2016 Jeep Wrangler: engine stalls while driving

Filed Jul 3, 2026 · Electrical, Engine · MA

My 2016 Jeep Wrangler will buck and jerk when on the highway. I’ll be going a steady speed, not changing speed. I feel the car slow down and stomp on the gas but it goes all the way to the floor and nothing happens. When I try to go into the break down lane, the steering wheel locks up and won’t turn. Usually I take the key out then put it back in the ignition and it starts no problem. Recently, the engine has been stalling when I put the key back in the ignition. I usually have to take the key out and sit on the side of the highway for 5 minutes before starting it up with no problem. This has happened too many times than I’d like to admit. Take it to the shop, no codes come up. Sometimes the engine light will turn on when this happens, other times it doesn’t.

Filed Mar 28, 2025 · Engine · CO

Oil Cooler leaking after multiple replacements causing engine stall while driving and lots of burning and smoke potentially leading to fire.

Filed Jun 27, 2023 · Engine, Transmission · AZ

By way of introduction, I am a seventy-five year old retired Arizona Highway Patrol officer, having left that service in 1992. In October 2016, I purchased new, a Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Rubicon from York Chrysler in Prescott, Arizona, VIN: [XXX]. Sometime after the purchase, the vehicle began to have a disturbing, recurring problem. While in normal operation, the engine will stop. It is as if the ignition has been turned off. The drill I have developed is, while the Jeep is coasting, to shift to Neutral, re-start the engine, shift to Drive, and proceed. Sometimes, the Check Engine Light activates, and sometimes, although less frequently, this is accompanied with the Electrical Stability Control (ESC) Off indicator light. The first time I documented the phenomenon with a visit to the dealership was 17 May 2023. However, I believe that the problem had happened several times prior to that date. Since then, the vehicle has exhibited this problem numerous times; sometimes at a stop, more often while proceeding in normal operation. The engine has stalled several times on the Phoenix, Arizona, freeway system during heavy traffic. Today, the engine stalled again, but would NOT re-start while coasting. I was forced to come to a complete stop, shift to Park, re-start, shift to Drive, and proceed. Often after a re-start, the transmission has difficulty in going into gear, even while in Drive. I have been advised at the dealership that the problem has occurred many times, to many drivers, but that Chrysler cannot diagnose the problem, and thus can’t fix it. Logic suggests that if a collision has not yet been precipitated by this condition, it surely will be… I have discovered that a class-action suite is being considered. Chrysler must be very aware of the problem, yet is effectively forcing owners of the affected vehicles to operate unsafe Jeeps on the public streets. In my opinion, the Federal Government needs to intervene with a mandatory recall. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (

Filed Jun 3, 2023 · Engine · FL

As I drive, the car loses the ability to accelerate. It then passively stalls and the automatic steering locks up. All electrical inside the car still stays on. I put the car in park and it restarts on the first key turn. It has happened up to 3 times in a trip, but it is inconsistent when it happens (not necessarily every trip and not at specific speeds (it happeneded going 70 on the highway as well as going 25 in a neighborhood)). When I brought it to the dealership. I was told unless they could make it happen, they couldn't fix it. They also said even if they could make it happen, they couldn't be sure what it was. The onboard computer that sends error codes indicated different things that have been replaced (computer parts, sensors) and nothing has worked.

Filed Jul 25, 2022 · Engine, Transmission · MI

Cold start, engage reverse and the engine idles really low and sometimes stalls. If I move the shifter to neutral the engine revs back up and does not stall. Rolling down the driveway and then engage reverse the problem does not occur. The issue has been getting worse whether its in the dead of winter or summer.

Filed Apr 19, 2022 · Transmission · CT

Torque Convertor is going bad. On a cold start, when you put Jeep in reverse, it will stall. This started around 50k miles. At first, I thought I did something wrong. Then it started happening more often. I contacted Jeep, but they said they could not do anything because the Powertrain warranty was expired by a couple thousand miles. This is dangerous when I have to back out of my driveway in the morning as it will stall and can take a few times for it to restart. There has been no warning lights or codes that pull up on my OBD2 scanner that would lead me to knowing what the issue is.

Filed Apr 19, 2022 · MD

vehicle stalls while driving. sometimes can restart. sometimes takes a few minutes to restart. no issues prior. no known cause. on freeway doing 65 mph then lost all power. it was difficult to get to safety and i couldn’t move all the way off the road. it’s happened twice.

Filed Mar 22, 2021 · Engine · 71,000 miles · MA

Tl* the contact owns a 2016 jeep wrangler. The contact stated while driving vehicle stalled has stalled at 30mph and at 65 MPH with the check engine warning light illuminated. This has happened randomly at least five times in the past three months. The vehicle was restarted and drove as designed. The vehicle was taken twice to good brothers dodge ram (577 columbian st, south weymouth, ma 02190, (781) 331-8300) however, the mechanic was unable to duplicate the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The contact called quirk chrysler jeep (441 quincy ave, braintree, ma 02184, (781) 917-1400) however, the vehicle was not diagnosed nor repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 71,000. *dt

Filed Mar 9, 2021 · Transmission · 60,000 miles · IL

When transmission is cold and is put in reverse it will cause loss of control and stalling of the vehicle. When restarted the vehicle will run with a very rough low RPM idle, has happened many times over last few months. Will document from now on when it does it again.

Filed Feb 15, 2021 · Transmission · 50,800 miles · NJ

Typically on first start of the day in cold weather (sub 40degrees) with foot on the brake while in putting the jeep into reverse causes it to lurch backwards, drop idle and then stall while in gear.

Filed Dec 29, 2020 · Transmission · 40,000 miles · NJ

On cold days after the jeep has been sitting overnight, the engine will stall when the transmission is shifted into drive or reverse. This happens when the jeep is started and it makes no difference if the car is running for 30 seconds before it is shifted or running for 3 minutes, the engine will stall when shifting into drive or reverse. This happened last winter and has started doing it again now that its cold.

Filed Jun 22, 2020 · Engine, Fuel system · 30,000 miles · NV

When starting car -especially in cold weather-and backing out of parking area engine will stall/jar and at times die out requiring putting into park and restarting. Concern is if this happens in traffic it will cause an accident not being moved fast enough. There is a warranty on the vehicle and this has been an ongoing issue for 6mo + and is continuously questioned and evaluated. We've been told it has occurred in other jeeps and there is a fix but this has yet to be corrected for this vehicle.