2020 Jeep Gladiator Transmission Problems

55 owners have reported transmission & drivetrain problems with the 2020 Jeep Gladiator to NHTSA — 11% of all 484 complaints for this model year. The typical failure happened around 14,000 miles. That ranks #2 of 6 Gladiator model years for transmission complaints (a typical year has 8). 4 related recalls have been issued.

55complaints
14ktypical miles
4related recalls
2crashes
4fires
2injuries

Which parts fail

  • Axle assembly
    1
  • Driveline › Differential unit
    1

Components named in complaints (automatic and manual transmissions, CVT, axles, driveshaft, 4WD/AWD).

Mileage when the problem started

  • Under 25k
    1575%
  • 25k–50k
    210%
  • 50k–75k
    210%
  • 75k–100k
    15%
  • 100k–150k
    00%
  • 150k+
    00%

Owner reports

Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Jeep Gladiator owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).

Electrical system malfunction. Gladiator is burned down completely. Copart now has it under my insurance companies instruction. Large electrical fire. I took my vehicle into the dealer because the start stop feature stopped working. I received a call at the end of the day and was notified that both my batteries where bad. They replaced both under warranty and kept it over night for testing. Received a call the fallowing late morning informing my that my vehicle was repaired and was ready to be picked up. On my way home I was stopped at a light and noticed smoke coming out around the hood. I immediately pulled over and opened the hood. The electrical wire on the passenger side below the fuse panel were burning. I tried to put it out with a towel but was burned. I called 911 but by the time the fire department came it was too late. My Gladiator was completely burned down. …

May 2022 · fire · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to shift into the intended gear. The contact stated he heard an abnormal clucking sound and smelled a burning odor throughout the vehicle. The contact veered the vehicle off the road and notified a towing company. The vehicle was towed to the residence and then towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that pressure plate and clutch assembly had failed and needed to be replaced. The contact stated that he was then informed that the VIN was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact was advised by the dealer to purchase an after-market part to repair the vehicle then seek reimbursement. …

83,000 miles · Oct 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that on several occasions while driving at various speeds, the transmission started slipping. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer confirmed that the parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic who diagnosed the vehicle and determined that the clutch assembly needed to be replaced. Additionally, two transmission mount bolts were missing, and one driveshaft bolt was fractured. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was 18,624.

19,000 miles · Feb 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving, the clutch was slipping. While shifting gears, the clutch failed to engage. The backup camera was inoperable. Additionally, while exiting the express ramp, there was a burning odor detected. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer, who informed him about the fees and replacement of the defective part. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The failure mileage was approximately 38,000.

38,000 miles · Feb 2024

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the clutch was slipping. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact previously received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, who determined that the failure was related to the recall. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was 38,700. VIN tool confirms parts not available. The contact stated the clutch totally failed on 07/12/23. The contact stated there are no parts available to perform the recall.

39,000 miles · Mar 2023

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.

55,000 miles · Jun 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was contacted. The contact stated while driving at various speeds, the clutch felt loose intermittently. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 50,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

50,000 miles · Aug 2023

I was driving on the highway going 80mph in 6th gear and my wife smelled something then the gears started grinding I put it in neutral as I was slowing down I was trying to get to the exit which was about 1/4 mile away so I put the truck in 4th and thats when the transmission exploded sending fire and transmission parts on the highway. I saw flames come out from under the vehicle and from the engine compartment, I told my wife to get out and we got everything that we could grab and within 5 minutes the Jeep was engulfed in flames

Oct 2023 · crash · fire

My truck malfunctioned at an automatic car wash. It has approximately 54k miles. I had no warning lights or system alerts on vehicle or Uconnect app. I stopped in the parking lot & put the Gladiator in Park, I left the ignition on. I got off truck & got a towel to clean interior.There are several spaces to vacuum. I put the vehicle in DRIVE to move forward & out of the way of a patron that was going to reverse out. In DRIVE, I pushed the gas pedal in a slight & normal way. The truck REVERSED in DRIVE position. It accelerated to an unknown speed, it felt constant. I pushed break with foot I pushed D with. Right foot. The breaks didn't work. I tried breaking several times during incident, it was approximately 10 seconds. I didn't have time to use e- break. I don't believe back up camera was displayed. I concentrated on physically looking at surroundings & steering. …

Jun 2022 · crash · 1 injury

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated while driving at approximately 60 MPH, The front end of the vehicle was wobbling violently. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced the Death Wobble. The contact stated that he decelerated below 50 MPH and the vehicle operated as needed. The contact stated that the failure had been recurring while driving above 55 MPH and when hitting a bump. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and a case was opened. The manufacturer referred the contact to the dealer for diagnostic testing. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that unknown tires, the socket drag link outer, the steering damper, the front bar, the power steering gear and the arm Pitman needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. Additionally, the contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond when shifting into reverse (R). …

Oct 2021

Related recalls

Power train › Clutch assembly

NHTSA recall 23V-116 · Feb 23, 2023 · 69,201 vehicles

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.

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.

Power train › Clutch assembly

NHTSA recall 21V-028 · Jan 28, 2021 · 42,887 vehicles

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.

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…

Power train › Clutch assembly

NHTSA recall 20V-124 · Mar 3, 2020 · 33,237 vehicles

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Jeep Wrangler and 2020 Gladiator vehicles equipped with manual transmissions. The clutch pressure plate may overheat and fracture.

Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reroute a wire harness and inspect the clutch system, and replace components as needed. The recall began April 30, 2020.

Power train › Driveline › Driveshaft

NHTSA recall 19V-636 · Aug 29, 2019 · 3,733 vehicles

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Gladiator vehicles. The rear driveshafts may have been incorrectly assembled without grease in the monoblock joint.

Remedy: FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. The recall began October 10, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US number for this recall is V95.

Transmission complaints in other Gladiator years

2020202120222023202420252026557121821
Transmission complaints per model year, Jeep Gladiator.

Frequently asked questions

How common are transmission problems on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator?

NHTSA has 55 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, 11% of the model year's 484 complaints. The component named most often is axle assembly (1 mentions).

Is there a recall for 2020 Jeep Gladiator transmission problems?

Yes — NHTSA recall 23V-116 (clutch assembly, Feb 23, 2023); NHTSA recall 21V-028 (clutch assembly, Jan 28, 2021); NHTSA recall 20V-124 (clutch assembly, Mar 3, 2020). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers.

At what mileage do 2020 Jeep Gladiator transmission problems start?

Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 14,000 miles, and 75% before 25,000 miles.

Is it dangerous?

Owners linked 2 crashes, 4 fires and 2 injuries to transmission & drivetrain 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.