FaultScore

2021 Jeep Gladiator engine problems

54 of the 452 complaints about the 2021 Jeep Gladiator are about the engine — 12% of everything reported for this model year. Half of the failures with a mileage on record happened before 23,000 miles.

C

54

Complaints

1

Crashes

1

Fires

2

Injuries

Exactly what failed

Engine 53 98.1%
Engine AND Engine Cooling 1 1.9%

Engine & Cooling across every Jeep Gladiator year

2020 46 38.3%
2021 54 45.0%
2022 20 16.7%

What owners said

Filed with NHTSA, in their own words.

Lutz, FL

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that there were several unknown warnings illuminated, and the instrument cluster had started flashing on and off. The contact stated that the vehicle slowed down while depressing the accelerator pedal and continued to lose motive power. The contact stated that a warning flashed on the instrument cluster to "Pull Over" and that "Vehicle Was Going to Shutdown". The contact stated that the steering wheel became difficult to turn to the left or the right and that the brake pedal was difficult to depress, requiring the activation of the parking brake to stop the vehicle. The contact had the vehicle towed back to the residence. The contact stated that her husband determined that the 12-Volt battery needed to be replaced. The contact stated that a new battery was installed; however, the vehicle had failed again with the same symptoms. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was unknown.

NHTSA complaint #11697415 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Jose, CA

ENGINE

I am writing regarding my 2021 Jeep Gladiator Mojave, which recently suffered engine damage due to a faulty head gasket. I understand the vehicle is approximately 5,000 miles over the 60,000-mile warranty; however, I believe this issue should not be my financial responsibility given the circumstances. At around 60,000 miles, I brought my Jeep in for a full service and inspection to ensure it was in top condition. I was informed at that time that everything looked fine and that there were no issues to address. Since then, I’ve continued to maintain the vehicle properly and drive it with care. The sudden head gasket failure, which ultimately led to engine damage, came as a complete surprise. This situation has been extremely difficult — not only because of the unexpected cost, but also because this Jeep was meant to be my long-term vehicle. My family and I have been loyal Mopar customers for years, and I’ve always trusted in the quality and reliability of your vehicles and service network. Given that I sought professional service and maintenance through authorized channels, and that no issues were identified at the time, I kindly request that Mopar consider a goodwill repair or assistance. I don’t believe it’s fair to be held financially responsible for a mechanical failure that likely existed but went undetected during a recent inspection. I’m grateful that nothing happened to me on the road, as I was unaware of the developing problem under the hood. I truly hope Mopar can stand behind its reputation for integrity, safety, and customer care by helping me through this situation. Thank you for your time, understanding, and continued support. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

NHTSA complaint #11691593 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 20,000 miles San Jose, CA Fire 1 injured

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, there was an alarming amount of white smoke emanating from the engine compartment and permeating the interior of the vehicle, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway and evacuate the vehicle. Moments later, the entire front of the vehicle was completely engulfed in flames. Local Emergency Services arrived on the scene and were able to extinguish the fire. During the failure several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence and deemed a total loss by the Insurance provider. A fire report was filed and preliminary findings on the potential cause of the fire were provided but the contact was unaware of the cause. A Police report was filed, and injuries were reported. The contact's father suffered minor burns to both hands but had not sought medical attention. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, a case was opened, and the vehicle was retrieved for inspection. The manufacturer provided a determination of the inspection, and the vehicle was returned to the contact without providing the contact with the cause of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.

NHTSA complaint #11677537 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Saginaw, MI

ENGINE

Hi - So my 2021 Jeep gladiator has 2 batteries. The battery that controls the auto start-stop system failed (while driving). I was at a light on a busy road and the auto stop/start kicked in at a light but because of the failed second battery with no warning, my Jeep died would not start backup and I was unable to even get it into neutral. So I was forced to sit in heavy traffic until the wrecker came. My complaint it why no warning and why did it go into auto stop mode when the battery was in a failed situation.

NHTSA complaint #11664396 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 25,000 miles Palmyra, NY

ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle made abnormal sounds. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and was test-driven; however, the dealer refused to diagnose the vehicle while it was covered under warranty. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the camshaft had failed, and the engine oil cooler housing needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure, and a case was filed. The failure mileage was approximately 25,000.

