YearToAvoid

2016 Jeep Wrangler Transmission & Powertrain Problems

NHTSA lists 74 Transmission & Powertrain complaints for the 2016 Jeep Wrangler, 16% of its 460 total complaints. No related recall is listed for this area. Median mileage at failure is 31,500 miles.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints
74
16% of 460
Crashes reported
0
Fires reported
0
Injuries reported
0
Median mileage
31,500 mi
Related recalls
0

Typical transmission symptoms owners report

  • Manual transmission shift lever becomes loose, rotates 360 degrees, and can click or come off its mount, making it hard to select a gear.
  • Some owners report the shift lever connection to the manual transmission breaks entirely, leaving the vehicle stuck in whatever gear it was last in.
  • Vehicle fails to shift into fourth, fifth, or sixth gear, and also fails to engage reverse, requiring a tow to a dealer for diagnosis.
  • Manual transmission pops out of reverse gear and requires extra force to hold it in place while backing up.
  • At low speeds the vehicle becomes stuck in low gear without warning, with the problem recurring multiple times.

When 2016 Jeep Wrangler transmission complaints were filed

First complaint Mar 16, 2016, latest Sep 13, 2026.

2016 Jeep Wrangler transmission & powertrain complaints: complaints filed per quarter112016 Q12017 Q42019 Q22020 Q22022 Q12023 Q22024 Q32026 Q3
74 complaints filed with NHTSA from 2016 Q1 to 2026 Q3; peak 2016 Q3 (11).

Transmission & Powertrain recalls for the 2016 Jeep Wrangler

No safety recalls on record for this model year.

Transmission & Powertrain complaints by Wrangler model year

Raw complaint counts per model year; newer years have had less time to accumulate complaints.

  1. 200541 (6%)
  2. 200657 (8%)
  3. 200746 (8%)
  4. 200867 (8%)
  5. 200934 (9%)
  6. 201068 (10%)
  7. 201140 (8%)
  8. 2012282 (34%)
  9. 2013230 (35%)
  10. 201488 (13%)
  11. 201551 (11%)
  12. 201674 (16%)
  13. 201750 (16%)
  14. 2018176 (10%)
  15. 201979 (11%)
  16. 202047 (8%)
  17. 2021143 (15%)
  18. 202263 (16%)
  19. 202350 (14%)
  20. 2024175 (24%)
  21. 202511 (17%)

Frequently asked questions

How many transmission complaints does NHTSA have for the 2016 Jeep Wrangler?
NHTSA lists 74 complaints in the Transmission & Powertrain area for the 2016 Jeep Wrangler, which is 16% of the 460 total complaints filed for that model year.
Is there a transmission recall for the 2016 Jeep Wrangler?
No related recall is listed in NHTSA data for the Transmission & Powertrain area on the 2016 Jeep Wrangler.
At what mileage do transmission problems show up on the 2016 Wrangler?
The median mileage at failure reported to NHTSA for this area is 31,500 miles.
What are the most common transmission complaints on the 2016 Wrangler?
Owners most often describe a loose or broken manual shift lever, difficulty selecting higher gears, reverse popping out, and the vehicle getting stuck in low gear.
How does 2016 compare to other Wrangler model years for transmission complaints?
The 2016 Wrangler's 16% share of complaints in this area is similar to 2017 (16%) but lower than 2012 (34%) and 2013 (35%), which had the highest shares among the years listed.

Sources: NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation complaint and recall databases; U.S. EPA fuel economy data; NHTSA 5-Star Safety Ratings. Complaints are unverified owner reports.

Data updated Sep 24, 2026. Read the methodology and data sources. The Complaint Index is based on NHTSA owner complaints and recalls; it is not a reliability rating.