2020 Jeep Gladiator: What to check before buying
Owners have filed 461 complaints with NHTSA about this car, most about the steering, electrical, and transmission. The 9 checks below target those problems, in the order you would do them at the car.
2020- Owner complaints
- 461
- Recalls
- 7
- Crashes reported
- 10
- 5 injuries
Your inspection sheet
Tick items off on your phone at the car, or print it. Ticks stay on this device.
0/9 checked
2020 Jeep Gladiator: inspection sheet
Paperwork and questions
Before you go, or before you touch the car0/1
Walk-around and cabin
Engine off, key in hand0/2
Cold start, engine bay, and underside
Ask the seller not to warm the car up first0/3
Test drive
At least 20 minutes, with some highway0/3
These checks are specific to this model year. For tires, body panels, fluids, and the other basics every used car needs, use the general inspection guide.
Which Gladiator is it?
EPA figures for each version of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator. Use them to confirm you are looking at the version that was advertised, and as a yardstick on the test drive.
| Version | Drive | EPA rating |
|---|---|---|
| 3.6L 6-cyl | 4WD | 19 mpg |
- Reset the trip computer at the start of the drive. A Gladiator that averages well under the EPA 19 mpg combined on a mixed route may have an engine or tire problem.
Check the odometer against these mileages
Owners report these failures starting around the mileages below. A car inside one of these ranges deserves a closer look at that part, or records showing it was already fixed.
Loose, wandering steering
460–6,000 miles
Manual clutch or transmission failure
16,000–35,000 miles
Instrument cluster goes black
20,500–105,000 miles
Death wobble front-end shake
24,000–80,000 miles
Major engine failure
48,000–75,000 miles
Why these checks: what owners reported
NHTSA complaints for the 2020 Jeep Gladiator, grouped by the part owners named. Open a row to read what goes wrong.
Steering1792 crashes
Loose, wandering steering is the main complaint. Drivers describe constant correcting to stay in the lane, dead spots in the wheel, and slow response, often from the first few hundred miles. A second pattern is a violent front-end shake known as death wobble. It is usually set off by a bump or uneven pavement at highway speed. Two complaints involve crashes, including one truck that left the road in snow. Repeat dealer visits, steering box replacements, and a service bulletin repair often bring no improvement. Some owners report waiting months for steering gear parts.
Electrical147No crashes
The instrument cluster screen goes black without warning. The fuel gauge, odometer, and warning messages disappear with it. This is the most frequent electrical report, at mileages from about 20,500 to 105,000. Owners describe trucks parked for weeks or months while a replacement part is back-ordered, and some out-of-warranty owners pay for the repair themselves. Other reports describe sudden loss of all power at highway speed, throttle control warnings followed by loss of acceleration, and blind-spot lights that stay on. One complaint is fire-related.
Transmission442 crashes
Manual transmission and clutch failures lead this category. Owners report slipping, overheating, burning smells, and charred clutches at about 16,000 to 35,000 miles, and some replacement transmissions slip again. Several transmissions fail at speed, with grinding, getting stuck in gear, and in some cases fire under the truck. Four complaints involve fire and two involve crashes. Other reports describe sudden loss of power, braking, and power steering, plus wheel speed sensor faults that disable ABS and 4WD. Repair bills cited run from $3500 to $10,000.
Engine22No crashes
Multiple-cylinder misfires with code P0300 show up on nearly new trucks, sometimes within the first few hundred miles. They come with auto start/stop warnings and rough cold starts. Dealers often clear the codes, replace coils and plugs, or update software without curing the problem, and some tear down the engine. Later reports describe ticking, worn intake camshaft lobes, coolant loss, and complete engine failure at roughly 48,000 to 75,000 miles. One engine replacement cost $11916.16. One complaint describes a fire that followed a burning clutch smell.
Wipers and visibility18No crashes
Sun visors break at the mount or slip out of their sockets and drop into the driver's view, often at highway speed. This is the most common complaint in this category. Some failures happen under 3,000 miles, and replacement parts do not always last. Other reports describe defrost air coming only from the center vents, so snow and ice stay on the driver's side. Owners also report washer fluid that barely reaches the windshield at highway speed, a leaking rear window that fogs the glass, and one windshield that cracked without any impact.
Suspension11No crashes
Violent front-end shaking, called death wobble, starts after bumps, bridges, or rough pavement at speeds around 65 to 70 mph. Reported mileages range from 24,000 to 80,000. Dealers often cannot find a cause, and in one case a replaced stabilizer only delayed the problem's return. Other complaints describe wandering and steering play, rear control arm welds that keep breaking, and a front shock bracket that broke off the axle and cut into the tire. One report concerns aftermarket control arms rather than factory parts.
Body and structure7No crashes
Water leaks through the roof panel seals and around the rear window. One owner was quoted $1800 for a rear window cracking around its frame, with no warranty coverage. Soft-top latches can let go at highway speed and allow the top to fly open. In one report the top tore loose and broke several hinges. Sun visor mounts also fail in this category. One complaint describes the aluminum door skin separating from the steel structure inside, which causes a clicking sound.
