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2020 Jeep Gladiator problems: engine and transmission complaints and recalls

NO ELEVATED SIGNAL
21%
100 of 483 relevant owner complaints are about the engine, transmission or fuel system

No elevated drivetrain complaint concentration in the available NHTSA records for the 2020 Jeep Gladiator. Engine, transmission and fuel system account for 21% of relevant complaints.

Better than 85% of the 1,790 model years we track (2010–2023).

NHTSA data checked October 3, 2026

The VIN is on the listing, the driver’s door jamb, and the bottom of the windshield on the driver’s side.

Does the 2020 Jeep Gladiator have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 100 of 483 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Jeep Gladiator concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (21%). For comparison, the 2021 scores 47%. This describes the model year, not any one car: a well-maintained or already-repaired example can be fine, and a clean model year can still have a bad car in it.

Drivetrain complaints
100
engine, transmission, fuel
Total complaints
483
this model year
Fires reported
7
owner-reported
Recall campaigns
7
11 crashes · 6 injuries

Complaints by component

ELECTRICAL SYSTEM183 · 38%
STEERING181 · 37%
POWER TRAIN54 · 11%
ENGINE45 · 9%
UNKNOWN OR OTHER33 · 7%
SUSPENSION32 · 7%

The years either side

2010
no data
2011
no data
2012
no data
2013
no data
2014
no data
2015
no data
2016
no data
2017
no data
2018
no data
2019
no data
2020
21%
100 of 483
2021
47%
128 of 292
2022
39%
43 of 120
2023
42%
22 of 56

Manufacturers fix things mid-generation. A bad year next to a clean one is common; the fix usually arrived in between.

How the 2020 compares with other Jeep Gladiator years

Of the 4 Jeep Gladiator years with enough complaints to score, the 2020 is the best on engine and transmission share (21%). The worst is the 2021 (47%). By volume, the 2020 drew 483 complaints (100 drivetrain), against 292 for the 2021.

Jeep Gladiator years to avoid and best years →

In the full report

The rest of the picture on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator

  • The mileage where it happens. When owners of the 2020 Jeep Gladiator said the problem showed up, and the range most of them fell in.
  • Up to 15 owner reports, with the ones about your car's own engine first.
  • What to ask the seller and what to check on the test drive, for this car.
  • Two cars side by side, if you are deciding between them.

What one owner reported

POWER TRAIN,VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,SERVICE BRAKES08/06/2022CRASH1 INJURED
My truck malfunctioned at an automatic car wash. It has approximately 54k miles. I had no warning lights or system alerts on vehicle or Uconnect app. I stopped in the parking lot & put the Gladiator in Park, I left the ignition on. I got off truck & got a towel to clean interior.There are several spaces to vacuum. I p…

One of 100 drivetrain complaints. The full report shows up to 15, with quotes about the engine in the car you are looking at first.

2020 Jeep Gladiator powertrain recalls

Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total. A recall is the manufacturer admitting a defect and paying to fix it; whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN, which the full report checks. The owner complaints above are a separate record and often point at problems that never became a recall.

power train: clutch assembly23V116000 · Feb 2023

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2023 Jeep Wrangler, and 2020-2023 Jeep Gladiator vehicles equipped with manual transmissions. The clutch pressure plate may overheat and fracture.

Risk: Overheated clutch components may increase the risk of a fire. Additionally, damage to other nearby components can result in debris falling onto the road or a loss of drive, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Dealers will replace the clutch assembly and update the software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed from November 16, 2023 through July 25, 2024. Owners may contact (FCA US, LLC) customer service…

power train: clutch assembly21V028000 · Jan 2021

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2021 Jeep Wrangler and 2020-2021 Jeep Gladiator vehicles equipped with manual transmissions. The clutch pressure plate may overheat and fracture.

Risk: Overheated clutch components may increase the risk of a fire. Additionally, damage to other nearby components can result in debris falling onto the road or a loss of drive, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: FCA US LLC will notify owners, and dealers will add software to reduce engine torque capability when clutch assembly temperatures rise to a level that may damage the inner pressure plate, free of charge." FCA has…

power train: clutch assembly20V124000 · Mar 2020

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018-2020 Jeep Wrangler and 2020 Gladiator vehicles equipped with manual transmissions. The clutch pressure plate may overheat and fracture.

