2019 cherokee trailhawl started lurching and running bad. check engine light came on with code showing misfire on one of the cylinders. replaced the plugs and it ran great for a day. started lurching again. took it to a mechanic friend and he test drove and had to be towed back. during the drive when he stopped to turn around it would not move in forward or reverse it would just make a grinding noise.
Welcome to the forum…
I guess your mechanic friend is a shade tree mechanic that doesn’t know how to see if a cv axle has broken or not???
At this point it sounds like you need to just have it towed to a shop that can do a proper check…
Your lurching and running bad may or may not have anything to do with the not moving in forward or reverse and grinding noise… Sounds like you have a few different issues, but I could be wrong…
But if you are going to try to be a DIYer then here is a start…
The misfire is probably a bad Coil pack (COP) and swap coils with another cylinder and see if the misfire follows it, if so then replace the coil (better to replace all them) if it doesn’t follow then keep looking, but the no movement and grinding noise sounds like driveline and needs to be addressed or you can’t drive it…
If you have had any kind of brake work recently then (or just check anyway) check to make sure a bolt has not falling out of a caliper and or caliper bracket and the caliper is catching on the wheel keeping it from moving… While you have the vehicle up in the air (safely) check the axles to make sure none have broken or somehow pulled out of the transaxle a little… Could have had some work done on it and not “snapped” back in place correctly… You may have to start the vehicle while raised (again safely) and put it in gear to see what is or is not happening…
Now when you say would not move in forward or reverse it would just make a grinding noise., I am assuming you mean under it own power, but will it still roll if pushed???
Since we don’t know any history of you vehicle or how many miles are on it, if it is FWD or AWD all we can do is guess, Unless someone finds a TSB with your issues…
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BTW, doesn’t your Jeep have a 5/50000 drivetrain warranty. Although you and your friend’s attempts at DIY diagnosis and repair have probably voided any remaining warranty.
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The lurching & poor performance sounds like a misfire, consistent with the diagnostic code, & if the misfire is a bad one, the check engine light will flash, meaning to stop driving the car immediately, otherwise risk damaging something. Maybe that is why the mechanic had the Jeep towed back. If so, good decision. But a misfire usually wouldn’t cause any grinding sounds, so that may be a different problem. A thorough shop diagnosis is in order at this point.