2020 Jeep Gladiator Transmission & Powertrain Problems
NHTSA lists 54 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, 11% of all complaints for the year, with a median failure mileage of 12,500 miles. Four related recalls cover clutch pressure plate overheating and rear driveshaft grease defects.
- Transmission & Powertrain complaints
- 54
- 11% of 483
- Crashes reported
- 2
- Fires reported
- 4
- Injuries reported
- 2
- Median mileage
- 12,500 mi
- Related recalls
- 4
Typical transmission symptoms owners report
- Owners describe the transmission or driveline grinding metal-to-metal, in some cases followed by smoke, fire, or total loss of the vehicle at highway speed.
- Manual-transmission owners report a burning clutch smell shortly after purchase, sometimes with visible smoke from the clutch area.
- Some drivers report noise and vibration coming from the front driveshaft area, later diagnosed by dealers as defective front drive shafts needing replacement.
- Several owners report the rear locker engaging on its own while driving in 2-wheel-high mode at highway speed and refusing to disengage, requiring a tow.
- A few complaints describe uncontrolled front suspension oscillation, sometimes called death wobble, occurring repeatedly during driving.
When 2020 Jeep Gladiator transmission complaints were filed
First complaint Sep 27, 2019, latest Sep 5, 2026.
Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2020 Jeep Gladiator
- NHTSA 23V116000Feb 23, 2023Transmission & Powertrain69,201 vehicles
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.
Risk: Overheated clutch components may increase the risk of a fire. Additionally, damage to other nearby components can result in debris falling onto the road or a loss of drive, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. Owners may contact (FCA US, LLC) customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is 19A. This recall expands and replaces previous recall 21V-028. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 21V-028 will need to have the new remedy completed.
- NHTSA 21V028000Jan 28, 2021Transmission & Powertrain42,887 vehicles
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.
Risk: Overheated clutch components may increase the risk of a fire. Additionally, damage to other nearby components can result in debris falling onto the road or a loss of drive, increasing the risk of a crash.
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 ordered a stop sale for the affected vehicles as of February 25, 2021. Owner notification letters were mailed on March 4, 2021.
- NHTSA 20V124000Mar 3, 2020Transmission & Powertrain33,237 vehicles
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.
Risk: The overheated clutch components may increase the risk of a fire. Additionally, damage to other nearby components can result in debris falling onto the road or a loss of drive, increasing the risk of a crash.
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. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W12.
- NHTSA 19V636000Aug 29, 2019Transmission & Powertrain3,733 vehicles
Power train:driveline:driveshaft
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.
Risk: A joint without grease may overheat and seize, possibly causing the driveshaft to fracture, resulting in a sudden loss of drive power. If the driveshaft completely separates from the vehicle it may become a road hazard. Either of these scenarios can increase the risk of a crash.
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 & Powertrain complaints by Gladiator model year
Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.
Frequently asked questions
- How many transmission complaints does the 2020 Jeep Gladiator have?
- NHTSA lists 54 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2020 Gladiator, which is 11% of all 483 complaints filed for that model year.
- Is there a transmission or clutch recall for the 2020 Jeep Gladiator?
- Yes. NHTSA lists three recalls (campaigns 23V116000, 21V028000, and 20V124000) covering manual-transmission clutch pressure plates that may overheat and fracture, plus a separate recall (19V636000) for rear driveshafts assembled without grease.
- At what mileage do 2020 Gladiator transmission problems typically show up?
- The median mileage at failure for Transmission & Powertrain complaints on the 2020 Gladiator is 12,500 miles.
- Were there any fires or crashes linked to transmission problems in the 2020 Gladiator?
- NHTSA data tied to this problem area includes 4 fires, 2 crashes, and 2 injuries for the 2020 Gladiator.