Thinking About Buying A Jeep Gladiator

[Gvsukids]

Or a pop up - I'd love to camp at the Atlanta NASCAR Cup race twice a year...

Or rent one.

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[DirkG]

Most don’t choose a gladiator because they want a truck. They want a jeep that also does truck things.

Interesting. I was the exact opposite. As a coach, I wanted a truck that did Jeep things. But I appreciated the Jeep things so much that we also bought a Wrangler.

 

[Janster]

Late to the party….
About my only requirements were….A truck with 4WD that can tow & haul stuff.
We love the fact that its ‘convertible’……. Or else we’d have another vehicle to fill that niche. The Gladdy is an awesome fun truck!!

Mojave for the win!! Rides smooth and comfortable.

Just a comment…... If you’re a shorter person, getting in & out can be tight (compared to other midsize trucks)simply by where your seat position is compared to the door opening. I’m 57 and 5’5”…..work from home.

I personally don’t care about the gas mileage …... but… it certainly isn’t winning any brownie points over the competition.

If you have kids in their 20’s…. You’d better hide the keys!! They’d be borrowing the keys and taking it for joy rides - probably more than you would!!!

 

[JTdiRtyD]

As many issues from an engine with 100x the total volume isn't really a vote in favor of the EcoDiesel? To me that says it's about a hundred times less reliable on a case by case basis. Are there some high mileage examples? Sure. Are there also several low mileage failures? Absolutely. Not sure what preventative maintenance you do for a fuel pump that's known to self destruct at various mileage? Change it out every 10k miles to be safe?

Well if total volume stats are your deciding factor then you shouldn't be in a Jeep (or a Mopar), period, but I'm not talking volume, I'm talking common issues for each motor. Everyone always says the EcoD is riddled with issues, but it's not. A simple Google search pulls up 8 common issues with the Pentastar, and 6 for the EcoD. Is the EcoD more likely to give you an issue, maybe, but thats because most of the issues are related to emissions. Theres ways around that, or with proper preventative maintenance/understanding those issues can be mostly mitigated and trouble free.


Fuel pump grenades from poor lubricity, air or water in lines or dry starts. Change your fuel filter and properly prime the system before starting, run additives that not only lubricate but also help clean, don't run your tank empty or near empty, only get fuel from high volume quality stations. Is the CP4 a well engineered pump? I don't think so, but the pump is used worldwide in many modern diesels yet the majority of failures are isolated to the American market.

Diesels in general get a lot of hate by Americans, but elsewhere in the world they make up a large majority of the vehicles on the road. The diesel platform overall is a far more reliable and long lasting motor, they are just plagued with emissions.

 

[Zachanadandy]

Well if total volume stats are your deciding factor then you shouldn't be in a Jeep (or a Mopar), period, but I'm not talking volume, I'm talking common issues for each motor. Everyone always says the EcoD is riddled with issues, but it's not. A simple Google search pulls up 8 common issues with the Pentastar, and 6 for the EcoD. Is the EcoD more likely to give you an issue, maybe, but thats because most of the issues are related to emissions. Theres ways around that, or with proper preventative maintenance/understanding those issues can be mostly mitigated and trouble free.


Fuel pump grenades from poor lubricity, air or water in lines or dry starts. Change your fuel filter and properly prime the system before starting, run additives that not only lubricate but also help clean, don't run your tank empty or near empty, only get fuel from high volume quality stations. Is the CP4 a well engineered pump? I don't think so, but the pump is used worldwide in many modern diesels yet the majority of failures are isolated to the American market.

Diesels in general get a lot of hate by Americans, but elsewhere in the world they make up a large majority of the vehicles on the road. The diesel platform overall is a far more reliable and long lasting motor, they are just plagued with emissions.

Not sure what you mean by not being in a Jeep/Mopar because of total volume but for my use there's no other vehicle I'd buy period. Toyotas have great reliability but a big part of that is they are boring vehicles used for commuting and trips to the mall. I need my vehicles to tackle trails like the rubicon, take me and the wife to the most remote locations imaginable, and be reliable enough to get us home. Reliable in the Starbucks drive thru means nothing to me. There's very few other vehicles you'll see stock or even remotely stock on trails like the rubicon. That's the Reliability that matters to me and there's still only 1 is trust. My point about volume was that if there's 100x as many penyastars out there and the total number of failures is even remotely similar then the the EcoDiesel is far less reliable. Add in the fact that many of the most remote gas stations in the mountains and deserts don't even carry diesel and it just didn't work for me.

 

[AustyPosty]

My heart says yes, but my head says, tHE PEnastur TIck.

Not sure the forum knows Jeeps make us happy lol.

Aren't all new 2025 Gladiators being made with the updated TSB parts that is supposed to remedy to tick?

 

[chr15m]

Aren't all new 2025 Gladiators being made with the updated TSB parts that is supposed to remedy to tick?

Honestly I wouldn't know.

I was mostly just joking with the fear that seems to surround the issue. It just keeps us from enjoying the truck.

I spent years driving Toyotas for the supposed dependability they have/had. Everyone of them had issues, some were downright dangerous. Tacoma with cam shaft position sensor TSB that would shut off while driving, even after multiple CPS swaps. Tundra which is known for its bulletproof 5.7 had cam tower leaks that would put a quarter size drop of oil on the driveway every time it got parked. The fix for that was a supposed seal change, yet they TSB'd it in 2018 I think, yet mine were a 2019 and a 2021, both had the same issue.

