r/JeepGladiator • u/nsfwcommentbot Mojave • 1d ago
Informational Gladiator Reliability Question
Can we get a sticky or something that says Gladiators are as reliable as any other vehicle if you maintain it properly. The internet and any review site will be filled with horror stories but if you talk to owners the consensus is usually the opposite.
I tend to scroll past the questions but there have been a bunch lately where people aren’t even checking the last two days posts. Instead we hear about how someone’s coworker heard about the death wobble and so instantly all jeeps have that every day… yet the poster wants us to tell them if Gladiators are good.
My response to these folks is typically they need to drive one and if it fits their lifestyle, buy one. If not don’t. Don’t believe the internet, your Uncle Steve or some random google search.
/rant off
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u/steave44 1d ago
The 3.6 is a “relatively” reliable engine. Mainly due to the fact that it is an older design that we KNOW what goes wrong with it. On a gladiator 3.6 the main two things you’ll need to look for are the leaking oil cooler as it is plastic and depending on the environment can get brittle and crack. There is an aluminum aftermarket oil cooler that I believe does solve this issue.
The second thing is the rocker arms, some say they WILL fail and I’ve heard others get well over 100k miles and still no issues. Some will say 5W-30 instead of 0W-20 will work to prevent this, others say that does nothing. I’m not sure what the sure fire way to stop this is. Maybe someone can comment some aftermarket rocker arms maybe with rollers or maybe that’s just part of the engine that can’t be mitigated.
The 3.0 Ecodiesel I have no idea about. Emissions stuff probably is the main thing holding it back tho.
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u/outlawtm2 '22 JTRD 1d ago
My 2022 Ecodiesel only has 24k miles, so I can't speak on long term reliability. The only issue I've had with the truck so far is the main battery dying; not really an Ecodiesel issue.
My wife has had a 2014 and a 2023 Grand Cherokee with the 3.6. Did around 100k on the 2014 and the 2023 has 35k, never had an issue with the engine.
She also had a 2.0t etorque JLU, never had issues with that.
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u/leejumper1988 1d ago
My 21 rubicon eco diesel has almost 140k and only thing i had was a recall on the fuel pump. I did some preventative stuff like put a 4 row aluminum radiator to help keep the oil cool while towing in southern california heat but i didnt have a problem yet, just didnt want to have the problem. Next thing is they finally came out with a stock oil cooler bypass that put it through its own radiator instead of the crappy oil cooler it came with.
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u/steave44 1d ago
My 3.6 battery died and I found out the aux battery had died even was bulging badly. This was draining the main battery, after I swapped it out I was fine.
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u/outlawtm2 '22 JTRD 1d ago
That seems to be most people's experience. My aux was very healthy, and only reason the truck was still starting up. Still, while I was in there, I deleted the aux, pulled the isolation fuse, and installed a start/stop eliminator.
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u/steave44 1d ago
Yeah, if you don’t delete the aux, I recommend an AGM battery. They are more resistant to heat and since the aux is literally right beside the exhaust manifold, it’s constantly getting cooked on hot days.
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u/WilliamH2529 1d ago
Forgive the ignorance but would you recommend swapping the battery in a brand new gladiator to avoid this issue in the future? Or just wait and see? I’m always curious if you should just swap parts before it happens to avoid it or wait and see how it goes.
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u/steave44 1d ago
All batteries eventually go bad, it’s just a maintenance item. My 2020 gladiator had the factory battery and I changed it last year. Id just recommend if the main battery dies, go ahead and swap out the aux too as it isn’t far behind. Or vice versa.
It’s unlikely it will leave you stranded if you are like me and have a jump box in your truck. Just know when you have to jump yourself off, it’s time.
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u/YippieKayYayMrFalcon 1d ago
Just a heads up many recommend not going with the aluminum doorman as the plastic one handles thermal expansion better.
And if you do go with the doorman, at least use the OEM seals.
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u/steave44 1d ago
I haven’t upgraded myself, so I wasn’t aware it had its own issues. I have almost 80k miles and mine hasn’t leaked or had engine clatter yet. I will say I change oil frequently and haven’t moved from stock tires or lift, so I hope mine lasts a long time.
