though the part is well under $1,000. Independent transmission shops in forum reports have done the converter for $750 to $1,700 when the fluid was clean, with $1,400 to $2,800 all-in being the realistic 2026 independent-shop window once ZF fluid, the pan-filter, and 6 to 9 hours of labor at $120 to $165/hr are counted honestly.
Estimate note: these are researched independent-shop ranges, not a guaranteed quote. The only exact number is one from a shop that has seen your car.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee torque converter replacement cost?
A 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee torque converter replacement typically runs $1,360 to $2,820 at an independent shop, parts and labor included. The torque converter itself is $450 to $1,020, labor makes up most of the rest, and the job takes 6 to 9 hours.Why does the price change with the engine?
The 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee came with more than one engine, and they do not share the same part or the same access. A tighter engine bay or extra teardown adds labor hours, and the part price moves too. Sites that show one national number flatten that out. Pick your engine on the estimate above for a closer figure.What are the signs of a bad torque converter?
The classic sign is a shudder at steady highway speed under light throttle, a rumble-strip vibration that comes and goes as the converter's lockup clutch grabs and slips. Others: engine RPM flaring up without the truck speeding up, a delayed or harsh clunk into drive, a whine that changes with gear, and transmission temperature climbing on grades. These symptoms overlap with internal transmission problems and even engine misfires, so get a real diagnosis before paying for either.Can I drive my Jeep with a bad torque converter?
Briefly, but it gets more expensive the longer you wait. A slipping converter sheds clutch material into the transmission fluid and runs hot, and that debris circulates through the entire transmission. Caught early, this can be a converter and fluid job. Ignored, it becomes a full rebuild at several times the price. If it shudders occasionally, book the repair soon; if it slips hard or overheats, stop driving it.Should the transmission be rebuilt at the same time?
Fluid condition is the tell. If the fluid is clean and the failure is isolated to the converter clutch, a converter-only replacement is a legitimate fix, and the labor is already paid since the transmission comes out either way. If the fluid is dark, smells burnt, or carries metal or friction material, converter debris has been through the whole unit and a reputable shop will recommend a rebuild instead of bolting a new converter to a dying transmission. Ask to see the fluid and the pan.How long does a torque converter last?
Usually the life of the transmission, commonly 100,000 to 200,000 miles. The weak point is the lockup clutch inside the converter, which wears like any friction clutch, and worn-out fluid accelerates it. Regular transmission fluid service is the cheapest way to extend converter life, and it is also what keeps a future repair converter-only instead of a rebuild.Are there recalls on the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Yes, NHTSA lists 11 recalls for the 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee. Recall repairs are done free of charge at a franchised dealer for that brand, so it is worth checking your VIN before paying a shop for related work.
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