2021 Jeep Gladiator Problems and Recalls (287 Complaints)
The most-reported problem on the 2021 Jeep Gladiator is Steering (22% of 287 owner reports). There are 8 safety recalls. Check the VIN and inspect Steering — this is the NHTSA file, not a score.
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation Snapshot 2026-09-07 287 complaints · 8 recalls
What problems show up on the 2021 Jeep Gladiator?
64 of 287 filings named Steering (22% of the file). That is what owners wrote, not a shop diagnosis of the vehicle in the driveway.
Second is Transmission / driveline (54 reports).
There are 8 official safety recalls on this year. They were filed about Transmission / driveline, Rear camera / backup safety, Fuel system, Electrical, and Steering. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov — a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific truck.
The 2020 has 481 reports on file; this year has 287. A smaller lifetime total is not a clean bill of health. If you need a fairer comparison, use the equal-time view.
What owners reported
System named most often: Steering 64 complaints · 22.3% of the file
Crashes, fires, injuries and deaths in those filings:
- Crashes 7
- Fires 3
- Injuries 7
- Deaths 0
NHTSA Consumer Complaints Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record Read our complete data methodology →
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Which systems owners named
Share of owner complaints filed against each vehicle system. These shares are not adjusted for how many vehicles were sold.
“Unclassified NHTSA leftover” is not a car part. It is a filing bucket and always sits last.
View component data as a table
| System / Component | Complaints | Share of Reports | Safety Reports (Crashes / Fires) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steering (STEERING) | 64 | 22.3% | 1 crashes · 1 fires |
| Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN) | 54 | 18.8% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Engine (ENGINE) | 26 | 9.1% | 1 crashes · 1 fires |
| Suspension (SUSPENSION) | 26 | 9.1% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM) | 23 | 8.0% | 1 crashes · 1 fires |
| Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM) | 15 | 5.2% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Lights (EXTERIOR LIGHTING) | 10 | 3.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Glass / wipers / cameras (VISIBILITY) | 10 | 3.5% | 0 crashes · 0 fires |
| Brakes (SERVICE BRAKES) | 7 | 2.4% | 1 crashes · 0 fires |
| Unclassified NHTSA leftover | 43 | 15.0% | 2 crashes · 0 fires |
NHTSA Consumer Complaints, NHTSA Safety Recalls, and NHTSA Defect Investigations Snapshot 2026-09-07 Open source record
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
When reports and recalls showed up
When owners filed reports, and when recall campaigns showed up.
- Campaign 21V028000 was reported 77 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 23V116000 was reported 833 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 23V263000 was reported 690 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 24V572000 was reported 1,358 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 24V652000 was reported 1,012 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
- Campaign 26V363000 was reported 1,938 days after the first earlier complaint mapped to its component.
View timeline records as a table
| Date | Record type | Count | Record identifier |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020-Q4 | Owner reports | 1 | |
| 2021-Q1 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2021-Q2 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2021-Q3 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2021-Q4 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2022-Q1 | Owner reports | 34 | |
| 2022-Q2 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2022-Q3 | Owner reports | 9 | |
| 2022-Q4 | Owner reports | 18 | |
| 2023-Q1 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2023-Q2 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2023-Q3 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2023-Q4 | Owner reports | 16 | |
| 2024-Q1 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2024-Q2 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2024-Q3 | Owner reports | 8 | |
| 2024-Q4 | Owner reports | 10 | |
| 2025-Q1 | Owner reports | 17 | |
| 2025-Q2 | Owner reports | 11 | |
| 2025-Q3 | Owner reports | 4 | |
| 2025-Q4 | Owner reports | 6 | |
| 2026-Q1 | Owner reports | 15 | |
| 2026-Q2 | Owner reports | 14 | |
| 2026-Q3 | Owner reports | 12 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 21V028000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V638000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 22V767000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 23V116000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 23V263000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 24V572000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 24V652000 | |
| Recall campaign | 1 | 26V363000 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | EA23001 | |
| Defect investigation | 1 | PE24024 |
Safety Recalls (8)
Official campaigns. Each one says what could go wrong and what the dealer was told to fix.