NHTSA complaint #11663726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Parachute, CO

ENGINE

Failed Right intake camshaft and roller rocker arm. Failure causes misfires and limp mode to be activated when trying to pass and accelerate and in my case was while going up a hill and unable to complete a safe pass of another truck. Known issue by Jeep and Stellantis as they have redesigned a kit for this specific part and upgraded software to increase pressure to the oiling system, but they have failed to replace parts and are 12000 orders behind on parts at ths current moment truck has been undriveable for greater than 45 days. Flashing check engine light and warning lights in place

NHTSA complaint #11661775 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Darien, WI

ENGINE

Multiple cylinders miss fire, Camshaft 1 position slow responding. cylinder2, 4, and 6 repeatedly misfire. Passenger side engine is making excessive noise. This is the information given to me by Van Horn jeep mechanic. also confirmed by advanced auto. Advanced auto stated this is the 3rd jeep they have had in their shop recently to replace a faulty Camshaft. My Jeep only has 66024 hwy miles. Vin [XXX] (2021Jeep Gladiator) INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

NHTSA complaint #11660862 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Pflugerville, TX

ENGINE

My vehicle has about 17,000 miles. Both key fobs are failing to connect with the vehicle. The batteries have been checked by the dealership to determine the fobs are in working order. Without having the fob work, I am unable to unlock my doors or start the engine. Thankfully, learnng my fobs were not connecting occured while in my garage at my home. However, if this occured while away from home, or at night, I would have been stranded with no access to drive the vehicle. My Gladiator will have to be towed to the dealership now to get this resolved.

NHTSA complaint #11613962 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 98,000 miles Sedro-Woolley, WA

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while operating the vehicle a valve knocking noise was present coming from the engine compartment, the check engine light had illuminated and the vehicle would not properly accelerate. The contact received codes that indicated an engine misfired in cylinder three and cylinder five. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer. The cause of the failure was not yet determined. The manufacturer was notified of the failures. The failure mileage was 98,000.

NHTSA complaint #11582627 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Morgan Hill, CA

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA complaint #11559195 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Morgan Hill, CA

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA complaint #11559196 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 46,000 miles Carrizo Springs, TX

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. While the contact was driving at approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle made an abnormal sound in the engine compartment and then stalled. The vehicle was towed to a dealer and diagnosed with fuel pump failure. The failure mileage was approximately 46,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA complaint #11551326 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

San Antonio, TX

ENGINE

Truck has death wobble. Truck steering motor gets stuck at times. Truck has electrical problems and computer problems. The steering is bad and the suspension is loose. I feel unsafe driving this truck.

NHTSA complaint #11544608 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 14,000 miles Riverside, CA

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that on two separate occasions while driving approximately 60-75 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated while the accelerator pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the high-pressure fuel pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was offered to replace the failure part with a temporary repair however, the contact declined due to the concern for his safety. The failure mileage was approximately 14,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11541409 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Brooksville, FL

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11536139 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Tucson, AZ

ENGINE

IT GOT 7 PROBLEM ISSUES AND ALMOST LOST CONTROL DUE TO ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL FAILED WHILE DROVE ON FREEWAY AND TOW TEARDROP (1400 LBS) . MALFUNCTION INDICATOR LIGHT, TRACTION ON (COULD NOT TURN OFF), ELECTRONIC STABILITY CONTROL ACTIVE POPPED UP ( COULD NOT TURN OFF), SERVICE FORWARD COLLISION WARNING LIGHT, CRUISE CONTROL FAULT WARNING LIGHT, SERVICE STOP/START SYSTEM WARNING LIGHT, SERVICE ADAPTIVE CRUISE CONTROL WARNIING LIGHT (ALL OF THEM POPPED UP THAT COULD NOT TURN OFF). I WENT TO JIM CLICK JEEP DEALERSHIP AND THEY NEVER SEEN THEM BEFORE. I AM VERY DISAPPOINTED AND I FEEL THAT MY TRUCK IS "LEMON" I TOLD THEM TO FIX ASAP BUT THEY CAN NOT FIX AND HAVE TO WAIT TILL AUGUST 9 (APPOINTMENT) TO CHECK WHATS WRONG.

NHTSA complaint #11533615 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Camarillo, CA

ENGINE

There is one safety recall on the truck that jeep won't fix 22V-767 its been almost a year and there still isn't any fix. There is also an EMISSIONS RECALL Y81 that they also won't fix that is preventing me from smog and registering the vehicle in California.

NHTSA complaint #11533229 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Aurora, CO

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA complaint #11525012 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Snohomish, WA

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11516047 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

NEW York, NY

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11503760 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 26,000 miles Hampton, GA

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, she noticed an abnormal clicking sound coming from the rear of the vehicle and the vehicle failed to accelerate as needed. The contact also stated that she had received several messages from Uconnect indicating a Power System failure. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the failure was associated with the parking brake due to unknown components being detached and hanging underneath the vehicle. The dealer repaired the parking brake; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine). The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 26,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11496144 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Denver, CO Crash 1 injured

ENGINE

Under heavy breaking the rear wheels of my vehicle lifted off of the pavement. This loss of traction and shift in weight resulted in a head on collision with a vehicle in the opposite lane of traffic. After the accident I discover that the suspension for my vehicle was incorrect to the level that FCA released a TSB regarding the issue. The suspension that was equipped with the vehicle was designed for the gasoline motor and the weight associated with that motor. My vehicle has the diesel motor (approximately 600lbs heavier) along with factory equipped steel bumpers adding additional weight. This factory design failure created a vehicle that could not perform as designed and as I found out via an automotive accident, a vehicle that under heavy breaking can lift its rear wheels off of the ground.