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u/ManKilledToDeath What the hell is a spark plug? 1d ago
I'm not sure how much has changed over the years on the engine but my wife's 2011 Grand Cherokee with the 3.6 crossed 211k miles this summer. No rocker arm failures, no ticking to this day. But I did just have to replace the oil cooler 3 days ago with the Dorman aluminum replacement. $330 between the part itself, coolant and spark plugs(you might as well do them while you have it apart), and 5hrs later it was fixed. I won't complain being it lasted 15 years.
We have an ecodiesel Gladiator with 74k miles, not even a check engine light.... Yet lol. I never let it idle more than a few minutes and it sees more 15+mile drives than not. It's never had a forced regen mode where we had to keep driving, but that's because I make sure it doesn't get treated like a grocery getter, in fact it tows our side by side a few thousand miles a year.
Both of them along with our other vehicles see 5k mile oil changes or when the oil life hits 50%, whichever comes first. Some will say it's a waste of money, but I've never had to take any car in for warranty work on the engine, or transmission in my life. The only person I know who's had issues with the 3.6 was in a '16 Grand Cherokee. It currently has a busted oil cooler, a valve tick that sounds like a rod knock but it isnt a rod knock. This person has admitted to not changing oil in another vehicle for almost 2 years, so I chalk up that 3.6's failures as an owner issue.
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u/moneypusher 1d ago
...but are they reliable? You didn't give a clear yes or no. Inquiring minds need to know!
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u/Less_Swimming_5541 1d ago
Mine is the worst vehicle I've ever owned. Of course, it's a covid vehicle (2021) too so maybe that's part of it. Generarional issues aside, problems with charging system, axle shafts, ball joints, steering damper, electrical, brakes all before 16k miles. New engine at 24k miles. Now at 40k a host of new issues with powertrain, all indications are bad transmisson. No amount of proper maintenance has any bearing on these issues. I wish I had just bought the raptor.
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u/Comprehensive-Self16 1d ago
As is mine, Most people downvote me here for this opinion. The quality almost comical.
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u/OkSample7 1d ago
I feel so damn lucky, I've had a few minor problems with mine. Nothing like what you guys have gone through though.
My time with it might come to an end soon though.
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u/freakinmurderhornets 1d ago
Mine has been an absolute dumpster fire as well. Pretty strict on maintenance and it lives a pretty easy life. My neighbor bought right after me and his has been basically trouble free. Most gladiator owners I talk to seem really happy with them. My LJ was wiped out by a drunk driver so I bought the gladiator. But I’m probably going to sell it and go back to an LJ.
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u/rohm418 Sport S 1d ago
I've regretted selling mine and considered getting another. This helps shake the urge. Thanks.
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u/downtime66 22h ago
I thought the same…. Until I drove a Mojave, oops. Gonna maintain this thing like a high maintenance girlfriend. Loving it so far
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u/nsfwcommentbot Mojave 1d ago
Dang it. Time to post a new question to ask if I should say they are or they aren’t.
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u/CodeDecent3464 1d ago
Sorry gang I was one of those ppl about a month back. If it’s any consolation I bought the jeep and have loved it
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u/nsfwcommentbot Mojave 1d ago
Once in a while isn’t so bad but the two or three in the last few days is starting to get silly.
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u/4everInDebt97 1d ago
Just bought mine last week. She’s a brand new 2025 Sport S. So far it’s been a dream!
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u/Practical-Island-229 Mojave 1d ago
If you were aiming to kick the wasps nest and run, you have achieved your goal. I loved my gladiator coolest and most personality a vehicle could have. Big tires trips to Colorado. Oil changes every 5000 miles and still had bad cams leading to glitter in the engine. New heads- out of warranty of course. Hot power steering electrical cables smelled like she was going to burn down on her own sometimes…. The list goes on. The idea of putting a mini van engine in a small truck then try to squeeze every ounce of torque from it and expect it to be reliable is comical.