In short, these campaigns were filed about Transmission / driveline, Rear camera / backup safety, Fuel system, Electrical, and Steering.
-
Recall campaign 21V028000
Transmission / driveline
- Report date
- Component:
- Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
- Consequence:
- Overheated clutch components may increase the risk of a fire. Additionally, damage to other nearby components can result in debris falling onto the road or a loss of drive, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will add software to reduce engine torque capability when clutch assembly temperatures rise to a level that may damage the inner pressure plate, free of charge." FCA has ordered a stop sale for the affected vehicles as of February 25, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 4, 2021.
-
Recall campaign 22V638000
Rear camera / backup safety
- Report date
- Component:
- Rear camera / backup safety (BACK OVER PREVENTION)
- Consequence:
- A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 6, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA, LLC's number for this recall is Z86.
-
Recall campaign 22V767000
Safety recall 22V767000
- Report date
- Component:
- Not available in the source record
- Consequence:
- An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the HPFP and inspect and replace additional fuel system components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 17, 2023. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Z96.
-
Recall campaign 23V116000
Transmission / driveline
- Report date
- Component:
- Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
- Consequence:
- Overheated clutch components may increase the risk of a fire. Additionally, damage to other nearby components can result in debris falling onto the road or a loss of drive, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the clutch assembly and update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed from November 16, 2023 through July 25, 2024. Owners may contact (FCA US, LLC) customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is 19A. This recall expands and replaces previous recall 21V-028. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 21V-028 will need to have the new remedy completed.
-
Recall campaign 23V263000
Fuel system
- Report date
- Component:
- Fuel system (FUEL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- Fuel pump failure can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the HPFP and replace additional fuel system components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 17, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 01A.
-
Recall campaign 24V572000
Transmission / driveline
- Report date
- Component:
- Transmission / driveline (POWER TRAIN)
- Consequence:
- A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 15, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is 92B. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 23V-116 will need to have the new remedy completed.
-
Recall campaign 24V652000
Electrical
- Report date
- Component:
- Electrical (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM)
- Consequence:
- An instrument panel that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
- Remedy:
- Dealers will replace the instrument panel cluster, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between October 3, 2024, and January 23, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 30B.
-
Recall campaign 26V363000
Steering
- Report date
- Component:
- Steering (STEERING)
- Consequence:
- A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
- Remedy:
- Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures, until their vehicle is repaired. Dealers will inspect and replace the wiring and electric hydraulic power steering pump, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 9, 2026. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is 21D. The Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 11, 2026.
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
What owners actually wrote
Short excerpts from the public NHTSA file. Look for the same symptom repeating.
Data: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation · snapshot 2026-09-07
Showing 5 of 287 complaints · page 1 of 12
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Component Affected: Power Train / Automatic Transmission (850RE 8-Speed)Description of Safety Hazard:While driving my 2022 Jeep Gladiator (53,940 miles), the transmission experienced a severe internal component failure, specifically throwing error code P0733-00 (Gear 3 Shift Incorrect Ratio). This causes the transmission to violently slip, shift harshly, or completely fail to engage 3rd gear while accelerating.This creates an immediate and severe safety hazard on public roads. When the transmission fails to engage the gear, the vehicle experiences a sudden, uncommanded loss of motive power while in traffic. This leaves the vehicle coasting without acceleration, exposing myself and my passengers to an extremely high risk of being rear-ended by oncoming traffic.This issue is a known manufacturing defect involving the internal transmission "D" Clutch assembly, as documented in manufacturer Technical Service Bulletin TSB 21-009-25. The dealership refused to properly pull the historical codes or address the issue, leaving a dangerous, defect-plagued vehicle on the road. Stellantis / Jeep needs to issue a mandatory safety recall for this 850RE transmission D-clutch defect before this sudden loss of acceleration causes a fatal accident
CrashFireInjuryDeath
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH on uneven road surfaces, the vehicle experienced violent shaking in the front end and the steering wheel. The contact stated that the vibration reoccurred while depressing the brake pedal and ceased after the vehicle had decelerated. The failure was associated with the death wobble. A diagnostic test was performed at a dealer, and an estimate for the repair was provided; however, the vehicle was not yet repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Truck failed to find gear shuddered lost speed in traffic while going up a hill. Limp mode was initiated. This is a known manufacturers defect with a tsb applied against the known issue. Issue is widespread when researched but not made known by the manufacturer of the truck. Dealership refusing repair under goodwill due to truck being out of mileage by 5000miles. Symptoms started prior to exiting warranty but due to no communication by dealership or manufacturer unit was not brought in for repair prior. Repeat this is a known defect that is being ignored by manufacturer.