Tacoma also had the rear diff replaced at 18k miles and proceeded to start howling again in another 1000 miles.

Seems like just about every truck brand right now offers a motor with phaser, lifter or rocker issues.

Basically I'm enjoying the truck having a very low loan balance that'll be paid off in the next couple years. After that who knows, I can at least say that a rebuild is something I could manage and with it costing <2000 in parts, its still much cheaper than a new truck.

I would dump it without a second though if they decided to make a Hella Yellow JT though.

 

[Deleted member 57233]

I don’t have one and never will, but there seems to be a longer list than that. I agree that it’s probably low in comparison to the number out there, but it think they’re less reliable than the pug.

That's the silly thing about it, everyone repeats the unreliable story but give no actual reason why other than the fuel pump recall, or they point to issues in the 1st and 2nd gen Rams.

Or the V8 boomers start ranting about how the EPA made them unreliable by using the emissions stuff that Europe has been using for decades.

I still haven't had anyone show me anything that makes them unreliable other than what their feelings are about it.

 

[Stan H]

Aren't all new 2025 Gladiators being made with the updated TSB parts that is supposed to remedy to tick?

Lol, you would hope so or think so , but as with anything its hard to tell.
Now my thinking can only go to certian conclusion. That for those JT's and JL's which have not experienced the cam shaft lobe failure there can be only one reason different delivered parts from a different supply. As we have all offered many ideas and then all the sudden a TSB comes out and the solution is a "kit"
HAS anyone tried to determine where this TSB new kit part # is being manufactured?

 

[imallcrawl]

Title says it all.
I’m married, 52 years old with 2 kids ages 21 and 23.
I drive 10 miles round trip to work and my hunting lease is about 15 miles round trip.
I currently have a 2008 Tundra.
Your thoughts?
Is the Gladiator Rubicon the smoothest rides out of the Gladiators? I’m leaning towards that one for the little bit of towing I do.

Mojave off the lot 100%! But lets be honest, who keeps their Jeeps with stock suspension components anyways lol? If you decide on any other than the Majave, LOTS of options to make your JT as smooth as you want

 

[Stan H]

Mojave off the lot 100%! But lets be honest, who keeps their Jeeps with stock suspension components anyways lol? If you decide on any other than the Majave, LOTS of options to make your JT as smooth as you want

I agree Mojave is limited in whats offered . And typically the lift kits offered are more pricey not enormous amounts but enough. I almost bought a sand colored Mojave . Man I am glad I didn't. (Wife didn't like the color ) I will stick with my Rubicon. Love the ability to just crawl .

 

[JTdiRtyD]

That's the silly thing about it, everyone repeats the unreliable story but give no actual reason why other than the fuel pump recall, or they point to issues in the 1st and 2nd gen Rams.

Or the V8 boomers start ranting about how the EPA made them unreliable by using the emissions stuff that Europe has been using for decades.

I still haven't had anyone show me anything that makes them unreliable other than what their feelings are about it.

1) Most people that complain about diesels know nothing about them other than what they are told online from other people complaining about them. Rinse and repeat.

2) EU emissions are more laxed and allow more NOx than here in the USA, so theres less soot buildup internally from the EGR, less buildup in DPF and SCR, etc. Less soot buildup means less issues.

 

[Stan H]

1) Most people that complain about diesels know nothing about them other than what they are told online from other people complaining about them. Rinse and repeat.

2) EU emissions are more laxed and allow more NOx than here in the USA, so theres less soot buildup internally from the EGR, less buildup in DPF and SCR, etc. Less soot buildup means less issues.

I owned 2 of them never had EGR issues and as I discovered early on run the guts out of em and pull with them tow it keeps that EGR burnt out and the map sensor needed a spray off every 20-30k . Had a water pump go out but was easily fixed by dealer at the time .

 

[Jteakus]

My bad. My small Sunday brain didn’t pick up on that. I can’t wait to someday swap exhaust. But I’m trying to wait until I genuinely kill the stock exhaust on a rock.

Make a run through Poughkeepsie Gulch

 

[Stan H]

Well if total volume stats are your deciding factor then you shouldn't be in a Jeep (or a Mopar), period, but I'm not talking volume, I'm talking common issues for each motor. Everyone always says the EcoD is riddled with issues, but it's not. A simple Google search pulls up 8 common issues with the Pentastar, and 6 for the EcoD. Is the EcoD more likely to give you an issue, maybe, but thats because most of the issues are related to emissions. Theres ways around that, or with proper preventative maintenance/understanding those issues can be mostly mitigated and trouble free.


Fuel pump grenades from poor lubricity, air or water in lines or dry starts. Change your fuel filter and properly prime the system before starting, run additives that not only lubricate but also help clean, don't run your tank empty or near empty, only get fuel from high volume quality stations. Is the CP4 a well engineered pump? I don't think so, but the pump is used worldwide in many modern diesels yet the majority of failures are isolated to the American market.

Diesels in general get a lot of hate by Americans, but elsewhere in the world they make up a large majority of the vehicles on the road. The diesel platform overall is a far more reliable and long lasting motor, they are just plagued with emissions.

The reason it is isolated to the American market is because our diesel fuel here is very very dirty ours is cutaneous 40 European is near 60 and also has less sulfur and ash and is more lubricity in it You mentioned the keys filters and priming .

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