The dealership has had my vehicle since September 17, 2026 with today being 11/4/26 and I originally dropped the vehicle off for warranty and recall work. Yesterday I receive a text from the dealership that my vehicle was ready to be picked up. Today I go to find that my aluminum hood was swapped out for a 50lb heavier hood that is too heavy for the spring but more importantly... The recall is still open and they tried to have me drive the vehicle home with a park outside fire warning.
The worst 2021 Jeep Gladiator problems
Ranked by number of owner complaints. Mileage and cost come from what owners wrote.
Problems by type
Tap a problem to see which part fails, at what mileage and in which other years.
- Steering95
- Transmission71
- Engine54
- Electrical46
- Suspension41
- Fuel system33
- Brakes17
- Acceleration14
- Lights13
- Visibility12
- Driver assistance9
- Wheels8
- Airbags6
- Seat belts3
- Body2
- Seats1
- Tires1
Specific symptoms reported on the 2021 Jeep Gladiator
Loss of power 12Power steering loss 12Check engine light 11Start-stop 11Fuel pump 9Won't shift 9Stalling 8Pulling 8Adaptive cruise 6Fire or smoke 6Overheating 6Seat belt 6Slipping 6Wipers 6Won't start 6Headlights 5Shudder 5Sudden acceleration 5Windshield crack 5
Trouble codes owners of the 2021 Jeep Gladiator mention
P0733 3
Recalls 8
Steering: hydraulic power assist: pump
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Jeep Wrangler, Wrangler 4XE, and Jeep Gladiator vehicles. The electric hydraulic power steering pump wiring may overheat and cause a vehicle fire, even when the vehicle is parked with the ignition in the "Off" position.
- Risk
- 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 on June 11, 2026.
Recall number 26V363000 · Recall details
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Jeep Gladiator and 2018-2024 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. The instrument panel cluster may experience an internal short circuit and fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays."
- Risk
- 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 number 24V652000 · Recall details
Power train: manual transmission: control module: software
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator vehicles that were previously remedied under the federal safety agency recall number 23V‑116. The software for the powertrain control module may cause an engine stall, which can result in a loss of drive power.
- Risk
- 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 number 24V572000 · Recall details
Fuel system, diesel: delivery: fuel pump
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Jeep Wrangler, Gladiator, and 2022-2023 Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with a 3.0L diesel engine. The high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) may fail.
- Risk
- 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 number 23V263000 · Recall details
Power train: clutch assembly
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Jeep Wrangler, and 2020-2023 Jeep Gladiator vehicles equipped with manual transmissions. The clutch pressure plate may overheat and fracture.
- Risk
- 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 number 23V116000 · Recall details
Engine
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500, and 2021-2022 Jeep Gladiator vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. The high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) may fail, causing an engine stall.
- Risk
- 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 number 22V767000 · Recall details
Back over prevention: display function
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Jeep Wrangler, RAM 1500 and 2021 Jeep Gladiator vehicles. A radio software error may prevent the rearview image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
- Risk
- 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 number 22V638000 · Recall details
Power train: clutch assembly
- What is wrong
- Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Jeep Wrangler and 2020-2021 Jeep Gladiator vehicles equipped with manual transmissions. The clutch pressure plate may overheat and fracture.
