Best and worst Jeep Commander years — which to avoid

Jeep Commander was a rather short-lived SUV by the famous brand, but buying a decent one still requires you to steer away from the few unreliable models. Even though there were only 5 model years, some of them still proved to be less valuable than others according to driver complaints and common issues.

Nevertheless, it’s still a valuable option among three-seater SUVs, and our guide on the best and worst Jeep Commander years will help you with the purchase decision. We’ve made sure to go the extra step for you so you won’t have to bother looking at the NHTSA submissions and reliability reports since we already did that, so let’s check out the details together.

Why you can trust REREV’s advice on which car model years to avoid: Our car experts look at official data, ask real drivers what they think, and talk to experienced mechanics to make sure our list is useful. This reliable info can make buying a car easier for you. Want to know how we do it? Find out more about our research methodology.

How we rated the best and worst Jeep Commander years

While looking at the best and worst-rated Commander models, our team relied on several trusted sources of information. Among those, we leaned the most on verified records on NHTSA and the IIHS regarding reliability scores and details on particular Commander years and their value for buyers.

Once we got past that, we wanted to see if there were some serious Jeep Commander recalls and we used trusted organizations and their website to double-check those details. Taking a look at real driver records and complaints on Jeep Commander forums including Reddit and Jeep Enthusiast Forums enabled us to get the bigger picture, as well as model ratings on Edmunds and KBB, so here’s what we found:

Most common Jeep Commander problems

It’s somewhat difficult to rate a car that’s only been in production for a single generation, so the best way to do it is through the common Jeep Commander problems and their explanations. We’ll take a deep dive into those so you can get a better sense of the overall reliability and the severity of frequent issues that owners had to deal with.

1. Engine problems

Jeep Commander had a lot of reliable engines, starting from the 3.7-liter V6 to the more capable 5.7-liter HEMI V8. However, the 4.7-liter V8 had a fair share of problems, and it often led to safety issues that all ended with the official Jeep recall. Drivers have even reported that the car turns off while driving but turns back on after a while.

Either way, it’s a serious issue that could potentially lead to a crash and Jeep knows it. That’s why they recalled more than 20,000 units produced with the 4.7-liter engine to solve the problem. It turned out to be a software issue and the powertrain control module had to go through some software updates.

2. Braking system issues

Another common problem for a Jeep Commander is the braking system fault and this one also affects driving safety. There were several problems with the brakes on this model, and the most frequent one is a front brake caliper breakdown. Namely, not all the Jeep Commander vehicles had their front calipers made from the same material, which led to faster deterioration.

Because of this, the braking distance of the car got longer and it sometimes led to safety issues. On top of that, we also heard about the ABS malfunction and bad brake booster problems that led to reduced braking pressure.

Along with those two issues, we’ve heard numerous complaints about drivers having to deal with faulty brake lights even though they changed the bulbs frequently.

3. Electrical system malfunctions

Well, we have to say that issues of this kind are quite frequent for nearly any car model in certain production years. Still, since there was only one generation of the Commander, it may seem like electrical problems were more expressed.

In most cases, electrical system faults resulted in malfunctioning sensors and dashboard readings. However, they sometimes cause more serious threats like the airbag control module malfunction, so it’s crucial to have the electric system checked before buying a used Commander.

4. Problems with the equipment

For that period, Jeep Commander came with a lot of additional equipment options even when it comes to basic trim levels. While this is good for a driving sensation in general, a lot of these features happen to malfunction over time, and this mostly affects second-hand buyers.

You don’t want to buy a Commander only to find out it has a lot of issues with faulty door handles or a broken exhaust. The main exhaust issues were associated with Commander vehicles equipped with 3.7-liter V6 and 4.7-liter V8 engines. Also, we found a lot of driver complaints regarding the four-wheel-drive light illuminating the dashboard for no apparent reason, as well as some sunroof leaks.

Worst Jeep Commander years to avoid

It seems that the Commander is one of those cars that had the most problems in the initial production years. So, if you are still wondering “What are the worst Jeep Commander years to avoid” the answer is hiding in the first few production years, as you can see by this list:

• 2006
• 2007
• 2008

We’ll explain why these model years are best avoided in further detail so you can understand why the latter first-gen model years make a better purchase option.

First-generation Jeep Commander (2006-2008 model years)

The biggest concern for drivers looking to buy a used Jeep Commander is the engine issue, and it all started with the 2006 model year. There was a recall in 2008 that dealt with the software updates that needed to be made for the 4.7-liter engine to work properly.

A major problem was the stalling issue, and as drivers have reported, it could occur at any point even while driving. We can imagine the anxiety of drivers who experience engine stalling while on the highway, so it’s best to avoid buying a 2006 one.

Other common problems for this model year include broken door handles, problems with the 4WD light on the dashboard, and other electrical issues. You would expect that the 2007 Commander was greatly improved, but sadly it wasn’t even close to a 5-star reliability rating.

Major engine issues continued for this model year, and once again these were caused by the faulty software on the 4.7-liter powertrain control module. Besides the engine issues, driver complaints point to a serious problem with ABS malfunction, as well as the other braking issues we’ve mentioned.

Finally, the 2008 model year had fewer complaints than the 2006 and 2007 ones, but it still had a fair share of flaws. The most notable one is the problem with a faulty engine control unit (ECU) and drivers could see the symptoms of a bad ECU through inoperable wipers and an engine that wouldn’t start.

These all caused some serious safety issues, so Jeep had a recall for over 1300 2008′ Commander units to deal with the control module fault.

What are the best Jeep Commander years to buy?

We realize that all the listed problems may make it sound like we put shame on Commander as a model as a whole, but our team just wants to warn you about potential issues. Of course, there are some Jeep Commander years that you can safely buy which raises the question – what are the best Jeep Commander years to buy?

The best Jeep Commander years are 2009 and 2010, so we’ll explain the benefits of both to help you purchase the best possible option out of the two.

2009 Jeep Commander

The 2009 model received the least complaints according to the NHTSA reports, so it’s a safe bet to go with when it comes to Commander model years. Of course, you should still try to avoid the 4.7-liter engine just in case, even though the recall in 2008 should have dealt with the problematic engine software.

This one didn’t face many engine issues, and it also had most of the issues of the early first-gen models like engine stalling or ECU malfunctions solved.

2010 Jeep Commander

The 2010 model year is also safe to buy, and it’s the last production year for the Commander. Like with many other car models, it’s best to go with 2010 as the final production year with most of the problems of the car sorted out.

You should still pay attention to the electrical features and systems if you consider buying a 2009 or 2010 Commander, but the latter is overall an excellent choice with positive reliability feedback through the years.

Is the Jeep Commander worth buying?

As the time comes to draw the line, our team can recommend the Commander as a three-row SUV that comes at a fair price on the used car market. Sure, it had some serious flaws before like the mentioned issue with a 4.7-liter engine, but that’s nothing that can’t be sorted out by avoiding problematic model years.

In that light, our team hopes that this guide will truly serve you well and that you’ll eventually settle for a 2009 or 2010 Commander that doesn’t require much besides regular servicing.

When it comes to rugged and capable off-road vehicles like the Jeep Wrangler, Toyota FJ Cruiser, and Land Rover LR3, you’re choosing from a lineup that’s built to tackle the toughest terrains. However, the reliability and performance of these vehicles can vary significantly from one model year to another.