2018 Jeep Wrangler: won't start

Filed Dec 27, 2025 · Electrical, Transmission · NC

My 2018 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited has experienced repeated no-start failures and electrical/CAN-bus communication issues. The vehicle has intermittently failed to start and ultimately became completely inoperable. Due to the electrical failure, the vehicle was towed to an authorized Jeep dealership on June 8, 2025. Despite remaining in the dealership’s possession for several months, no diagnostic testing or repairs have been completed. The electrical failure prevents safe and reliable operation of the vehicle and poses a risk of being stranded without warning. As of December 2025, the vehicle remains inoperable and unrepaired.

Filed Sep 3, 2025 · Airbags, Seat belts · CA

I have brought my vehicle in for 3 time for the dealership to take a look at Europe messages I have received. It is currently with them right now.as the start stop function is now not working. This happened while in the dealers possession and was working normally prior to me being it into the dealership. They said they repaired a vacuum leak. After the apportionment I noticed the start stop function wasn’t working and it said battery charging. I took my vehicle on a long drive to charge the auxiliary battery, but nothing changed. I brought the car back to the dealership and they are now saying they are not responsible as a battery can drain at any time. I have asked for dates on their OBD scans but they either do not have them or are unwilling to provide them to me. I asked what systems the auxiliary battery affects other than the start stop function. They told me seat belts, dash lighting and obviously emission because the vehicle will not start and stop the way it is supposed to, and continues to run while sitting at a light or stopped in traffic. I am currently waiting on results regarding the start stop function.

Filed Mar 11, 2025 · Brakes, Electrical · NC

While driving the transmission and clutch system blew up. And I mean that in the literale sense. Sparks and a big flash. Unfortunately, I was an hour away from where I live. This caused me to have to find a way home and find a tow company that would be able to pick up my jeep on the side of the highway, tow it an hour to me. I couldn't afford that, so it was taken to the Chrysler dealership there and it was there for a month before they could work on it due to the parts having to be ordered and shipped in. Once the entire clutch system and transmission fully replaced I have to find a way to go back and pick it up. It was after hours when I finally got to it. That's when the mechanic that worked on it researched and found the recall for the transmission and clutch system because they would blow up. Just as mine did. But the next set of problems started as soon as I picked my jeep up. Pulls to the right when braking, push start won't start saying the fobs are not detected while I'm holding them in my hands. All lights on cluster go off randomly, the steering wheel locks up while I'm driving causing more danger. The traction control, sway bar will go off and on as well as the push start will not turn off. I did manage to take a short clip of this happening while I'm driving.

Filed Mar 8, 2024 · Electrical · OK

Began receiving hundreds of error codes. The vehicle, while operating, would have the lockers engage, disengage, wouldn't start suddenly, ABS activated, sway bar disengaging, and other things. This represented a tremendous saftey risk for any occupants and was quite frightening. We had it at the dealership several times. We spent $1000 replacing both batteries and all harnesses were checked. The problem improved but never was fully resolved. Now a year after all of that work, we are experiencing more problems again.

Filed Mar 12, 2023 · Electrical, Steering · NY

Displays, "Service Shifter". Often followed by many, mostly random warnings, gauges fluctuate wildly, and disabled stop/start, traction and stability control; and sometimes loses power steering, and stalls and won't restart. The stereo volume, wipers, and cabin fan speed also can fluctuate wildly; worst case. This issue first appeared after going through a puddle, and seems to be exacerbated by high EMF areas; this is only corollary. This vehicle has never been used roughly or off road. The obvious dangers are, spontaneous maniacal warnings are a significant distraction to driving; if stop/start is not disabled vehicle will not start after stop at intersection, causing disruption to traffic; if power steering randomly stops working, which occurs while stopped or driving, the vehicle is nearly impossible to drive, and can only practically be driven by a strongman athlete. The coup de grâce where everything goes berserk, is usually when parked and attempting to reset the condition. The problem has not been reproduced by a dealer or service center; I have spent days inspecting grounds, harnesses, and inspecting, cleaning and replacing connectors. There's also a long list of mostly random codes for nearly everything, including the persistent lost communication with TCM. Up to October 2022 and 66,000 miles the only warnings or codes were for, wheel sensor (rep under warrantee), and "Small Leak In Vapor Recovery System" (leaky gas cap). A month+ after the warrantee expired, at about 66,000 mi, the vehicle began to generate random warnings and codes, and became unbearable (and dangerous) to drive. My observations and inspections and limited testing (haven't probed system circuits directly) lead to an assertion that the problem is system wide; many wildly various, mostly non repeatable, codes are recorded, systems that shut down are wildly various and not always repeatable; like there's nothing specifically or consistently wrong-but everything is failing. 5V reg in TCM?

Filed Jan 17, 2023 · PA

Had a diagnostic done for a leak that had happened yesterday. It is the Oil filter housing under intake. From 13-17 there ARE recalls on this but for an 18 there isn’t. There was an unidentified smell when I got out of the vehicle. There were No warnings on my Jeep. I came out to my Jeep hours after to see a leak under my Jeep. Looked under and It is all over my transmission and oil pan. Very little on the ground but left with no oil in my Jeep. If it did not start dripping from those parts I never would have known about a leak and it could have blown the engine in so blowing up my vehicle.