Risk: The overheated clutch components may increase the risk of a fire. Additionally, damage to other nearby components can result in debris falling onto the road or a loss of drive, increasing the risk of a crash.

Fix: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will reroute a wire harness and inspect the clutch system, and replace components as needed. The recall began April 30, 2020. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at…

power train: driveline: driveshaft19V636000 · Aug 2019

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Gladiator vehicles. The rear driveshafts may have been incorrectly assembled without grease in the monoblock joint.

Risk: A joint without grease may overheat and seize, possibly causing the driveshaft to fracture, resulting in a sudden loss of drive power. If the driveshaft completely separates from the vehicle it may become a road…

Fix: FCA US will notify owners, and dealers will replace the driveshaft, free of charge. The recall began October 10, 2019. Owners may contact FCA US customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA US number for this recall is…

3 other recalls on this model year (airbags, lighting, brakes and the rest)
electrical system: instrument cluster/panel24V652000 · Sep 2024
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Jeep Gladiator and 2018-2024 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. The instrument panel cluster may experience an internal short circuit and fail. As such,…
seat belts20V580000 · Sep 2020
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2019 Jeep Wrangler and Ram 2500, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 and 2020 Jeep Gladiator vehicles. In the event of a crash, a front seat belt retractor may not properly…
back over prevention: sensing system: camera20V191000 · Sep 2020
Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2020 Jeep Gladiator and Jeep Cherokee, 2019-2020 Ram 1500 Pickup, Ram 2500 Pickup, Ram 3500 Pickup, Chrysler Pacifica, Dodge Durango, Jeep Grand Cherokee,…

Source: NHTSA recall campaigns filed against this year, make and model. Checked October 3, 2026.

Checking one particular 2020 Jeep Gladiator? This page is about the model year. Accidents, title brands and odometer records belong to the individual car, and that is what a vehicle history report covers.

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Questions people ask about the 2020 Jeep Gladiator

Does the 2020 Jeep Gladiator have engine or transmission problems?

Not as a pattern, going by owner complaints. 100 of 483 relevant complaints filed with NHTSA about the 2020 Jeep Gladiator concern the engine, transmission or fuel system (21%). It describes the model year, not any one car, so an inspection still matters.

What is the most common problem with the 2020 Jeep Gladiator?

Going by NHTSA owner complaints, the most common problem filed against the 2020 Jeep Gladiator is electrical system: 183 of 483 complaints (38%) name it, followed by steering (181) and power train (54). A complaint can name more than one component, so these overlap. Engine, transmission and fuel-system complaints together make up 21% of the relevant total.

Is the 2020 Jeep Gladiator reliable?

On the engine and transmission, nothing stands out: 21% of relevant complaints filed with NHTSA concern the drivetrain, below the 33% line where we call a signal elevated. That is better than 85% of the 1,790 model years we track. Among the 4 Jeep Gladiator years we score, it ranks best. Complaint data describes the model year, not one car, and it says nothing about trim, paint or electronics outside the drivetrain; an independent inspection still decides it.

Are there engine or transmission recalls on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator?

Yes. NHTSA lists 4 recall campaigns on the 2020 Jeep Gladiator involving the engine, transmission or fuel system, out of 7 in total: 23V116000 (power train: clutch assembly), 21V028000 (power train: clutch assembly), 20V124000 (power train: clutch assembly), and more. Whether a specific car still has one open depends on its VIN.

Which Jeep Gladiator years are better?

The 2020 has the lowest engine and transmission complaint share of the Jeep Gladiator years we track (21%). The other years run higher. Every year side by side: https://thelanecheck.com/cars/jeep-gladiator

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Experimental model-level information. This is not a vehicle inspection, vehicle-history report, financial advice or purchase recommendation. It describes patterns across a model year, not the condition of any individual vehicle.