Engine complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (engine, cooling system, oil leaks, timing chain, exhaust).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
Our 2024 Jeep Gladiator caught fire under the hood. It is a total loss and my partner was in the vehicle when this happened. He'd just arrived to his destination and was incredibly close to be driving when this happened. This happened by another parked vehicle. This is still under investigation by our insurance and they've determined a cause. We had JUST had our battery replaced by the dealership as it was shorting out. After the incident we discovered this has happened to others as well. It's incredibly frustrating as this was our very first new car purchase and has put great fear into trusting we're safe. Not to mention the disruption and stress it's caused us because of this daily.
The contact owns a 2024 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated while driving approximately 40 MPH, the steering wheel became firm, and the check engine and battery warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that simultaneously, the temperature gauge rose to HOT(H) and remained on HOT(H). The vehicle was turned off and was towed to the dealer and the contact was informed that the alternator had failed causing the power steering and the battery failures. The contact was informed that the alternator needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired due to parts not being available. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.
The contact owns a 2023 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that after parking the vehicle and turning the engine off, approximately two hours later the contact discovered smoke and flames coming from the engine compartment of the vehicle. The fire department was called to the scene and extinguished the flames. During the fire, the garage was destroyed and the exterior of the home was partially damaged. A fire report was taken at the scene and the vehicle was later towed away. The fire department and insurance investigator concluded that the fire had originated in the engine compartment of the vehicle. The exact cause of the fire was not determined. The manufacturer was notified of the fire. The local dealer was not contacted. The failure mileage was 1000.
The contact owns a 2023 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that there were several electrical issues while driving the vehicle at various speeds; there were surges in the RPM accompanied by the vehicle wobbling abnormally. The contact stated that the instrument panel was completely blank. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer, where it was diagnosed, and the contact was advised that the PCA harness was faulty and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 38,000.
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while the vehicle was occupied and driven at 5 MPH in the residential driveway, smoke started to be emitted from under the hood. The contact opened the hood and discovered fire primarily emitting from the top of the battery. No warning lights illuminated. The contact then used a broom to try to turn off the fire, and the contact then used water to turn off the fire. There were no injuries sustained. The contact did not file a fire report, and a police report was not filed. The fire was extinguished by the contact with water to certain the fire was extinguished. The vehicle had damage due to the fire, however, it was not destroyed. …
I parked my car in the garage. It was turned off. I left the garage door open and went inside. After approximately 5 minutes I heard a car horn sounding. I went outside to check and saw flames coming from the passenger side of the car. I got the hose to put the fire out, and my neighbor called 911. The flames grew quickly and were growing. Soon the flames were on both sides of the car. Both the police and fire department arrived. The fire report indicates that the fire started in the engine area of the car. The car is now in the possession of my insurance company. My safety and the safety of others was at risk due to the fire. I was burned on my arm, neck and head. The car was completely burned. My insurance carrier inspected the car. The fire department said the fire started in the engine area. …
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, there was an alarming amount of white smoke emanating from the engine compartment and permeating the interior of the vehicle, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway and evacuate the vehicle. Moments later, the entire front of the vehicle was completely engulfed in flames. Local Emergency Services arrived on the scene and were able to extinguish the fire. During the failure several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the residence and deemed a total loss by the Insurance provider. A fire report was filed and preliminary findings on the potential cause of the fire were provided but the contact was unaware of the cause. A Police report was filed, and injuries were reported. …
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 22V767000 (Fuel System, Gasoline, Engine) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An undisclosed dealer was contacted and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The contact stated that on two separate occasions while driving approximately 60-75 MPH, the vehicle inadvertently decelerated while the accelerator pedal was depressed. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the high-pressure fuel pump had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. …
Related recalls (1)
Engine
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500, and 2021-2022 Jeep Gladiator vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. The high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) may fail, causing an engine stall.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the HPFP and inspect and replace additional fuel system components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 17, 2023.
Frequently asked questions
Which Jeep Gladiator years have engine problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2021 (54), 2020 (46), 2022 (20) and 2023 (7) model years. Engine complaints make up 18% of all complaints for the 2021.
Is there a recall for Jeep Gladiator engine problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 22V-767 (engine, Oct 13, 2022). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Jeep Gladiator engine problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 13,000 miles; 89% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the exhaust system (1 mentions).
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.