Jeep Gladiator - happy owners? seeing scary stuff in the repair forums

[SJK]

Dayton Andrews Clearwater FL

My build date was Jan 2020. Rubicon. Yours?

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[jawjam]

Thanks for the replies all, feeling better already. I put on 30,000KM a year so reliability was a concern, my previous ram had the 3.6 and 8 speed and it was bullet proof, but they said this came with new 3rd gen with auto start stop etc was hoping im not getting into something scary

Hi, I’ve had several problems with my Gladiator. Misfires and Ess issues. It’s been in the shop a total of 27 days since June when I bought it new. It’s been around 800 miles since I last got it out of the shop and so far so good. Maybe they really fixed it this time...hoping...praying. I’ve had more problems with this vehicle than any other new vehicle I’ve ever owned in the past 40 years. Having said that, I still love it and have definitely been bitten by the Jeep bug. I’m still happy I bought it. Good luck!

 

[Sorbs]

I'm at 21k and almost a full year. Have made a few long distance wheeling trips and no problems.
Still love the truck and use the crap out of it everyday.

Me too. 22k no issues. Do stuff too.

 

[Bbannongmu]

Better yet, use your finger and save $330!

Fair enough but ....your finger won’t let you enable a forward facing camera, correct the speedo for larger tires, use lockers and disconnect the sway bar in 4wd hi, enter nav addresses while moving, Turn off the annoying seatbelt reminder chime, enable a cool light show and more.

 

[JPHains9724]

I have 21k on my Gladiator after a little over a year. I'm happy to report no mechanical issues. Mine is a daily driver and I put about 400 to 450 miles a week on it driving back and forth to work. The only real issue is the windshield, which I have to replace again. That's why I get for living in Colorado. I would recommend a Gladiator to anyone looking for one of the coolest trucks on the planet.

 

[levesqueonline]

Well, lots of positive here, so i picked up my 2020 Gladiator overland today, thanks again all!

 

[XJADDICTION]

Bought in October 2019, I’ve had it off road, long trips and used it for plenty of work projects carrying stuff for the house. I love it and I get stopped everywhere by people wanting to know how I like it. I have almost 20,000 miles on mine.

 

[Orange01z28]

Bought my Gladiator in July. It's been in for service for the engine light and start/stop issue 3 times so far. First time for 2 days, 3 days the second time, and now for a week and a half. Just got a text from the dealer stating "engineering is having the tech replace several lash adjusters and some internal cylinder components. Parts on order but don't expect arrival for a few days." I'll post the results of the repairs.

On Friday I was notified by the dealer that engineering instructed the dealer to put a completely new engine in my truck. Dealer ordered the new engine the same day and they expect to have all work completed this coming Thursday. Certainly points to some number of defective engines. A recall may be coming. I'll post the results of performance of the truck with the new engine. Looks like a recall may be coming.......

Just got my truck back after 3 weeks. I was told that the engine light and start/stop issues are related to engine block casting flaws that affect oil flow through the engine. I'll continue to report engine performance and advise of any more issues.

Same thing happened to my wife’s Explorer at 10k miles. Cylinder casting issues. They put a brand new engine in and it’s been great since

My Ram has the same basic drivetrain as a Gladiator, it has 42k miles and runs like a top

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Same thing happened to my wife’s Explorer at 10k miles. Cylinder casting issues. They put a brand new engine in and it’s been great since

My Ram has the same basic drivetrain as a Gladiator, it has 42k miles and runs like a top

All companies experience defects along the way - and FCA isn't the WORST at handling them, either. Some are far better, yes, that's true, but some have been horrible, too.
Problems? How about Mercedes and their million or so sun roofs that fly off on the highway - OFF, yes, they fly off the car. Mercedes of all companies. You'd think that if you are paying for that name you'd get a perfect, flawless vehicle. Well, they are great quality vehicles, but still made by man, and/or by machines made and programmed by man, and stuff breaks or goes wrong and man misses it.
And automation is the best sure way to make boo-boos by the hundreds or thousands.
With so many things these days handled by the oiling system - which used to only handle oil for lubrication purposes - but now handles valve timing, intake manifold volume and much more - any little thing will be magnified.
Have an automated device drilling engine blocks - and something is off by a tiny amount? Gee, this happened back in the 70s as well. Only back then we dealt with CORE SHIFT where you had cylinder walls too thin in some blocks, leading to hot spots, cylinder wall cracking and more. Might not see it right away - might manifest itself after warranty is up, or even decades later like now when we grab one of those blocks, decide to bore it .030 over and OOPS - crap... well, so much for that. Core shift - thin wall, sleeve it or scrap it.
How about push rods by the thousands missing a heat treating process. That's the process that takes the push rods and heat treats the ends that go into the lifter and rocker arm. It turns the push rod a pretty bluish color about an inch from the end. Now how can an assembler not see that the batch of push rods they are sticking in those holes are a different color - no pretty blue ring? Yet they missed it - customer comes in complaining of a tick tick tick sound - soft push rods.
Nothing has changed except for the speed at which mistakes are made LOL
GI-GO
It's always been that way with automation and computer code. One little mistake.....

 

[Zacfrac]

20k and a year, no issues.

periodically I get annoyed at the steering being loose and try to do something or read something about it, but it hasn’t been bad enough for me to actually go to the dealer about it.

 

[danzy55]

Loved my 2020 Rubicon bought May 2019 had an April 2019 built date, just traded it. Had 28K miles but after having the service 4WD system come on 3 times. Dealer ended up replacing many of the 4WD system components, last trip they had it 10 days and had to replace the entire wiring harness from the tailgate to the engine. That worked for 2 weeks then the same code come up again. That was enough for me.... of all seven Jeeps I have owned never never had an issue like that. I will get back into another Jeep, love the brand just not right now.

 

[PyrPatriot]

How many folks with higher mileage have 35s or 37s?

 

[camodog]

15k Miles all of them in a year with 37s from mileage zero.
Lots of rock crawling and 4lo

 

[thefriar]

JT Launch Edition, 14k miles with about 2k towing. No issues.

 

[smithflyfishing]

Hey there,

I am looking at potentially purchasing a gladiator overland, but reading some scary stuff reading the forms. Now understanding when you look in a repair forum for known issues you only see the bad not the good.

Are there folks how there with higher mileage who are not having crazy issues with cylinder misfires, ESS ssues or anything else major?

6000 miles and no issues. Love my gladiator.

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