2021 Jeep Gladiator Problems, Complaints & Recalls
- Compared with other Gladiator years
- Far more complaints than other years 2nd of 7 for complaints
- Safety recalls
- 8 recalls: check your VIN
- NHTSA crash rating
- Not rated
Owners have filed 292 complaints with NHTSA about the 2021 Jeep Gladiator. That ranks 2nd out of 7 Gladiator model years for complaints. The most reported problem area is steering (94 complaints, 32%), typically at around 1,950 miles. Complaints mention 7 crashes, 3 fires, 7 injuries. There are 8 safety recalls covering this model year. NHTSA has opened 2 defect investigations involving it.
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- 292owner complaints
- 8safety recalls
- 2NHTSA investigations
- 7complaints mentioning a crash
Complaints are unverified owner reports and are not adjusted for sales volume.
Most common 2021 Jeep Gladiator problems
Complaints grouped by the part of the car owners reported, with the median mileage when the problem happened.
| Problem area | Complaints | Share | Median miles | Owners mention most | Typical repair cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Steering problems | 94 | 32% | 1,950 | “death wobble” (30%) | — |
| Power Train problems | 71 | 24% | 31,000 | “rear axle” (24%) | — |
| Engine problems | 53 | 18% | 21,000 | “serious safety hazard” (28%) | — |
| Electrical System | 46 | 16% | 26,525 | — | — |
| Suspension | 41 | 14% | 28,000 | — | — |
| Unknown or Other | 28 | 10% | — | — | — |
| Fuel/propulsion System | 20 | 7% | — | — | — |
| Service Brakes | 16 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Vehicle Speed Control | 14 | 5% | — | — | — |
| Exterior Lighting | 13 | 4% | 22,000 | — | — |
| Visibility/wiper | 11 | 4% | 700 | — | — |
| Fuel System, Gasoline | 10 | 3% | 23,500 | — | — |
| Wheels | 8 | 3% | — | — | — |
| Air Bags | 6 | 2% | 10,202 | — | — |
| Forward Collision Avoidance | 6 | 2% | — | — | — |
| Fuel System, Diesel | 3 | 1% | 40,000 | — | — |
| Seat Belts | 3 | 1% | 17,000 | — | — |
| Back Over Prevention | 2 | 1% | 2,000 | — | — |
| Lane Departure | 2 | 1% | — | — | — |
| Structure | 2 | 1% | 10,000 | — | — |
| Engine and Engine Cooling | 1 | 0% | 25,000 | — | — |
| Parking Brake | 1 | 0% | 26,000 | — | — |
| Seats | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Tires | 1 | 0% | — | — | — |
| Visibility | 1 | 0% | 7,500 | — | — |
One complaint can list several problem areas, so shares can add up to more than 100%.
Complaints by year received
2021 Jeep Gladiator recalls (8)
Tap a recall to see the problem, the risk and the fix.
Steering:hydraulic power assist:pumpPark outside
Problem: 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.
Risk: A vehicle fire increases the risk of injury.
Fix: 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. Owner notification letters are expected to be mailed July 9, 2026. Owners may contact FCA US LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is 21D. The Vehicle Identification Numbers (VINs) involved in this recall will become searchable on NHTSA.gov on June 11, 2026.
Electrical system: instrument cluster/panel
Problem: 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.
Power train:manual transmission:control module:software
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021 Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator vehicles that were previously remedied under NHTSA recall number 23V-116. The software for the powertrain control module may cause an engine stall, which can result in a loss of drive power.
Risk: A loss of drive power increases the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the powertrain control module software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed August 15, 2024. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US LLC's number for this recall is 92B. Vehicles previously repaired under recall 23V-116 will need to have the new remedy completed.
Fuel system, diesel:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Jeep Wrangler, Gladiator, and 2022-2023 Ram 1500 vehicles equipped with a 3.0L diesel engine. The high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) may fail.
Risk: Fuel pump failure can result in an engine stall, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the HPFP and replace additional fuel system components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 17, 2023. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall is 01A.
Power train:clutch assembly
Problem: 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.
Engine; fuel system, gasoline:delivery:fuel pump
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2022 Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500, and 2021-2022 Jeep Gladiator vehicles equipped with 3.0L diesel engines. The high pressure fuel pump (HPFP) may fail, causing an engine stall.
Risk: An engine stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will replace the HPFP and inspect and replace additional fuel system components, as necessary, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 17, 2023. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is Z96.
Back over prevention:display function
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2021 Jeep Wrangler, RAM 1500 and 2021 Jeep Gladiator vehicles. A radio software error may prevent the rearview image from displaying. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 111, "Rear Visibility."
Risk: A rearview camera that does not display an image reduces the driver's rear view, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: Dealers will update the radio software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed October 6, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA, LLC's number for this recall is Z86.
Power train:clutch assembly
Problem: 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.
To see whether a specific car still has an open recall, enter its VIN on NHTSA's official recall lookup. You can also decode a VIN here.
NHTSA defect investigations
- High pressure fuel pump failure (EA23001) — opened Mar 17, 2023, still open, led to recall 24V957.
- Underhood fires (PE24024) — opened Sep 6, 2024, closed Sep 24, 2026, led to recall 26V363.
Recent owner reports
Short excerpts of the latest complaints filed with NHTSA, with personal details removed. Full reports can be searched on NHTSA.gov.
While I was driving home with 2 of my boys, the instrument cluster malfunctioned and went completely blank while driving. I had a mechanic check the vehicle and the fuses were/are working fine. He stated that he found issues online about Jeep Gladiators from this model year having issues with the…
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that two years ago the vehicle was taken to a dealer to be repaired under NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train); to prevent the clutch from overheating. However, the failure started after the vehicle was repaired under the recall…
My Transmission is skipping on 3rd gear ratio code and reverse is getting stuck with only 70,000 2021 and i was the only owner.
Component Affected: Power Train / Automatic Transmission (850RE 8-Speed)Description of Safety Hazard:While driving my 2022 Jeep Gladiator (53,940 miles), the transmission experienced a severe internal component failure, specifically throwing error code P0733-00 (Gear 3 Shift Incorrect Ratio). This…
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving approximately 55 MPH on uneven road surfaces, the vehicle experienced violent shaking in the front end and the steering wheel. The contact stated that the vibration reoccurred while depressing the brake pedal and ceased…
Other Jeep Gladiator years
← 2020 Gladiator · 2022 Gladiator →
| Year | Complaints | Recalls |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 Gladiator | 3 | 2 |
| 2025 Gladiator | 15 | 1 |
| 2024 Gladiator | 23 | 2 |
| 2023 Gladiator | 57 | 6 |
| 2022 Gladiator | 120 | 8 |
| 2021 | 292 | 8 |
| 2020 Gladiator | 484 | 7 |
See all Jeep Gladiator problems by year, every Jeep model, or the Jeep VIN decoder.
Similar Jeep models
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Frequently asked questions
What are the most common problems with the 2021 Jeep Gladiator?
Owners most often report steering, power train, engine problems. The top one, steering, accounts for 94 complaints.
Was there a recall on the 2021 Jeep Gladiator?
Yes, 8 safety recalls. Enter your VIN at NHTSA.gov to check whether the repairs were done on your car.
Was the 2021 Jeep Gladiator a good year?
Complaint data can't fully answer that, because counts aren't adjusted for sales. Compared with other Gladiator model years, the 2021 has far more complaints than most years. Always get a pre-purchase inspection and check the VIN for open recalls.