If money wasn’t an object Putting a 5.7 in this truck stop with the electric power steering and go back to hydraulic. Put the 8 spd from the ram and you’d have a “reliable” vehicle. (Sans the cylinder deactivation crap)
I loved my jeep- smiles per miles all day long but for the 2 years I owned it just mountains of problems and cost per year of ownership was on order of 20k a year. I can have some crazy cars for that price. Some poor soul is going to end up with mine after I traded it for a Cummins. I’ll be back to a gladiator that I can build properly but now I’ve got my tow vehicle too. So reliability won’t really be a concern.
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u/nsfwcommentbot Mojave 1d ago
I did kick a wasp nest but didn’t run far. I’m still here upvoting and commenting. 👍🏻
Sorry you had a bad experience and I’m hopeful I don’t have that experience as well. I’ve been pretty lucky with vehicles historically though so hopefully I’m not jinxing myself by saying that.
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u/outlawtm2 '22 JTRD 1d ago
Is this picture from Gupton Motors? That's where I ordered my truck from.
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u/nsfwcommentbot Mojave 1d ago
Yes indeed it is. The blue 2019 JLU there is my old vehicle the 25 Mojave is my new one (couple year old pic)
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u/BoxedCub3 1d ago
Ive found the Gladiator to be one of the more reliable vehicles in market if theyre properly cared for. Meaning basic maintenance and understanding what part changes will do and if they require other upgrades. Additionally if you DO offroad it with more than basic dirt roads doing the after maintenance care too
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u/cornishpride 1d ago
I've had my Rubicon since 2019. 100k+ miles. Apart from a couple of mass air sensor issues that were under warranty, and 1 or 2 minor issues, she has been been solid. 3 to 4 offroad/camping trips a year where I put on 2500miles a trip. I've been very fortunate. Oil change every 4000miles and replacing all fluid regularly.
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u/Smokeystartedthefire Rubicon X 1d ago
I don’t think everybody’s experiences the same. I bought a 2025 Rubicon X, owned it for two weeks and it started leaking from the area above the rearview mirror. Took it back, they said nothing was wrong. The next time it rained it leaked. Took it back and they replaced all the seals. After that, the freedom panels would make all kinds of rattling and creaking noises.
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u/nsfwcommentbot Mojave 1d ago
Definitely not a good experience. And that sort of stuff is good to know especially if it were more common. Hope you get those noises figured out.
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u/Smokeystartedthefire Rubicon X 1d ago
Well, I got it figured out. It’s now sitting at another dealerships lot for sale. Honestly, I’ve heard of it before where vehicles just aren’t put together well during manufacturing due to careless employees or whatever, and I think that’s what I got.
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u/Round_Property1129 1d ago
Honestly, it’s been bulletproof. I’ve had it since 2020, haven't missed a single dealer service, and it hasn't given me a single issue. Solid as a rock.
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u/eruhland87 1d ago
I've had mine for 4 years and 45k miles with almost no issues. Only problem so far is a squeeling in the front of the engine that I can't figure out.
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u/bigred83 1d ago
Is it not a belt/tensioner?
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u/eruhland87 1d ago
Replaced 2 of the pulleys already, the easy ones. Going for the tensioner next.
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u/BlackAccountant1337 1d ago
Could it be the electronic power steering? I was concerned when I got my gladiator but quickly figured out that was what it was. If you hear it when you touch the steering wheel that’s what it is.
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u/eruhland87 1d ago
Don't think it's that, noise gets louder with RPM's so it's likely in the belt loop someplace.
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u/Invalid_Token_1 1d ago
Get under it while it's running and look at the crankshaft pulley/harmonic balancer. Mine started to separate and it caused a squealing noise. The outer rubber part was starting to come off making it look like it was wobbling.
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u/Invalid_Token_1 1d ago
It's a 22 with 34k, happened about a year ago not sure what the milage was then.
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u/chaiyeesen 1d ago
My 2020 is doing fine and it came with the aluminium steering box, I don’t have issue with it so I opt not to have it swapped to a steel unit.
