2021 Jeep Gladiator problems & reliability
290 owner complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Jeep Gladiator, alongside 8 safety recall campaigns. Last verified Sep 21, 2026. Complaints are unverified reports submitted by owners to the federal Office of Defects Investigation.
Each complaint is counted once (by NHTSA case number), even when it names several components.
6 complaints report injuries (7 injured).
Federal crash records (FARS 2020–2023): 2021 Jeep Gladiator vehicles were involved in 36 fatal crashes with 9 occupant deaths. Involvement counts are not adjusted for how many are on the road and do not imply fault or a vehicle defect.
Most reported problems
| Component | Complaints | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Steering → | 94 | 32% |
| Power Train → | 70 | 24% |
| Engine → | 53 | 18% |
| Electrical System → | 45 | 16% |
| Suspension → | 41 | 14% |
| Unknown / Other | 28 | 10% |
| Fuel/propulsion System → | 20 | 7% |
| Service Brakes → | 16 | 6% |
| Vehicle Speed Control → | 14 | 5% |
| Exterior Lighting → | 13 | 4% |
Component groups as classified by NHTSA. A complaint can name more than one component, so shares may sum to more than 100%.
All 25 reported components →Common symptoms owners describe
Keyword analysis of complaint narratives; one complaint can describe several symptoms.
Mileage when problems occurred
Among the 40 complaints that included a usable odometer reading, the median reported incident mileage was 25,000 miles (middle 50% between 9,375 and 42,000 miles).
Complaints by incident year
What owners report
“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.”
Power Train · filed Sep 9, 2026
“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 causes the…”
Power Train · filed Aug 24, 2026
“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 after the vehicle had…”
Suspension · filed Aug 14, 2026
Verbatim excerpts from complaints filed with NHTSA. Reports are not independently verified.
Federal defect investigations
- Underhood fires
Preliminary Evaluation PE24024 · opened Sep 6, 2024 · open · led to recall 26V363
- High pressure fuel pump failure
Engineering Analysis EA23001 · opened Mar 17, 2023 · open · led to recall 24V957
Technical service bulletins
697 manufacturer communications (TSBs, service campaigns, warranty extensions) are on file with NHTSA for the 2021 Jeep Gladiator. The 10 most recent:
Passive Entry O/S Dr Handle Prior to replacing an inoperative passive entry door handle, perform Star Online S2623000040.
9100900 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Sep 8, 2026
ID-25-11 Rev. C Aluminum Filiform Corrosion Warranty Policy and Vehicle Digital Imaging (VDI) Pre-Approval Process - ALL Vehicles
114045 · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Aug 12, 2026
D-25-15 Rev. C Aluminum Filiform Corrosion Warranty Policy and Vehicle Digital Imaging (VDI) Pre-Approval Process - ALL Vehicles
114044 · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Aug 12, 2026
EMISSION RECALL – NORTH AMERICA Check Engine/Malfunction Indicator Lamp 16C The instrument panel cluster on about 32,587 of the above vehicles may have an inoperable check engine/malfunction indicator lamp (CEL/MIL)…
16C Combo Rev3 · Warranty Program/Extension · issued Aug 6, 2026
CORE – HEATER
113271 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 7, 2026
CORE – HEATER
113270 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jul 7, 2026
Motor - blower with wheel
112862 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 23, 2026
Motor - blower with wheel
112863 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 23, 2026
BOLT - HEX FLANGE HEAD
112842 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 18, 2026
Check Engine Light (CEL) Illuminated with Diagnostic Trouble Code (DTC) P0106 Manifold Absolute Pressure Sensor Performance Setting In The Powertrain Control Module (PCM)
S2609000009 · Service Bulletin/Repair Instructions · issued Jun 15, 2026
TSBs are repair guidance manufacturers send to dealers — they are not recalls and repairs are not automatically free. Full documents are available on NHTSA’s site.
Safety recalls
The 2021 Jeep Gladiator has 8 NHTSA recall campaigns — recall repairs are free at franchised dealers regardless of the vehicle’s age.
Check whether your specific vehicle is affected
Recall campaigns often cover only certain VIN ranges. Enter your VIN on the official NHTSA site to confirm whether your vehicle is included and whether the repair is still open.
Check VIN on NHTSA →Buying a used 2021 Jeep Gladiator?
- · Decode the seller’s VIN with our free VIN decoder to confirm the exact year, engine and trim.
- · Check for unrepaired recalls by VIN on NHTSA’s official lookup — recall repairs are free.
- · Among complaints with usable mileage, the median reported incident mileage was 25,000 miles. This does not predict when a particular vehicle will develop a problem.