These instructions apply to the Jeep Grand Cherokee Mk5 (WL) 2022-Present.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
The automatic stop/start on your Jeep Grand Cherokee (2022–present) cuts the engine at junctions to save fuel. If you’d rather keep it running — towing, off-roading, or in heavy traffic — you can switch it off with a single button. The engine restarting the instant you lift off the brake is completely normal behaviour, not a fault, and the little ‘A’ light on the dash is simply the system telling you what state it’s in.
How Stop/Start Works on the Grand Cherokee
The system watches a set of conditions every time you come to a halt and only shuts the engine down when they’re all met. It leans heavily on the 12 V battery, which on this generation is a heavier-duty absorbent-glass-mat (AGM) type sized to cope with repeated restarts. A battery sensor constantly measures charge and temperature, so on a cold morning, a short trip, or when the battery is ageing, the Grand Cherokee will simply choose not to stop the engine. It is protecting itself, and there is nothing you need to reset to make that judgement change.
Before You Start
- You can operate the button with the engine running — there’s no menu to dig through.
- The setting is not remembered between drives, so plan to press it after each cold start if you want stop/start off.
- If you tow or go off-road often, switching it off before you set out avoids surprise restarts mid-manoeuvre.
- Let a cold engine warm through for a minute or two — stop/start won’t engage until it’s up to temperature anyway.
Turning Stop/Start Off
- Find the stop/start button — marked with the ‘A’ with a circular arrow, on the dash near the gear selector.
- Press the button once.
- The warning light illuminates to confirm the system is off — the engine now idles normally at a stop.
Turning It Back On
Press the button again, or restart the car — stop/start defaults to ON every time you start the engine, so press the button each drive if you want it off.
Why It Sometimes Keeps the Engine Running
Even with stop/start active, the Grand Cherokee holds the engine on when conditions aren’t met, for example:
- The 12 V battery charge is low, or the battery sensor isn’t satisfied.
- The cabin is still heating or cooling to the set temperature.
- The engine is still cold, or you’re on a slope or towing.
- You’ve not come to a full stop, or the brake pedal isn’t pressed firmly enough.
- The steering is turned or you’re only pausing briefly in stop-go traffic.
On the 4xe plug-in hybrid, the engine also starts and stops under the hybrid system’s control, separately from this button.
If Stop/Start Won’t Work at All
If the engine never shuts down at a stop and you haven’t pressed the button, work through these:
- A weak or ageing 12 V battery is the most common cause — the system disables itself to protect it.
- The battery hasn’t recharged after a run of short trips; a longer drive often brings it back.
- You’re on your first stop of a cold day — give the engine time to reach temperature.
- After a battery change, fit the correct AGM type and let it learn over a few drives.
- Heavy climate demand (full heating or cooling) is keeping the engine running to serve the cabin.
- A stored fault can disable it — look up the code on autodtcs.com.
What to Expect After
Once you press the button and the light comes on, the engine will idle normally at every stop for the rest of that drive. There’s no lasting change to save — switch the ignition off and back on and stop/start returns to its default active state, ready to do its job on the next trip unless you press the button again.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off stop/start on a Jeep Grand Cherokee?
Press the ‘A’ button with the circular arrow on the dash near the gear selector. The warning light comes on to confirm the system is off, and the engine will then idle normally each time you stop for the remainder of that drive.
Can I disable it permanently?
Not from the button — the Grand Cherokee resets stop/start to ON every time you start the engine, so there is no dashboard setting that makes the change stick. If you want it off, get into the habit of pressing the button once shortly after each cold start.
Why does the engine keep running with stop/start on?
The system only stops the engine when a whole list of conditions is satisfied. If the 12 V battery charge is low, the cabin is still heating or cooling, the engine is cold, you’re on a slope, towing, or haven’t pressed the brake firmly, it will keep the engine running — all normal, protective behaviour.
Why won’t stop/start work at all?
Most often a weak or ageing 12 V battery, which the Grand Cherokee disables stop/start to protect. A string of short journeys, a cold morning, or heavy climate demand can also hold it off. A longer drive to recharge the battery usually restores normal operation once conditions are right.
Do I need a special battery for the Grand Cherokee?
These vehicles use a heavier-duty AGM-type 12 V battery built for the repeated restarts stop/start demands. Fitting a standard battery, or the wrong size, can leave the system permanently disabled and shorten battery life. If you replace it, match the correct AGM specification and let the vehicle relearn over a few drives.
Is it bad for the engine to leave stop/start on?
No. The system is designed around it — the starter and battery are uprated, and the engine only shuts down once it’s warm and conditions are safe. Many owners simply leave it on for the fuel saving and switch it off only when towing or off-roading, where a mid-manoeuvre restart is unwelcome.
If a warning light came on with the fault, decode it on autodtcs.com.
Independent guide — not affiliated with Jeep. Always follow your official service manual and safety precautions. Read our full disclaimer.