CrashFireInjuryDeath
I am experiencing the "Jeep Death Wobble" which occurs intermittently after hitting any road imperfections i.e. uneven road surface connections, potholes, or rumble strips, causing a violent and sudden shaking of the steering wheel at highway speeds. I feel like the wheels are going to fall off it shakes so bad!!! I either have to slow down to under 45 mph or less, or come to a complete stop in order for it to stop wobbling. This does not happen on smooth road surfaces. I have a stock 2021 Jeep Gladiator which I bought brand new the end of 2020. Whenever this happens, I need to get off the road if there are people behind me as I need to slow my speed and or exit the roadway. This puts me at risk especially when traveling interstate highways with tractor trailers and other large vehicles behind me. I advised the dealership in the past that I was experiencing this problem and they were supposed to order a stabilizer for my jeep but have never heard back about it. My Jeep is available for inspection as it has not been fixed. My Jeep was just in for bad calipers/brakes/rotors and had a multi-point inspection on 7/11/26 and 7/22/26. However, the wobble still happens. I am listing below the most recent date that this wobble occurred which was 7/26/26
CrashFireInjuryDeath
Front brake caliper(s) was seizing up causing smoking and a burning smell. Vehicle was also pulling to the right when braking. Brake fluid or something like it coated the front drivers side wheel. Took vehicle back to dealership where vehicle was purchased new. Vehicle is still under warranty/extended warranties. The dealer did inspect and found front calipers to be seizing up causing excessive wear on brake pads and rotors. They did replace both front calipers but not the brake hoses. They also replaced and charged me for new brake pads and rotors. Not even a week later, I called the dealer to report the same problem, the brakes were again seizing up and there was a smoking/burning smell. The dealer ordered the new brake hoses, found that the brake hoses they attempted to re-use had collapsed causing all the above mentioned problems. The dealer had them installed and so far so good.
Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems on the 2021 Jeep Gladiator?
Owners named Steering most often — 64 of 287 reports (22%). That is the NHTSA file, not a diagnosis of every vehicle.
Are there recalls for the 2021 Jeep Gladiator?
NHTSA lists 8 safety recall campaigns. They were filed about Transmission / driveline, Rear camera / backup safety, Fuel system, Electrical, and Steering. Check the VIN at nhtsa.gov; a campaign on this page can still be open on a specific vehicle.
What should I inspect before buying a 2021 Jeep Gladiator?
Look up the VIN for open recalls. Check for play in the wheel, noises on lock and whether it tracks straight. Then skim owner filings for the same symptom and take that list to a mechanic.
Does a high complaint count mean I should skip this year?
No. Counts are reports people chose to file and they are not adjusted for sales volume. YearTell does not publish scores or a list of years to skip. Inspect the vehicle.
Estimated Ownership Cost
EPA fuel economy ratings and annual operating cost estimates
Data: US EPA Fuel Economy Guide · snapshot 2026-08-21
Adjacent Model Years
Immediate preceding and succeeding model year records
Complaint counts reflect self-selected reports and are not normalised for production sales volume. We publish no reliability scores, superlatives, or vehicle rankings.
Methodology & Data Integrity
Source: NHTSA ODI / recalls, snapshot 2026-09-07. YearTell is not a government agency.