Jeep Cherokee (2002-2023) firing order — diagram & guide
Ever since the early days of production in the 1970s, the Jeep Cherokee has been one of the signature models of the famous automotive brand. While it’s sad news that production has stopped in 2023, the news of the sixth generation being in plans is comforting for the fans of this practical SUV.
It’s also been a call for us to discuss the Jeep Cherokee (2002-2023) firing order since all the previous generations were stacked with great engine options. We’ll only give you a certain push when it comes to maintenance so you can keep yours running the way it should and hopefully, your Cherokee will then live through to see the production of the newest model years from now.
| CHEROKEE YEARS | ENGINE | FIRING ORDER |
|---|---|---|
| 3rd Gen (2002-2007) | 2.4L | 1-3-4-2 |
| 3.7L V6 | 1-6-5-4-3-2 | |
| 2.8L diesel | 1-3-4-2 | |
| 4th Gen (2008-2013) | 2.8L diesel | 1-3-4-2 |
| 3.7L V6 | 1-6-5-4-3-2 | |
| 5th Gen (2014-2023) | 2.4L | 1-3-4-2 |
| 3.2L V6 | 1-2-3-4-5-6 | |
| 2.0L Turbo | 1-3-4-2 |
Third-generation Jeep Cherokee (2002-2007) firing order
While the older generations of the Cherokee were produced in the ’80s and the ’90s, the 3rd gen model is considered to be the first modern take on the Cherokee. It featured some newly-added engine options like the 2.4-liter four-cylinder and a 3.7-liter V6 that first appeared in this model, along with a diesel powertrain.
Jeep Cherokee 2.4L firing order
The Jeep Cherokee 2.4L firing order is 1-3-4-2 and this one was a PowerTech petrol engine derived from the “Tigershark” powertrain also used in a few other Jeep models. The cylinders are laid out in a straight-four sequence which means the first cylinder is at the front end of the engine, and the fourth cylinder is at the rear end.
Because of that 1 to 4 straight sequence, it’s easier to do the cylinder numbering and therefore you can apply the firing order much more conveniently.
Jeep Cherokee 3.7L firing order
The V6 engine option was added for higher trim levels of the Cherokee and it has a firing order 1-6-5-4-3-2. This one requires you to know the precise firing order because there are other V6 engines that Jeep used at that time but they featured different firing sequences.
Another unique thing about this engine is the cylinder order because cylinders 1, 3, and 5 are on the driver’s side of the engine while cylinders 2, 4, and 6 are on the passenger’s side front to rear.
Jeep Cherokee 2.8L firing order
The only diesel engine option offered for the third-gen Cherokee and modern versions of this model in general is the 2.8-liter CRD-i engine. This one has a firing order 1-3-4-2 since it’s a four-cylinder turbodiesel, but you won’t have to worry as much about misfires and spark plug replacement with this one.
It’s due to a glow plug system used for the diesel engine, so you can apply the firing order to check up on the cylinders in case of stalling in colder weather. The cylinder order is 1 to 4 in a straight line from front to rear of the engine.
Fourth-generation Jeep Cherokee (2008-2013) firing order
The fourth-gen of the famous Jeep model didn’t bring much change since all the same engine options were still used in that one. To be precise, the 2.4-liter petrol engine was no longer an option, but the 3.7-liter V6 along with a 2.8-liter diesel were kept in the lineup.
There were no newly-added engines and since we already discussed the firing order and layout of these two engines, we’ll move on with the latest fifth-gen Cherokee.
Fifth-generation Jeep Cherokee (2014-2023) firing order
For the fifth-gen model, Cherokee once again got a 2.4-liter petrol engine as an option, and this one had the same 1-3-4-2 firing order and cylinder configuration as the one offered in the third-gen. So, we’ll focus more on the new 3.2-liter V6 which was exclusively added for this model, and a more fuel-efficient 2.0-liter turbo engine.
Jeep Cherokee 3.2L firing order
The Jeep Cherokee 3.2L firing order is 1-2-3-4-5-6 and this engine was only used in the Cherokee so you won’t make a mistake there. However, the cylinder order is also pretty unique since this time cylinders 1, 3, and 5 are on the passenger’s side, and cylinders 2, 4, and 6 are on the driver’s side front to rear.
It’s the opposite of the cylinder layout in a 3.7-liter V6 used in the previous generation models, so that’s one thing to keep an eye out for if you own a fifth-gen V6 Cherokee.
Jeep Cherokee 2.0L firing order
Finally, we have the 2.0-liter turbo petrol engine used in the latest generation of the Cherokee and this one has a firing order of 1-3-4-2. It’s a standard configuration that Jeep uses for four-cylinder engines and the cylinders go from number one at the front to number four at the back in a straight sequence.
Our take
Ultimately, the Cherokee makes a perfect mid-size SUV car for a daily driver and the engine options offered through its generations confirm it. With just a tiny bit of regular maintenance, most of these engines can run for hundreds of thousands of miles.
That being said, you can rely on this guide to provide you with all the essential details on the engine firing order, so the only thing left for you to do is to check the cylinders by closely following the firing pattern.
