Steering, engine, and issues relating to the electrical system are among the top complaints received by the NHTSA from vehicle owners
The 2022 Jeep Gladiator takes the best of the Wrangler and incorporates a truck bed for cargo-carrying space. The automaker claims it “answers the call of adventure.” However, there are some significant flaws. For instance, owners are complaining about the much-reported “death wobble,” as well as engines and electrical systems that shut down.
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A total of 12 consumers laid complaints with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) about the 2022 Jeep Gladiator between May 24, 2022, and January 30, 2023. While 10 components or systems are mentioned, there is considerable cross-over.
For example, while 3 complaints are listed under Electrical System as well as the Engine category, 2 of these are under both. There are four complaints that report the infamous “death wobble” or symptoms that describe it. One is filed under Engine and the others under Steering and, Suspension.
Other complaints describe a faulty transmission and a faulty clutch, both filed under Powertrain.
Some dealers appear unable or unwilling to help 2022 Gladiator owners. For example, a Pennsylvania owner’s foot got caught between the brake and accelerator pedals while approaching a stop sign. It took visits to several dealers before the owner was told that the accelerator pedal was lower than the brake pedal. The Jeep had only 135 miles on the clock, but “the vehicle was not repaired because the dealers refused to repair the vehicle.”
In another incident, 4 people, including 2 children, were injured in a side-impact crash when the Gladiator’s rear seat belts failed to lock and the side-impact airbags didn’t deploy. Even though there was no front impact, the front airbags did deploy. According to the Alabama owner, “the dealer will not discuss the issue.” At the time of the complaint in June 2022, the Jeep was in the possession of an insurance company.
| Complaint Category | Number of Complaints |
|---|---|
| Steering | |
| Electrical System | |
| Power Train | |
| Suspension | |
| Engine | |
| Fuel System, Diesel | |
| Air Bags | |
| Exterior Lighting | |
| Vehicle Speed Control | |
| Fuel/propulsion System |
About 4 months after the airbag incident, Jeep announced a recall, NHTSA Campaign Number 22V766000. Ironically, while the recall is for seat belts with pretensioner failure that may not restrain occupants during a crash, it is only for front seat belt pretensioners. It was, of course, the back seat pretensioners that failed in the crash mentioned above.
There are 2 other recalls. One relates to 60,413 Jeeps with a faulty fuel pump. If it fails, the engine can stall, increasing the risk of a crash. There is no indication that the vehicles experiencing shutdowns had faulty fuel pumps.
The third recall is due to a malfunctioning parking mechanism that can lead to vehicle rollaway.
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The Jeep lineup of SUVs has never been known for superior steering capability, but the Gladiator seems to take the issues to another new level.
Previous models have been deemed defective because of something known as the “death wobble.” This condition made the trucks almost impossible to control due to defective axles and damping systems. Even after class-action lawsuits related to the matter, it appears that Jeep continues to send trucks off the production line with the same control issues.
There are 3 complaints to the NHTSA about the 2022 Gladiator listed as having steering problems. All of them describe the infamous “death wobble.” Another, listed as an engine problem, describes the same symptom when driving uphill. There is a “steering wobble” and the engine rattles.
An owner from Utah filed a complaint about “the ‘death wobble’ I experience every time I get on the highway and hit a bump. I lose control over the vehicle.” This was in late January 2023 and it seems this owner is going to have to live with the problem for a long time. The parts needed to fix the problem are on backorder and won’t be available for about 6 months.
Other owners describe how their Gladiators vibrate uncontrollably. An owner from Colorado says it happened after hitting a bump at just over 55 mph. A Georgia owner says it happened while driving over a series of raised areas on a roadway. “Suddenly the steering wheel started shaking violently and then the entire jeep was shaking back and forth like it was going to come apart.” Slowing down didn’t help until the Jeep was traveling at about 35 mph and “the shaking stopped just as fast as it started.” About 3 hours later it happened again at 45 mph while traveling at 45 mph. “My research found ‘Jeep death wobble’ as a possible failure point.”
Some drivers say the check engine light comes on before the Gladiator shuts down. Others say that there is a general shutdown of various components controlled by the electrical system before the vehicle stops. The power steering may also be affected.
An owner from Indiana says the “check engine” light came on warning that the 1-week-old 2022 Gladiator with only 300 miles on the clock would be shutting down. It “died while driving and wouldn’t restart!” Warnings also alerted the driver to service the power steering. The next day, the Jeep still wouldn’t restart.
A Maryland owner says there were no warning messages before his 2-month-old Gladiator malfunctioned. The power steering “went out,” it started beeping, and then every system shut down one at a time. The vehicle was immobile. It was only after the Jeep stopped that warning messages were initiated. The dealership, which was only about 500 feet away, said the “shifter was loose,” and fixed it. But 2 weeks later the problem recurred. On both occasions, the owner was stuck in the middle of the road, at risk of being struck by oncoming vehicles. The complaint adds that owners of other Jeeps, including different models and model years, have posted reports of the same issues on social media.
An owner from Florida experienced this issue on December 28, 2022, less than 60 days after buying a 2022 Gladiator. The complaint states that the Jeep “locked up at a stop light” on a busy 6-lane road. All the dash lights were blinking and the wipers came on. The driver couldn’t move the shifter or turn the vehicle back on. The hazard lights weren’t working either. He had the Gladiator towed to a dealership. “I explained what happened and they had never heard of this before,” which is surprising given the many reports in the public domain from other owners about the issue.
One of the typical factors that identify a lemon is a recurring problem that affects the use and value of the vehicle. If you are experiencing any problems with your 2022 Jeep Gladiator you may correctly assume that it is a lemon. But your best approach is to let the experts work out your lemon case for you. The law makes Jeep pay the legal fees, so it won’t cost you anything.
Every year, auto manufacturers buy back, replace or pay cash settlements to thousands of ‘lemon’ owners. So, if you think you might be a lemon owner, contact Lemberg Law. We specialize in lemon law cases and have helped thousands of owners with settlement agreements. Call our Helpline or fill out a contact form if you want us to assess your case free of charge.
Brian Jones spent more than 30 years working as an ASE Certified Master Tech and Parts Specialist at multiple dealerships. Brian has become an authority in the industry, traveling across the country to consult for car dealerships and contributing his expertise as a writer for several major automotive publications. In his spare time, Brian enjoys working on pickup trucks, muscle cars, Jeeps and anything related to motorsports.
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My 2022 has a recall due to a faulty clutch assembly. I took it to the dealer and they told me Jeep doesn’t have a fix and won’t have one until sometime in Sept 2023. The recall says the clutch might explode and cause a fire. I regularly have my grandkids in the Jeep (2-5-7) and make sure they are in their booster seats. I’m concerned that if the clutch explodes how will I get the grandkids out of the Jeep quickly? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Overall I love my Jeep, but I love my grandkids significantly more.
I have 2002 Gladiator and similar to other reporting the death wobble. Running over a small bumps at highway speeds causes violent shaking steering of the steering wheel. Happens every time I go over a bridge transition or a small bump going highway speeds and have to slow down to under 40mph for wobbling to stop.
I have a 2022 jeep gladiator rubicon, been to the service dept 5 times already for same problem. Check engine light comes on and off mostly after a big rain. They never call say they cant duplicate the issue. The light flashes which means pull over immediatley. We have a video on our cellphone of it flashing. We get compliments on its looks and love it but we are paying a big payment for it to sit in the shop in murfreesboro tn.
2022 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon Diesel
Only 2800 miles and constant engine light and DPF problems already. There are some many people having issues!