- Risk
- 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 number 21V028000 · Recall details
See all 8 recalls for the 2021 Jeep Gladiator
Defect investigations
Underhood fires
On September 6, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE24024 to investigate allegations of engine compartment fires in model year 2021-2023 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles. Most reports described fires starting on the front passenger side of the engine compartment while the vehicle was turned off, with several originating specifically at the electrohydraulic power steering pump's electrical connector. Following the opening of the investigation, ODI sent an information request letter to the vehicle manufacturer to assess the cause, scope, and frequency of the alleged defect. Additionally, ODI continued to receive reports of vehicle fires with a likely origin at or near the power steering pump. Throughout this investigation, ODI continued to discuss these new reports and the information request letter response with the manufacturer. On June 4, 2026, FCA issued recall 26V363 to address power steering fires caused by high electrical resistance at the pump's connector. Recall 26V363 includes the 781,459 vehicles identified in the opening resume of this investigation and expands the population to include all 2021-2025 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles produced between June 24, 2020, and December 2, 2024.This recall directly covers the vehicles and issues examined in this investigation. Accordingly, ODI is closing this investigation and is not requiring FCA to provide any additional information about this issue at this time. The Agency will continue to monitor field performance and reserves the right to take additional action if warranted by future circumstances. To review the ODI reports cited in the Closing Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to
PE24024
High pressure fuel pump failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-021 on October 14, 2021, to investigate incidents alleging a stall/loss of motive power as a result of high-pressure fuel pump failures in certain model year (MY) 2019-2020 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel engines. During the investigation, ODI sought to determine if the related defect allegation was limited in scope to the recalled population. After review of information request response materials from both FCA and BMW, the federal safety agency determined that sufficient information to identify a comprehensive recall population could not be produced by FCA and BMW.During the investigation FCA filed recalls 22V406, 22E048, 22V767, and 22E087 which include vehicles not identified in the initial subject population by ODI. ODI also received recall 21V586, involving loss of motive power due to failed CP4 fuel pumps on certain BMW manufactured vehicles. An information request letter response received from BMW indicated that failed pumps on their vehicles were caused by an interaction between pump internal components and US market diesel fuel, leading to increased slip and eventual particle-generating wear surface. Additional work will be done to identify whether a similar root cause is associated with the FCA recalled population and if similar wear dynamics occur on pumps supplied to vehicle manufacturers other than those included in the recalled population.ODI has upgraded this investigation to an EA in order to 1) determine engineering specifications of internal pump components that are correlated with pump failure leading to loss of motive power or other safety related hazards, 2) identify vehicle populations equipped with alleged defective pump variants, 3) assess if vehicles equipped with alleged defective pump variants result in an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety and 4) gather and review any other relevant information related to high pressure fuel pump failure associated with the subject populations of recalls 21V586, 21V880, 21E094, 22V406, 22E048, 22V767, and 22E087.Review of the above information will allow the federal safety agency to confirm root cause and recall remedy viability, and identify and evaluate vehicle populations equipped with pump components that may pose an unreasonable risk to motor vehicle safety.The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at: http://www-odi.the federal safety agency.dot.gov/owners/Searchreference using the following complaint identification numbers: 11257550, 11351441, 11361603, 11361616, 11365300, 11365426, 11365858, 11366401, 11372337, 11373793, 11374797, 11376793, 11377871, 11378173, 11384377, 11386063, 11387018, 11399710, 11402550, 11415339, 11418868, 11418870, 11427075, 11434276, 11436807, 11437226, 11437249, 11437273, 11437292, 11437294, 11437394, 11437399, 11437403, 11437405, 11437423, 11437528, 11437565, 11437579, 11437580, 11437590, 11437679, 11437744, 11437781, 11437842, 11437993, 11438006, 11438008, 11438121, 11438138, 11438155, 11438392, 11438629, 11439359, 11439879, 11440397, 11443030, 11446542, 11448163, 11453556, 11458918, 11460558, 11469337
EA23001
Technical service bulletins for the 2021 Jeep Gladiator 700
Bulletins tell dealers how to fix known problems. A warranty extension means the manufacturer pays for that repair for longer.
2021 Jeep Gladiator fuel economy
Official EPA estimates in miles per gallon (MPGe for electric). Ranges cover trims that share the same engine.
| Engine | Drive | City | Highway | Combined |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.0L 6‑cyl Diesel | 4WD | 21-22 | 27-28 | 24 |
| 3.6L 6‑cyl | 4WD | 16-17 | 22-23 | 19 |
What 2021 Jeep Gladiator owners say
Most recent owner complaints, unedited.
