2021 Jeep Wrangler Engine Problems
Owners have filed 217 complaints with NHTSA about engine problems on the 2021 Jeep Wrangler, 23% of all complaints for this model year. Half of the reports with a mileage happened before 26,200 miles. The words owners use most often: “fuel gasoline engine” (10% of reports).
- 217engine complaints
- 26,200median miles at failure
- 3mention a crash
- 0mention an injury
- 2related recalls
- 58%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.
- Fuel gasoline engine: mentioned in 21 of 217 complaints (10%)
- Service charging: mentioned in 14 of 217 complaints (6%)
- High voltage: mentioned in 12 of 217 complaints (6%)
At what mileage do engine problems happen?
Based on 23 complaints that reported the odometer reading.
How serious are the reports?
Of 217 complaints, 3 mention a crash, 10 a fire.
Jeep Wrangler engine complaints by model year
| Model year | Engine complaints | Share of that year | Median miles |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 Wrangler | 1 | 9% | — |
| 2025 Wrangler | 28 | 39% | — |
| 2024 Wrangler | 415 | 56% | 20,000 |
| 2023 Wrangler | 106 | 29% | 6,500 |
| 2022 Wrangler | 93 | 23% | 18,500 |
| 2021 Wrangler | 217 | 23% | 26,200 |
| 2020 Wrangler | 54 | 9% | 22,846 |
| 2019 Wrangler | 44 | 6% | 12,000 |
| 2018 Wrangler | 99 | 5% | 15,050 |
| 2017 Wrangler | 62 | 20% | 52,000 |
| 2016 Wrangler | 88 | 19% | 44,000 |
| 2015 Wrangler | 128 | 27% | 47,140 |
| 2014 Wrangler | 322 | 49% | 52,000 |
| 2013 Wrangler | 140 | 21% | 63,500 |
| 2012 Wrangler | 172 | 21% | 40,500 |
| 2011 Wrangler | 36 | 7% | 69,000 |
| 2010 Wrangler | 38 | 6% | 62,000 |
| 2009 Wrangler | 18 | 5% | 64,000 |
| 2008 Wrangler | 37 | 4% | 82,715 |
| 2007 Wrangler | 33 | 6% | 70,500 |
| 2006 Wrangler | 9 | 1% | 72,681 |
| 2005 Wrangler | 19 | 3% | 86,500 |
| 2004 Wrangler | 4 | 2% | 114,000 |
| 2003 Wrangler | 1 | 1% | 38,425 |
| 2002 Wrangler | 4 | 4% | 169,000 |
| 2001 Wrangler | 2 | 1% | 134,000 |
| 2000 Wrangler | 9 | 4% | 120,000 |
| 1999 Wrangler | 1 | 0% | 146,000 |
| 1997 Wrangler | 2 | 0% | 135,000 |
When owners reported it
Related recalls (2)
Engine
Problem: Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2021-2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vehicles equipped with 2.0L Plug-In Hybrid Electric Vehicle engines. A loss of communication may cause an engine shutdown.
Risk: An engine shutdown can cause a loss of drive power, increasing the risk of a crash.
Fix: There is more than one involved component and calibration software. Updating the calibration software in the Transmission Control Module, Hybrid Control Processor and Auxiliary Hybrid Control Processor that changes fail safe from shut down to limp home. Dealers will update the transmission control module software, Hybrid Control Processor and Auxiliary Hybrid Control Processor, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed December 22, 2022. Owners may contact FCA US, LLC customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US, LLC's number for this recall ZB7.
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.
I purchased my 2021 used with 29k miles in April 2024. Since then I have had to deal with three recalls but one of particular concern- 68c, meant to reduce the incidence of fire caused by the battery cell separators. Since then I have experienced a very noticeable change in how the Jeep drives…
Since the 68C recall, my 2021 Jeep Wrangler 4xe has not behaved normally and has become increasingly unpredictable. Even with a mostly or nearly full battery, it frequently will not operate in pure electric mode at lower speeds, particularly on even slight inclines. The gas engine can suddenly…
After the safety recall 68C, the vehicle no longer operates as designed. In electric only mode, the gas engine engages, which is bad for the engine. This fails to give the engine time to prepare for short sudden use. When driving, the high voltage battery will lag or not produce power as it did…
Frequently asked questions
Do all 2021 Jeep Wranglers have engine problems?
No. NHTSA has 217 owner complaints about engine for the 2021 Jeep Wrangler (23% of the 949 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 Wrangler engine?
Yes: 2 safety recalls 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 26,200 miles: half of the reports with a mileage came before that.
What do owners say about engine problems on the 2021 Jeep Wrangler?
The most frequent phrase is “fuel gasoline engine”, in 21 of 217 complaints, followed by “service charging” (14).
Other 2021 Jeep Wrangler problems
- Electrical System problems (307)
- Steering problems (254)
- Suspension problems (180)
- Power Train problems (146)
- Fuel/propulsion System problems (113)
See all 2021 Jeep Wrangler problems or engine problems across all Wrangler years.