Jeep Gladiator jerking problems

Filed Oct 12, 2026 · Transmission · TN

My 2020 Jeep Gladiator has been experiencing transmission slipping, jerking at 20–30 mph, and rough shifting into Reverse, with diagnostic code P0733. An authorized Jeep dealership inspected the vehicle and confirmed that the transmission problem matches Jeep’s Technical Service Bulletin regarding D-clutch failure. Despite confirming the defect and the need for repair, the dealership returned my vehicle without fixing it. I am concerned about the potential safety risks and request that the federal safety agency investigate this known issue and consider whether a safety recall is warranted.

Filed Oct 15, 2025 · Brakes, Engine · 109,000 miles · MD · crash

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at approximately 40 MPH, the vehicle had suddenly started to vibrate and shake. The contact stated that the vehicle was maintaining its lane but was lurching from left to right. No warnings illuminated. The contact stated that she pulled off to the side of the road; however, when she turned the vehicle on, it would start shaking again. The contact stated that she would keep driving while the vehicle was shaking, and the shaking would eventually stop. The contact stated that the shaking was occurring at any speed and was also triggered when she would drive over any small bumps or dips in the road. The contact stated recently, while she was driving in traffic at approximately 10 MPH, the vehicle started to shake again, however, this time violently. The contact stated that at the time, it was raining. The contact stated that it felt like the vehicle had lifted up, and then she crashed into the guard rail on the driver's side front bumper. The contact stated that the bumper and an LED light bar attached to the front grill had made contact and were slightly damaged, and the driver's side headlight stopped functioning. The police were not called, and the contact was not injured. The contact reported that the driver's side front air bag had deployed but had not inflated and was draped on her lap. The contact had not taken the vehicle to a local dealer or independent mechanic. The vehicle was not diagnosed and was not repaired. The contact reported that after the crash, she observed the check oil and check brake warnings illuminated. The contact stated that she needed to depress the brake pedal with more force in order to stop. The manufacturer was not informed of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 109,000.

Filed Oct 4, 2025 · Acceleration, Brakes · SC

Date of Incident: [XXX] Time: [XXX] Location: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina Vehicle: 2024 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon X Mileage at Time of Incident: Approximately 11,000 miles System Involved: Adaptive Cruise Control / Braking System Speed at Time of Incident: 45 MPH in a 45 MPH zone Road & Weather Conditions: Dry, clear weather, good road conditions Description of Incident: While driving at approximately 45 MPH with the adaptive cruise control engaged, the traffic light ahead turned yellow. As I have done many times before in similar conditions, I applied the brakes firmly to slow and stop for the light. However, the vehicle did not slow down as normally expected. As the light turned red and cross traffic began entering the intersection, I pressed the brakes as hard as possible. The vehicle began to slow, and the tires felt like they were “hopping,” but the vehicle never came to a complete stop. Because I was now in the middle of the intersection with a red light and vehicles entering from other directions, I released the brake to avoid a collision. At that point, the vehicle lurched forward, and I realized the cruise control system was still engaged and was actively propelling the vehicle forward. A short time later, the cruise control system finally disengaged on its own. This malfunction nearly caused a serious accident. Under normal operation, pressing the brake pedal firmly at any speed should immediately disengage adaptive cruise control, but this did not occur. Dealer Response: Immediately after the incident, the vehicle was taken to the Mount Pleasant Jeep dealership, SC. The dealership’s technician connected a diagnostic code reader and stated there were no fault codes. They also checked for Technical Service Bulletins (TSBs) and stated none existed for this issue. The technician told me there was nothing further they could do. The dealership did not perform a road test, did not escalate the issue to the manufacturer. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 5

Filed Jun 16, 2025 · Transmission · 119,000 miles · TN

The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission shifted abnormally roughly. Additionally, the contact stated that the transmission was slipping, and the vehicle was jerking abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed with transmission failure. The contact was informed that the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the check engine warning light illuminated while driving to the dealer, and the dealer reset the code. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure but provided no assistance. The contact was advised to contact the federal safety agency Hotline to report the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 119,000.

Filed Apr 2, 2025 · Steering, Visibility · FL

Steering damper is affected by a recall and i have not received the recall. Causes truck to abruptly jerk left or right causing a lif e threatening matter to everyone one the road

Filed Mar 26, 2025 · Steering · FL

Steering dampner. Causes steering to suddenly make the vehicle jerk to the left or the right when at speeds around 45 mph or higher making it a hazardious risk and safety concern for yourself and also other people.

Filed Jul 30, 2024 · Suspension · 65,000 miles · FL · crash

The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the vehicle jerked and shifted aggressively. The vehicle would rev and jerked forward. The contact mentioned the failure occurred for several weeks. On a most recent occasion, the contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed and making a right turn, the contact heard an abnormal snap coming from the front of the vehicle causing control of the vehicle to be lost. The contact mentioned that the front tires were inwards and the front axle fractured. As a result, the contact crashed into the truck and the vehicle came to a stop. A police report was filed. No injuries were reported. The vehicle was towed to an impound lot. The vehicle was then towed to a collision center where it was diagnosed that the axle and front passenger fender flare needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 65,000.

Filed Jul 16, 2024 · Brakes, Steering · TX

My 2021 Jeep Gladiator received the 19A Clutch Recall in late June 2024. The recall was issued due to clutch pressure plates disintegrating, blowing a hole in the transmission housing, and causing vehicle fires. Upon return, my vehicle was unable to drive smoothly. After further investigation, I determined that if the clutch and throttle were operated concurrently, the engine would shut off. The engine would shut off anywhere between 1 MPH and highway speed causing issues with operating hydraulically assisted systems (power brakes and power steering). In practice, this led to the engine shutting off between most gear shifts causing a jerky driving condition due to the engine needing to clutch start itself. I did not test how well the steering or brakes worked while the engine was shut off due to safety concerns. While pulling into my driveway, I momentarily lost control of the vehicle when the engine died while traveling at low speed and with the steering wheel turned. I lost power steering and was unable to correct the direction in travel before driving onto my lawn. I returned the vehicle to the dealership and replicated the issue for them. They confirmed the issue was present. The issue was determined to be a faulty ECU flash causing the issue. A revised flash was made available to dealerships 7/12/24 and installed in my vehicle 7/15/24. Component that Failed: Faulty ECU flash Safety: The vehicle's engine would shut off while moving Reproduced by Dealership: Yes Inspected by Manufacturer: No Warning lights or messages: No Additional Info: I have been in contact with other owners with the same issue. This faulty ECU flash seems to only have had this effect on 2021 models. The following is personal input. I hope the irony is not lost on you all that a safety recall fix caused an arguably more pronounced and repeatable safety problem. Additionally, I notified Jeep Cares that this could kill or injure someone and they told me to send Chrysler a letter.

Filed Feb 3, 2024 · Transmission · TX

At only 65,000 miles and hitting all of my scheduled maintenance my transmission failed while driving causing me to get stuck in 5th gear and jerking me off the road.

Filed Mar 28, 2023 · Steering · 20,000 miles · WI

The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving approximately 40 MPH and changing lanes, the steering wheel seized. The contact was able to jerk the steering wheel and the steering wheel released. The contact pulled over and restarted the vehicle. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer who informed the contact that the steering gear box would be drained and checked for metal shavings. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not contacted. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.