While I was driving home with 2 of my boys, the instrument cluster malfunctioned and went completely blank while driving. I had a mechanic check the vehicle and the fuses were/are working fine. He stated that he found issues online about Jeep Gladiators from this model year having issues with the instrument cluster suddenly going blank due to a parts issue. There is an active recall for this issue, but my truck is not included. When I called Jeep Customer Care, I was told that the federal safety agency was responsible for which VIN #'s were included. They also facetiously stated that if I had any issues with that I should reach out to the federal safety agency, so I did. I spoke with a helpful the federal safety agency agent that stated it was the manufacturer who was responsible for which vehicles were included (Call Reference # 1889375) and it would be helpful for me to make a formal complaint using the website.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that two years ago the vehicle was taken to a dealer to be repaired under the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train); to prevent the clutch from overheating. However, the failure started after the vehicle was repaired under the recall repair. The contact stated that while driving, there was smoke coming from under the hood. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, and the vehicle was taken to an authorized dealer to be diagnosed; however, the dealer was unable to perform the inspection or confirm the failure due to the age and mileage on the vehicle. The contact stated that the software update included a transmission kill switch to be activated whenever the clutch overheated, but the kill switch failed to operate as intended. The message that the clutch was overheating was displayed on the instrument panel during the failure. There was a burning odor and smoke during the failure. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 26,000.
My Transmission is skipping on 3rd gear ratio code and reverse is getting stuck with only 70,000 2021 and i was the only owner.
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
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.
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.
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
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.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of the federal safety agency Campaign Number: 26V363000 (Steering). The vehicle was taken to the dealer and the vehicle was inspected, and the contact was informed that the vehicle had passed the inspection. The contact was advised to continue to park the vehicle away from the residence. The contact was confused. The contact asked the dealer why the vehicle was still considered a fire risk. No explanation was provided. The manufacturer was not contacted. The contact had not experienced a failure.
Compare the 2021 Jeep Gladiator
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Other model years
Questions about the 2021 Jeep Gladiator
Is the 2021 Jeep Gladiator reliable?
Owners have filed 293 complaints about the 2021 Jeep Gladiator, close to a typical Gladiator model year.
What is the 2021 Jeep Gladiator year score?
The 2021 Jeep Gladiator scores 69 out of 100 (average). The score compares it with the other model years of the Jeep Gladiator: 75 is a typical year, 50 means twice the usual complaints, and serious complaints and recalls lower it.
What is the most common problem with the 2021 Jeep Gladiator?
Steering, with 95 complaints, typically around 2,900 miles. Next is transmission (71).
How many recalls does the 2021 Jeep Gladiator have?
8 recalls, covering steering, electrical system and power train.
Was there a recall on the 2021 Jeep Gladiator steering?
Yes, 1 recall: 26V363000. Check your VIN to see if your car still needs the free repair.
What year does the Jeep Gladiator have bad steering?
The Jeep Gladiator model years with the most steering complaints are 2020 (182 complaints), 2021 (95 complaints) and 2022 (37 complaints).
What gas mileage does the 2021 Jeep Gladiator get?
Official estimates for the 2021 Jeep Gladiator range from 19 to 24 mpg combined. The most efficient version (3.0L 6-cyl diesel, 4WD) gets 21-22 city and 27-28 highway.
VIN decoder
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Check its historyJeep Gladiator in the news
- Jeep recalls 2026 Grand Cherokee, 2026 Wrangler and 2026 Cherokee and other models over back over prevention camera problem (844,028 vehicles)
- Jeep extends warranty coverage on 2018-2023 Wrangler, 2020-2023 Gladiator and 2021-2023 Wrangler 4xe (structure body)
- Jeep extends warranty coverage on 2018-2022 Wrangler, 2020-2022 Gladiator and 2021-2022 Wrangler 4xe (electrical system)