NHTSA complaint #11490911 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Virginia Beach, VA

ENGINE

The vehicle suddenly accelerates. The rpm’s shoot up real high, the Jeep accelerates and the brakes do NOT work. This has occurred while driving at 55-60 mph and twice driving in city traffic going approx. 30-35. The acceleration increases and is stuck. I press the brakes and they do not work until whatever is sticking releases.

NHTSA complaint #11490904 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

at 21,000 miles Baltimore, MD

ENGINE

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The contact stated while driving approximately 60 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power, and then after a minute the vehicle functioned normally. The contact stated that there was no warning light illuminated. The contact stated that the failure was intermittent. The dealer was contacted to have the vehicle diagnosed and repaired; however, the dealer advised that the failure could be related to NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part was not yet available. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA complaint #11490313 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Virginia Beach, VA

ENGINE

On 3 different occasions the acceleration got stuck and increased speed. I pressed the brake over and over and the Jeep would NOT reduce speed or slow down for what ranged between 30 - 45 seconds. Had there been a vehicle directly in front of me I would have slammed into the vehicle. If I had been trying to stop at an intersection I would not have been able to stop. I had my child in the car two out of the three times this has occurred. The dealership states that they have not had any complaints of this occurring and could not replicate it during the few minutes they drove it and do not seem to be concerned that this issue could seriously injure or kill me, my child, or others. This is a SERIOUS issue that should be addressed immediately.

NHTSA complaint #11486600 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Sarasota, FL

ENGINE

2021 JEEP GLADIATOR. CONSUMER WRITES IN REGARD TO STOP/START SYSTEM NOT FUNCTIONING. THE CONSUMER STATED THE STOP/START FEATURE READS AS NOT READY. THE DEALER WAS UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF THE FAILURE.

NHTSA complaint #11485794 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Victor, MT

ENGINE

I was driving the vehicle, while towing a 5000lb trailer (vehicle tow rating is 6000lb), up a 4-5% grade at 4000'-6000' elevation, with ambient temperature around 80 degrees, and the vehicle unexpectedly derated / limited speed to approx 45 mph with no warning indicators on the vehicle. I had a number of cars and semi trucks behind me, and so I unexpectedly needed to find a safe place to pull over, which was limited due to the road conditions. I travel in areas frequented by semi trucks with limited shoulders. If I had not found a pull-out, this could have been dangerous. This appears to be an issue countered by a number of Jeep Gladiator Diesel owners, relating to either engine oil temperature too high, or EGT temp too high when towing uphill.

NHTSA complaint #11467726 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Las Vegas, NV

ENGINE

Engine oil temperature reached 265 degrees while towing within capacity - engine derated power and I could not drive above 35mph on a road with a speed limit if 75mph. It was dangerous!

NHTSA complaint #11467673 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Jackson, MI

ENGINE

While towing a trailer the vehicle suddenly reduces power to less than half and multiple check engine lights appear. This seems to happen only when outside temperatures are above 80f. I went from going 65mph to 45mph within 1/4 mile which caused sudden traffic issues behind me. I have had the vehicle to the dealer multiple times and they do not find anything even though there are multiple engine lights. I have had it happen a over 8 times in 1 year. I also have a co-worker that has had the same issue.

NHTSA complaint #11466776 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Smithville, TX

ENGINE

3.0 EcoDiesel in the Jeep Gladiator has cooling issues. Thousands of users affected and discussing on forums and on Facebook groups but the manufacturer is unwilling to fix. Core of the issue is that the engine was altered in the Gladiator and Wrangler over previous installations in the Ram and Grand Cherokee by removing oil coolers and a larger oil pan, which has resulted in high oil temps. At 265 degrees (which is accomplished easily during the summer with a trailer UNDER the tow rating), the engine starts derating and limp mode. The aftermarket community has tested everything ... removing hoods, fenders different cooling solutions, etc and nothing is working at the moment other than aftermarket solutions to cool the oil (which are negligible at best at the moment due to the space constraints imposed by the engine being quite large in the engine bay not not substantial room for a larger oil pan and external cooler). Chrysler should have put more work in to the design, or not sold the EcoDiesel in the vehicle.

NHTSA complaint #11466777 — an unverified report by a vehicle owner.

Other 2021 Jeep Gladiator problems

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