2024 Jeep Gladiator Problems: 11 Known Issues

On the 2020-2024 Jeep Gladiator, the 3.5-inch instrument panel cluster display can fail due to a bad circuit board (made by Marelli) that shorts out internally. Drivers lose speedometer, fuel gauge, engine temperature, turn signal indicators, and other warning lights. FCA recalled 32,863 2018-2024 Wrangler and 2020-2024 Gladiator vehicles for this internal short (NHTSA 24V-652, FCA 30B), and in October 2025 NHTSA opened a preliminary evaluation covering about 232,000 2020 model-year Gladiator and Wrangler vehicles.

On the 2021-2025 Jeep Gladiator, the electrical connection at the electric hydraulic power steering (EHPS) pump can develop high resistance and overheat, igniting adjacent combustible material in the engine bay. Because the pump circuit remains energized under some conditions, fires have started with the vehicle parked and the ignition off. NHTSA opened an investigation covering roughly 781,000 Wrangler/Gladiator vehicles after underhood fire reports, and FCA US ultimately recalled about 1.08 million 2021-2025 Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles under NHTSA campaign 26V363000, citing 72 field reports (35 confirmed to originate at the pump connection) and one injury. Owners were told to park outside and away from structures until repaired.

On the 2020-2025 Jeep Gladiator, the TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitoring System) sensors in Gladiators fail prematurely, often within 2-3 years. The sensors are exposed to harsh conditions — off-road impacts, mud, water crossings, and tire changes — that exceed the design life of the batteries and electronics. When sensors fail, the TPMS warning light illuminates and the system cannot monitor tire pressure. Gladiator owners who run a second set of wheels for off-road use experience double the sensor failure rate.

On the 2020-2025 Jeep Gladiator, the solid front axle design on the Gladiator is susceptible to "death wobble," a violent shaking of the front end typically triggered by hitting a bump at highway speeds. NHTSA received over 170 steering complaints for the 2020 model year alone. Contributing factors include worn ball joints, loose track bar bolts, and degraded steering stabilizer. In November 2019 FCA added the 2020 Gladiator to TSB 19-002-19 ("Shimmy In The Steering Wheel After Hitting An Irregularity On The Road Surface").

On the 2020-2024 Jeep Gladiator, the Rubicon's electronic front sway bar disconnect uses a motor and clutch pack mounted low on the front axle, directly in the water and mud path. Water intrusion through the motor housing and connector corrodes the internals, and the engagement dogs can bind if the bar is loaded when the button is pressed. Owners report the disconnect indicator flashing indefinitely while the bar stays connected, the bar refusing to reconnect on the trail (leaving the truck with poor on-road body control), and total actuator death after a water crossing.

On the 2020-2024 Jeep Gladiator 3.6L Pentastar V6 (ERB / ERC), the Pentastar's variable valve lift followers use a roller only on the low-lift portion; the high-lift pad slides directly on the cam lobe. When the needle bearings in the rocker arm fail or the sliding pad wears, the follower cuts a groove into the intake camshaft lobe, valve lift drops and the cylinder misfires. Owners report a light tick appearing within a few thousand miles of a service interval that grows into a loud diesel-like clatter by 10,000-20,000 miles, often followed by a check engine light. Left alone, the wearing lobe and bearing cage shed metal through the oil system.

On the 2020-2024 Jeep Gladiator 3.6L Pentastar V6 (ERB / ERC), the 3.6L Pentastar mounts its oil filter and engine oil cooler in one plastic housing in the valley between the cylinder banks. Constant heat cycling makes the plastic brittle and warps the sealing surfaces; the housing cracks or the internal cooler O-rings harden, producing an oil leak, a coolant leak, or oil and coolant mixing. Owners describe oil pooling in the valley and running down the back of the block, coolant loss with no visible external puddle, and a persistent burning-oil smell. Overtightening the filter cap during service is a frequent trigger.

On the 2020-2025 Jeep Gladiator, gladiators equipped with the 6-speed manual transmission experience premature clutch hydraulic system failure. The clutch master cylinder and/or slave cylinder develop internal leaks, causing a soft or sinking clutch pedal and difficulty shifting. In severe cases, the clutch pedal goes to the floor with no resistance, leaving the vehicle undriveable. The slave cylinder is concentric (inside the bell housing), making replacement labor-intensive. Some owners experience failure as early as 20,000 miles.

On the 2020-2024 Jeep Gladiator, the Gladiator uses aluminum doors, hood and tailgate. At hinge mounting areas and panel seams, moisture and road salt get under the paint and corrode the aluminum from underneath (owners widely suspect galvanic corrosion; Stellantis attributes it to manufacturing-process variation) - owners see paint bubbling and blistering radiating from door hinges, the hood edges, the tailgate and door bottoms, often on trucks only two to four years old. Jeep released a redesigned hinge with a new gasket (TSB 23-020-23), and a repair TSB fits a zinc shim between the door and hinge, which reduced but did not eliminate reports.

On the 2020-2025 Jeep Gladiator, the Gladiator's rear sliding window leaks water into the cab during rain, car washes, or off-road water crossings. Owners most often trace the leak to the top edge seal between the rear glass and the hardtop rather than the sliding panel itself, allowing water to enter. Water collects behind the rear seats and under the rear floor mat, potentially causing electrical issues with the under-seat wiring. Owner reports center on hardtop-equipped trucks.

On the 2020-2025 Jeep Gladiator, the electronic locking rear differential (standard on Rubicon and Mojave) can fail to engage or disengage. The most commonly reported cause is the locker position sensor inside the axle: it sits over a magnet that collects metallic wear debris from the gear oil, and gear oil can seep into the sensor and short it, so the locker never confirms engagement. Worn locking components inside the carrier are a less common cause. When stuck in the locked position, the differential causes binding and tire chirping on pavement. When stuck disengaged, it fails to provide traction when needed.