Steering complaints by model year
Which parts fail
Components named in complaints (power steering, steering column, rack and pinion).
Mileage when the problem started
What owners report
I parked at a business and went inside and within 5-10 minutes of being in the business my Gladiator caught fire on the front passenger side under the hood. I was ghosted by Jeep Wave and my only course of action was to go through State Farm. Jeep and State Farm both had fire investigators on the same day look at the gladiator and I have never heard what caused the fire.
-The power steering pump electrical wiring harness/connector. The vehicle is subject to active Mopar safety Recall 21D (NHTSA Campaign 26v-363) for an un remedied vehicle fire risk caused by high electrical resistance. Yes, the vehicle and affected component are available for inspection upon request. -Due to the electrical fire risk, the manufacturer has issued an urgent federal directive stating the vehicle must be parked outside and away from structures until it is repaired. Because the manufacturer has not finalized or distributed a permanent replacement remedy, I am forced to store a known fire hazard near public spaces, putting my property and the safety of others at risk. Furthermore, a sudden loss of power steering assist while driving poses an immediate crash hazard. -Yes. The vehicle was brought to an authorized Mopar dealership for inspection on August 7, 2026. …
The contact owns a 2023 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the front of the vehicle started wobbling abnormally. There was no warning light illuminated. The local dealer was contacted; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic for a second opinion, and the contact was informed that the steering stabilizer needed to be repaired. The vehicle was repaired with an aftermarket part; however, the failure reoccurred. There was an appointment scheduled with the dealer to inspect the vehicle. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but provided no assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.
The vehicle suffered a catastrophic, systemic high-speed CAN C data bus loop collapse (Diagnostic Trouble Code U0002-00 "Bus Off"), resulting in an immediate, total loss of communication across almost all primary factory control modules-including the Body Control Module (BCM), Powertrain Control Module (PCM), Transmission Control Module (TCM), and ABS gateway. The vehicle is completely immobilized. This specific network data loop shares an exact architectural footprint and physical circuit link with the high-current electrical defects targeted under active, open Federal Safety Recall Campaign 21D (NHTSA Campaign 21V-363) for this VIN. The franchise dealership (Jacksonville CJDR) is actively using cosmetic visual framing of secondary aftermarket accessories to avoid executing baseline electrical isolation of this factory defect. …
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while an independent mechanic was driving 60 MPH, the vehicle drove over a pothole, and the steering wheel and the front end of the vehicle shuddered violently. The contact stated that the vehicle experienced the "Death Wobble". The mechanic diagnosed that the steering column and other unknown parts needed to be replaced. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that unknown parts of the front end of the vehicle needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired. Additionally, the vehicle remained at the dealer for the recall repair of NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V652000 (Electrical System); 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 manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. …
The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle drove over a pothole, and the vehicle went into the death wobble. No warning lights were illuminated. The failure had occurred on several occasions. The vehicle was taken to a dealer where it was diagnosed and determined that the steering damper needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was determined that the steering damper, a bolt, and the shoulder on the square neck needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure persisted. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 3,196.
My name is [redacted] , and I am writing to formally submit a complaint regarding the loss of my vehicle due to engine fire. The vehicle was a 2021 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon, VIN [redacted] , with approximately 26,666 miles at the time of loss. I purchased the vehicle on May 13, 2021. The fire occurred on July 10, 2025. I was driving on the freeway, and my vehicle lost power and dashboard warning lights illuminated. When I pulled over, the engine was on fire. The fire department came and doused the flames but my entire engine was destroyed. After the fire, I retained legal counsel and initiated an independent investigation through Fire Cause Analysis in Berkeley, California. Their findings identified the origin of the fire as being linked to the power steering pump electrical connector. …
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated while driving 35-65 MPH and driving over minor bumps on the roadway, the vehicle experienced a death wobble. The contact stated that the steering wheel and the front end of the vehicle were shuddering violently, causing the contact to lose control of the vehicle. The contact depressed the brake pedal to slow down and allowed the vehicle to stop shuddering. The contact stated that the failure recurred several times while driving. The vehicle was taken to the dealer several times, where it was test-driven, but the failure could not be replicated. The vehicle was not repaired. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic, where the drag link assembly and other unknown parts were replaced. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure, but no assistance was provided. …
Related recalls (1)
Steering › Hydraulic power assist › Pump
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2025 Jeep Wrangler, Wrangler 4XE, and Jeep Gladiator vehicles. The electric hydraulic power steering pump wiring may overheat and cause a vehicle fire, even when the vehicle is parked with the ignition in the "Off" position.
Remedy: Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures, until their vehicle is repaired. Dealers will inspect and replace the wiring and electric hydraulic power steering pump, as necessary, free of charge.
NHTSA investigations
Underhood fires
On September 6, 2024, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE24024 to investigate allegations of engine compartment fires in model year 2021-2023 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles. Most reports described fires starting on the front passenger side of the engine compartment while the vehicle was turned off, with several originating specifically at the electrohydraulic power…
Frequently asked questions
Which Jeep Gladiator years have steering problems?
By NHTSA complaints, the 2020 (181), 2021 (94), 2022 (36), 2023 (10) and 2024 (7) model years. Steering complaints make up 37% of all complaints for the 2020.
Is there a recall for Jeep Gladiator steering problems?
Yes — 1 recall, including 26V-363 (pump, Jun 4, 2026). Recall repairs are free at authorized dealers; check a specific car with the VIN recall check.
At what mileage do Jeep Gladiator steering problems start?
Across all years, half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 2,000 miles; 98% happened before 50,000 miles.
What part fails most often?
Owners most often name the linkages › drag › link › connection (2 mentions), followed by the hydraulic power assist › pump (2).
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.