Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Jeep Gladiator owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Gladiator Overland. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, they would smell a burning odor coming from the clutch. The local dealer was contacted but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated the vehicle caught on fire after being driven for a while. The contact exited the vehicle and the fire department extinguished the flames. No injuries were sustained. A fire report and police report were filed however no information was not available. The contact stated the vehicle was towed to another dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch needed to be replaced. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train) however when the vehicle was taken to a dealer, the contact was informed that the recall remedy was not available as of yet and did not perform an interim fix. …
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 owns a 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the vehicle lost motive power, lost braking power, and lost power steering functionality. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving at high speeds, which caused the contact to be frightened. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times to be diagnosed, but the cause of the failure had not been determined. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired and remained with the dealer. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000. The VIN was unavailable.
Truck had very low power from day 1. Start/stop functionality mpcb short. Engine shacking and making noises. Engine burns oil. Trucks fuel economy is worse then a v12!I was getting 14 miles per gallon. The steering sucks it tilts to the right. Truck feels very unsafe to steer. The steering radius on ir is terrible. Trucks engine temperature goes up when is idling. Starter was staying on and hard to start. Engine would stall crossing the street. Engine stalled in the highway going 65 mph.it generated 10 check engine codes.the chassis of the truck is not completely welded trough. There is gaps all over it.over all the truck flimsy and unstable. The 4x4 was making noises. My oil would get black after 3k miles of driving it.If I was to leave truck on for it to get warm or cold any body could jump in and steal it, even if I have the keys. …
Engine failure due to coolant leak: in December, 2025, vehicle was towed to dealership due to overheating engine. While driving home from work, Vehicle was exhibiting engine overheating including temperature warning lights, temperature gauge fluctuating from normal to extremely high, a strange sound coming from the front of the vehicle (almost like a fan was not working) and running rough, like a diesel idle. I immediately pulled the vehicle off to the side of the road & shut it off. (Fortunately engine didn't seize or exhibit these symptoms while I was on the highway just minutes before) I called dealership & they said it needed to be towed in. After having my vehicle for 10 days, Dealership stated thermostat needed to be replaced. Vehicle then exhibited same symptoms a few weeks later along with a check engine light, vehicle is returned to dealership. …
On May 27, 2026 at approximately 11:00 PM, my 2020 Jeep Gladiator Overland (VIN: [redacted] ) suffered catastrophic engine failure during normal operation at 78,190 miles. The alternator seized, causing the harmonic balancer (crankshaft damper) to fracture. The broken balancer fell into the engine block, causing extensive internal damage requiring complete engine replacement at significant cost. This failure sequence points to a design and/or manufacturing defect in the OEM alternator and/or its mounting system on the 3.6L Pentastar V6. A properly designed alternator should not seize with enough force to fracture the harmonic balancer and deposit debris into the engine block under normal operating conditions. The vehicle was not involved in any accident or operator abuse. …
I have been having problems with my steering 17 thousand miles after I bought this 56k dollar jeep. sometimes the steering wheel locks to the left or to the right when pulling out of parking lots.than it also pulls to the left in the high way. My motor mounts also are not good any more because they make noise and my motor rocks back and forth.The shock absorbers all 4 also need replacement. This jeep is steering and handling is very unstable and I don't feel safe driving it. My starter needs replacement for the 3rd time. my gas consumption is 10 miles to the gallon!!!!my day running lights don't turn on and this issue with lights and electrical problems been with this jeep since 7k miles after I bought! If you leave this jeep on you can take the keys with you it some one can just drive off no keys necessary. my speakers are sounding scratchy for a long time and no repairs to this yet. …
The ESS/Auto Start/Stop system is unavailable rendering the remote start for cold weather unavailable. This issue also effects the reliability of the battery and electrical supply as a whole potentially leading to unexpected engine stoppages and stranding due to a no start scenario. The issue is widespread and well documented among 2018-Current Jeep Rangler models as well as 2020-Current Jeep Gladiator models. Causes are reported by dealers ranging from premature failure of the start/stop auxiliary battery to TPM/distribution box failures. My vehicle has experienced this issue twice with the first occurrence shortly after purchase. With many of the effected vehicles reaching the end of their warranty period, the number of vehicles circulating on highways will increase creating a safety hazard. …
Driving down the highway at normal rate of speed, the engine light came on and then started blinking and I loss power in the engine. After about 10-15 seconds, the engine light went off and the engine regained power. A few minutes later, the same thing occurred. In the mornings when the engine was cold, the engine would sputter when idling and the check engine light would come on. The dealership mechanics found the problem to be the cam shaft lobe being scored causing piston #5 to misfire. The dealership told me that there are 12,000 backlogged requests for this part. In other words, there is a known defect in the cam shaft. The price of repair is over $4000. This needs to be a mandatory recall by the manufacturer!! 12,000 back logged requests for this part? Really? This is a safet issues because of the engine power loss while driving down the highway. …
I have had this vehicle in the shop more times than it has been on the road. It originally started with the auto start stop sensor. They told me to turn that off. They did an update. And it kept happening over and over again where it would cut itself off and I couldn't get it restarted. The fix worked for maybe a month and it started all over again. Now the engine light is on I can be doing 30 miles an hour down the middle of town and it dies even with the auto start stop turned off. The steering is so loose that you have to fight it all the time to keep it in the road. The engine light is on and stays on. And it sounds like a scraping when the vehicle is in motion but the tires have clearance and no issues with their clearance. Checked under the vehicle nothing is under the vehicle. This vehicle has never been off road. I believe it qualifies as a lemon.
Engine complaints in other Gladiator years
Frequently asked questions
How common are engine problems on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator?
NHTSA has 46 complaints about the engine & cooling of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, 10% of the model year's 484 complaints. The component named most often is exhaust system (1 mentions).
Is there a recall for 2020 Jeep Gladiator engine problems?
No. NHTSA lists no engine & cooling recall for the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, though it has 7 recalls for other components. If the problem is widespread, a repair may still be covered by an extended warranty or a manufacturer service bulletin — ask a dealer.
At what mileage do 2020 Jeep Gladiator engine problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 2,000 miles, and 86% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 3 fires and 0 injuries to engine & cooling problems on this model year. If you notice symptoms, have the car checked before driving further.
Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.