Brakes63 crashes
Sudden braking failures cause crashes in three of the six complaints. Reports describe brakes locking at low speed when a sensor triggers, ABS shutting off after a sensor failure, and a spongy pedal that sinks to the floor. Hardware problems include missing caliper bolts. In another case a brake pad and caliper bracket came loose and punctured a tire at about 33,000 miles. Dealers acknowledge some of these problems without fixing them.
In owners' own words
Excerpts from complaints Gladiator owners filed with NHTSA, as written. Listen for the same symptoms on your test drive.
almost had an accident do you to the Jeep 2020 gladiator going haywire steering wheel got hard like you had no power steering luckily I was going 45 miles an hour wipers went crazy the shifter went into parking luckily my wife my son and myself we're OK no accident had towed to my house replaced both batteries auxiliary and main battery still nothing replaced can bus it says it does not have connection with ECM
Filed with NHTSA, July 2025
The steering wanders. I constantly have to correct steering. It is a constant battle to keep it in its lane on the highway. It is very exhausting driving any distance on the highway. Luckily there has not been any crashes. Vehicle is almost 3 years old and only has 6462 miles on it because I don’t feel safe driving it. It has been to two different dealers and they say it’s fine.
Filed with NHTSA, August 2023
2020 Gladiator Rubicon 7" gauge cluster went blank and no longer displays fuel level, mileage, or any other data. Lack of fuel and or mileage reading could result in running out of fuel in risky situations. Problem has been noted by many other owners of the same vehicle and is similar to the issue seen with the 3.5" display. No prior symptoms or lights were present. The problem just occurred within the last week at around 74k miles.
Filed with NHTSA, November 2025
I started my 2020 Gladiator Rubicon to drive and the instrument display dash between the speedometer and RPM gauge went black. I can no longer access mileage or other equipment gauges (e.g. temp, oil pressure, etc.). This appears related to NHTSA Campaign 24V652000 but my VIN was not included in the affected VINs reported. Vehicle has under 80K miles and no misuse.
Filed with NHTSA, April 2025
i replaced the gears to 513 at 5000 miles The locker went out at 17000 miles.. The locker is internal to the axle Went to jeep to try to get it covered under warranty and they have refused stating that changing the gears voids the warranty on anything in the axle This should not be valid as the locker was never touched.. There are 1000's of locker issues going on with the axle
Filed with NHTSA, September 2022
At only 65,000 miles and hitting all of my scheduled maintenance my transmission failed while driving causing me to get stuck in 5th gear and jerking me off the road.
Filed with NHTSA, February 2024
Inside the engine the rocker arm is making a ticking noise all the time and is rubbing against the shaft. My safety is at risk because the engine could fail at any moment while driving. This is an ongoing problem with these engines; 3.6 liter pentastar engines. There were no warning lamps prior to this failure.
Filed with NHTSA, October 2022
How the 2020 compares with other Gladiator years
Complaints for this year next to the average for the other model years, area by area.
The 2020 has the most owner complaints of the 6 Gladiator years we cover, about 5.4 times the average of the others. Newer years have had less time to collect complaints, so compare like with like.
- Steering17926
- Electrical14712
- Transmission4415
- Engine224
- Wipers and visibility180
- Suspension115
Recalls to confirm (7)
Recall repairs are free at any Jeep dealer, but the seller may never have had them done. Check each campaign number against the VIN.
24V652000ElectricalSep 2024
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Jeep Gladiator and 2018-2024 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. The instrument panel cluster may experience an internal short circuit and fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays.".
Risk: An instrument panel that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the instrument panel cluster, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between October 3, 2024, and January 23, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 30B.
23V116000TransmissionFeb 2023
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.
Fix: 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.
21V028000TransmissionJan 2021
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.
Fix: 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.
20V580000Seat beltsSep 2020
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Wrangler and Ram 2500, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 and 2020 Jeep Gladiator vehicles. In the event of a crash, a front seat belt retractor may not properly slow the occupant's forward movement after locking.
Risk: In the event of a crash, if the front seat belts fail to lock, there is an increased risk of injury.
Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the front seat belt retractors, free of charge. The recall began November 12, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W67.
20V191000Backup cameraSep 2020
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Gladiator and Jeep Cherokee, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Wrangler, and Jeep Renegade and 2019 Dodge Challenger vehicles equipped with 8.4" or 12" radio displays. A software error can cause the rearview camera image to remain displayed after the vehicle has been shifted out of reverse. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) number 111, "Rearview Mirrors.".
Risk: The lingering rearview image can distract the driver, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Chrysler has notified owners, and dealers will update the radio display software, free of charge. Optionally, owners can choose to remotely update their software via an Over-The-Air (OTA) update available as of May 1, 2020. The recall began April 27, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is W30-W37.
20V124000TransmissionMar 2020
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.
Fix: 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.
19V636000TransmissionAug 2019
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.
Fix: 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.
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