Mileage when the problem started
Owner reports
Selected complaints filed with NHTSA by 2020 Jeep Wrangler owners, lightly cleaned up (personal details are redacted by NHTSA).
I was driving my 2020 Jeep Wrangler Sahara with 34,950 miles on it on the night of 12/13/2022 along I 89 in New Hampshire at a steady 65mph in 6th gear in the far-left lane. Suddenly the tachometer started soaring towards the redline. Before it hit redline, there was an explosion underneath the Jeep. As I looked in the mirror to get to the side of the road, I saw two chunks of glowing hot metal exiting the underside. There were no warning lights or other indication of what was about to happen. I got it safely to the breakdown lane. Someone called in a small brush fire because a fire truck showed up, then a couple of State Police Troopers showed up and helped call a tow truck. It cost $350 for the tow to the nearest dealership and the Uber home. At the dealership I could see a huge crack in the transmission case. …
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. 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 made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving at 2 MPH, the vehicle started to stall, and the vehicle was downshifting. The contact was unaware of any warning lights being illuminated. The transmission downshifted with a burning odor and was losing power intermittently. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired after the recent failure, because the dealer informed the contact that the parts were on backorder. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. …
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that there was an abnormal burning odor, and a grinding metal sound coming from the vehicle while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact also stated that the Auto On/Off warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and provided the contact a case number. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 60,407. VIN tool confirms parts not available.
The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel failed to respond while attempting to make a left or right turn. No warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train) however, the dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the failure was a known issue. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that he was concerned for his safety while driving the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was denied the repair due to the vehicle having a Salvage Title. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.
Engine surges forward when coming to a stop (brakes applied) or when at a complete stop and the engine is in drive.this happened in Aug 2020 with 5000 miles on Odometer, and again in June 2022 with 26000 miles.
Clutch pedal intermittently sticks when pressed to the floor. If you press and hold the clutch to the floor and release it slowly you can feel it bind up. 3 things normally happen. #1. It will stick to the floor #2. It will stick for a short time and as you raise your foot, the pedal will hit the bottom of your foot, jerking the jeep forward. #3 it does release as normal. I have taken the Jeep to the dealer last year 8/21 and they couldn't replicate the issue. However they reported a leaky hose that they replaced. I couldn't identify any hoses that were newly replaced. It has gotten progressively worse and now I can replicate the issue after a few attempts. When at a complete stop pointing uphill there is a risk of rolling back into another vehicle if the clutch doesnt engage. Transitioning from a complete stop to moving forward is not very smooth if the clutch pops up on its own. …
One day, my check engine light came on but when I went to Auto Zone no issues came back. The light came on again a week later so I went back to Auto Zone (I attached the photo of the diagnostic they gave me). I went back to the Jeep Dealership and they said the next available would about a week later but I would be fine in the meantime. I unfortunately was not fine. I attached screenshots from the video of all the issues that popped up during the incident a few days later. My steering wheel locked up while I was driving. My car came to a complete sudden stop like it automatically went into park while I was driving. Then, the windshield wipers started going by themselves. My gas meter went down to E then back up and down. The car not go into park and it would not turn off by pressing the push start button. I had to call a tow truck because I could not move. …
Randomly the check engine light will appear and the dash will display multiple messages about service needed for traction control, stability control, auto start stop disabled, service cruise control etc. Then while driving you will lose power steering and this almost caused my daughter to wreck while trying to finish a turn. Additionally when the messages appear the vehicle will not have the ability to shift so you can not reverse and once it shut off in the middle of the highway blocking traffic and almost caused multiple accidents. The dealership has replaced the battery sensor and said it was fixed. I was told to replace the primary and secondary battery to ensure it was not a battery problem and I did, however the issue still remains. Looked online for others with this issue and there are many with the exact problem. …
The AutoPark sensors, ( Park Collision Warning), in my 2020 Jeep Wrangler randomly triggers and engages AutoPark. The false triggers randomly occur when the vehicle is in reverse. The condition occurs at very low speed after the brake is touched. The false triggers occur during daylight or night conditions. Once AutoPark is engaged the vehicle will not move. The engine must be turned off and sometimes the AutoPark switch must be turned off before the vehicle will move. There is usually no object within 15 feet of my vehicle to trigger the autopark sensors. I videotaped some of the occurrences using my cell phone. The Jeep service department is not able to diagnose the problem. In addition, the false triggers are not creating system log entries to prove the event occurred. Jeep service department will not use my videos as evidence the event happened. …
While driving on the highway, the check engine light illuminated. Approximately 5 to 10 minutes later, the battery warning light came on. Upon exiting the highway and coming to a stop at an intersection, the automatic engine Start/Stop system engaged and shut down the engine. When attempting to safely proceed, the vehicle suffered a complete electrical failure due to the 48V mild-hybrid eTorque system failing to restart the engine. The vehicle refused to crank, would not shift, and became entirely disabled and stranded in the middle of a live intersection, creating an extreme safety and collision hazard. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealership, where technicians officially confirmed the failure. …
Related recalls
Power train › Clutch assembly
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
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
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.
Transmission complaints in other Wrangler years
Frequently asked questions
How common are transmission problems on the 2020 Jeep Wrangler?
NHTSA has 47 complaints about the transmission & drivetrain of the 2020 Jeep Wrangler, 8% of the model year's 616 complaints.
Is there a recall for 2020 Jeep Wrangler 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 Wrangler transmission problems start?
Half of the complaints with a recorded mileage happened before about 5,000 miles, and 80% before 25,000 miles.
Is it dangerous?
Owners linked 1 crash, 1 fire and 0 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.