2021 Jeep Gladiator Engine Problems
Owners have filed 53 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2021 Jeep Gladiator, 18% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 21,000 miles. The words owners use most often: “serious safety hazard” (28% of reports).
- 53engine complaints
- 21,000median miles at failure
- 1mention a crash
- 2mention an injury
- 1related recalls
- 56%of reports with a speed happened at 50+ mph
What owners describe
Phrases that appear unusually often in these complaints compared with complaints about other cars.
- Serious safety hazard: mentioned in 15 of 53 complaints (28%)
- Direct conflict: mentioned in 11 of 53 complaints (21%)
- Malfunction reproduced multiple: mentioned in 8 of 53 complaints (15%)
- Unexpected wanted: mentioned in 8 of 53 complaints (15%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 7 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 53 complaints, 1 mention a crash, 1 a fire, 2 an injury.
Jeep Gladiator engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Gladiator | 1 | 33% | — |
| 2025 Gladiator | 1 | 7% | — |
| 2024 Gladiator | 3 | 13% | 20,000 |
| 2023 Gladiator | 7 | 12% | 19,500 |
| 2022 Gladiator | 20 | 17% | 10,350 |
| 2021 Gladiator | 53 | 18% | 21,000 |
| 2020 Gladiator | 45 | 9% | 1,036 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (1)
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.
What owners report
Short excerpts of recent complaints, with personal details removed. Full reports are on NHTSA.gov.
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving approximately 35 MPH, the vehicle started losing motive power. The contact stated that there were several unknown warnings illuminated, and the instrument cluster had started flashing on and off. The contact stated that…
I am writing regarding my 2021 Jeep Gladiator Mojave, which recently suffered engine damage due to a faulty head gasket. I understand the vehicle is approximately 5,000 miles over the 60,000-mile warranty; however, I believe this issue should not be my financial responsibility given the…
The contact owns a 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, there was an alarming amount of white smoke emanating from the engine compartment and permeating the interior of the vehicle, prompting the contact to pull over to the shoulder of the roadway and evacuate the…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 Jeep Gladiators have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 53 owner complaints about engine for the 2021 Jeep Gladiator (18% of the 292 complaints for this model year). Complaint data shows that the problem is reported, not how many of all cars sold are affected.
Was there a recall on the 2021 Jeep Gladiator engine?
Yes: 1 safety recall list engine. Check your VIN on NHTSA.gov to see whether the fix was done on your car.
At what mileage do engine problems start?
The median reported mileage is 21,000 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2021 Jeep Gladiator?
The most frequent phrase is “serious safety hazard”, in 15 of 53 complaints, followed by “direct conflict” (11).
Other 2021 Jeep Gladiator problems
- Steering problems (94)
- Power Train problems (71)
See all 2021 Jeep Gladiator problems or engine problems across all Gladiator years.