Filed Jan 8, 2023 · Electrical · CA

2018 Jeep JLU Sahara 3.6 - Several weeks prior to January 2022 I noticed the Electronic Stop Start ESS feature was no longer working. There was also a message indicating the ESS was not working due to the battery charging. I took the Jeep to my mechanic (Not Jeep dealership mechanic) on January 14, 2022. The main battery voltage was checked and was above 12.7 volts. The auxiliary battery was checked and was approx 10.5 volts. I decided to replace the the auxiliary battery. Once replaced the ESS system started to work again and all electronic features returned to normal. Sometime in November 2022 the ESS stopped working. The ESS error message returned indicating the ESS was not working due to the battery charging. In late December 2022 the Jeep had a dead main (original) battery. The main battery was jumped and the vehicle started and ran normally for about a week. The voltage was checked several times using the voltage meter in the settings menu. Each time the voltage showed reading above 14 volts. One week after the first dead battery the battery went dead again. It was jumped again and started. The vehicle remained on and in park for one hour and was then driven. During the test drive I stopped the Jeep momentarily in the roadway to check the ignition. The Jeep did not start and could not be jumped. As a result of the battery failure my vehicle was blocking the roadway and could not be shifted out of park and into neutral. This was a dangerous situation. Later the voltage on both batteries was checked. The main batt voltage was 10.5 and the aux battery was 10.8 volts. This is a 2018 Jeep JLU. The first aux battery failed and was replaced in January 2022. The second aux battery has failed and will be replaced in January 2023 along with the main (original) battery. Three battery failures in one year is not acceptable.

Filed Oct 8, 2022 · Electrical · NM

I have had repeated issues attempting to start the vehicle and it will not turn over. This usually occurs after I have driven the vehicle for at least 45 min. All lights and components turn on but the engine will not turn over, no indication that the engine is engaging. I tried starting in neutral and it does not engage. Battery is new, terminals are clean and fit properly. Vehicle is grounded. Sometimes after a half hour or more it will start. This happens at least once a week. Taken to mechanic e times and cannot get it to repeat.

Filed Jul 1, 2022 · Electrical · MI

When driving, vehicle will start throwing codes and lights, losing power steering and at times after this happens will not shift out of park. Also after this happens sometimes it will not start or shut off.

Filed Dec 21, 2021 · Electrical · NM

Vehicle failed to restart at the rest area with 18,000 miles on it. I called the service truck and made a report to the dealer the vehicle started within 15 minutes of setting . Went to dealership and had the Jeep checked out. They could not find any thing that was wrong. We were told it had to be malfunctioning to find the problem. Today we were at a grocery store stopped came back in the vehicle would not start. After about 15 minutes vehicle started, while leaving the parking lot the Jeep made a bucking hesitating movement. I Called the dealer they said the Vin number was not on recall. The 2018 jk Jeep has 22,000 miles on it. Found this U 87 recall on the powertrain Control module. Thank you

Filed Sep 20, 2021 · Electrical · KS

Stop/Start feature began intermittently working only in March of 2020. Stopped working completely in May. On July 31, 2020 it began functioning. Never worked again after that day. In March 2021 I had the vehicle serviced and advised the dealership it was not functioning. No tests were run and was advised I needed to drive the vehicle more to keep the auxiliary battery charged. On September 12, 2021, vehicle would not start after driving it most of the day. Had to jump start to get running. Would not start the next morning. On 9/13/21, jump started and driven to dealership. R/O Number 6085781/1. Installed BBAUX101AB battery due to Start/Stop battery failed. Stop/Start was not functioning upon leaving dealership. Did not function until 9/19/21 at 8:50am at an intersection. Disengaged the function by pressing the button on the dash. Vehicle shut down, displayed push brake to start. Vehicle put in park. Would not start. Had to use pull cord under gear shift to get in neutral and push out of roadway. Jump started to drive. Vehicle displayed "Stop Safely, vehicle will shut off soon." while driving down the street. Upon arrival, put in reverse to enter driveway, vehicle stopped reversing, felt like it was in neutral, vehicle engine began racing, instrument panel began flashing warnings, had to forcefully hold the brake, would not shift in to park or drive. All gear lights lit up on gearshift. Was afraid the vehicle was going to accelerate and crash. Passengers immediately abandoned the vehicle. Pushed to the start button and vehicle finally shut down. Warning flashing were: Service Electronic Stability Control, Service Power Steering, Service Airbag System, Service 4WD, Service Antilock Brake System, Passenger Airbag On (with no passenger). Instrument needles began moving up and down and would not stop. Opened door and needles ticked, blank screen and a ding. Did this for over an hour before all stopped. Vehicle completely dead. Will not jumpstart.

Filed Jul 14, 2021 · Electrical, Engine · MI

I was in my car at a gas station and the car had shut down with ABS light, check engine light. The car would not start up with push to start. The shifter also was locked into place when the car eventually ended up starting. 5 mins later the car finally started up and all the of the warning lights/messages went away. I received an oil change + inspection from a dealership and nothing was found. This same problem happened again in a parking lot, (ABS, check engine, car not turning on) and I took my car to the dealership for service. They performed an inspection and I was told the ABS module needed to be replaced. About a week later I picked up my car from the dealership after they told me they fixed the issue and my car was good to go. THE SAME DAY, I had the same problem except this time it was significantly worse and extremely dangerous for myself and others. This time, WHILE driving my "serviced" vehicle, the ABS light, check engine light came on, dashboard stopped working, and the steering wheel also had locked while DRIVING and I was unable to turn. I was extremely terrified and I immediately pulled the car over. After multiple attempts to start the car (same issue as before: car would not start, ABS/check engine light) I promptly took the vehicle to the dealership again. The dealership is charging me again for another inspection, hours after their service? It seems that they are using this as an opportunity to make money, rather than actually fix the issue with the vehicle. This should not be about money, this is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. The service the dealership has provided not only endangered my life, but the lives of others around me. I am extremely fortunate that this did not happen on the freeway. The dealer did not fix the problem, and in fact made the car dangerous with some of these new issues, the steering wheel locking up and the disabled dashboard. The part they replaced did not fix my car and put me, as well as others in a DANGEROUS situation.