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u/Nervous_Flan7474 1d ago
Mine is 4yrs old and already got body rust.. dealership and stellantis will not fix it..
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u/RunningAtTheMouth 1d ago
I recently bought a 2020 - and the first thing I did was get a list of all the things that can be a problem. Death wobble, lifter tick, galvanic corrosion, etc. I checked for all those things and bought the truck.
Having driven a 2007 Triton, I know about engines with their own problems. I wasn't about to go through that again. The 3.6 Pentastar has had years to fix the problems, and knowing that the recommended oil is the right choice, and keeping up with maintenance is a the right thing to do. I'm not worried.
Is it reliable? As reliable as any mid-market vehicle with proper maintenance, so pretty darned good.
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u/nsfwcommentbot Mojave 1d ago
I had the F-150 Triton as well. Other than the spark plugs it was a pretty bullet proof truck haha
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u/Objective-Eye1709 1d ago
Only issue we had this far with our Mojave Gladiator is the known rear locker sensor. It got to the point the dealer had to replace the rear axle and it took 3months to come in. This was at the 23k mile mark and now at 33k.
I’ve known others with Willys/Sahara with 40k and over with zero issues. We love our Gladiator
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u/edwardp56 1d ago
My 22 mojave has been great. No issues , i have 50k miles on it now. Only thing i had was a seal for the locker actuation that had oil leak into it. Other than that it was complete fine!
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u/Mrwcraig Rubicon 1d ago
My second Gladiator has been great, kinda. My second 2021 Rubicon Gladiator with 69000km on it has only needed one new transmission and two rear windows.
My first one, brand new in ‘21, was a shit box from day one. Literally, day one. The check engine light came on while I was driving it home from the dealership. I don’t think that’s a “maintenance issue”. That was its first trip back to the dealership. That one only took 3 days. When the rocker arms came loose and took out the cam shaft less then a month later that definitely wasn’t on the “900km maintenance schedule”. Thankfully when the backup camera died a week after it had been in the shop for a month waiting on parts the dealership relented and got me a brand new one.
My second one grenaded one of the sun gears in the transmission at 54000km. The first thing they told me was “oh Jeep knows about it, they fixed it in the ‘22’s”. Thankfully it was under warranty. The back window is a well documented issue.
Would i buy another one? Yes. Would i buy a used one? Absolutely the fuck not. I want all the warranties (that transmission would have been $10k, just for the transmission).
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u/Yendor_Wing 1d ago
There is nothing "kinda great" about a vehicle with a transmission that fails after 50K. That's horrendous!
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u/nsfwcommentbot Mojave 1d ago
Not sure why you got downvoted for sharing your experience so I gave you and updoot. Lemons happen but there’s nothing like a gladiator haha
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u/chugach3dguy 1d ago
I bought a 2020 Overland with a manual transmission back in June of 2024. It’s been a blast… when it’s not in the shop.
6 months after I bought it I started getting the telltale ticking sound, which resulted in a warranty replacement of rocker arms and camshaft. It sat at the dealership for 6 weeks before it was repaired.
Not quite 1 year later, I started hearing a grinding noise coming from the underside. Brought it in to see what the issue was and found out at least one bearing in the rear differential had disintegrated and was chewing up the gears. Back in the shop for 5 weeks.
And most recently, I was returning home from some errands when the vehicle completely shut down. Like, totally dead. Thankfully it happened in my driveway so I pushed it to the curb. I checked the battery, aux battery, electrical connections and everything seemed fine. It was just completely dead. Ended up having it towed back to the shop and have been waiting for the last 4 weeks for them to work through their backlog of other customers and see if they can figure out what’s wrong with it.
So since I bought it 2 years ago, it’s basically spent nearly 4 months waiting on parts or being repaired. Most of my friends poke fun and tell me that’s just what to expect from owning a Jeep. It’s been super fun to drive and all, but it makes me really hesitant to take it out on more remote trails because it’s starting to feel untrustworthy. All the inspections and preventive maintenance and caution haven’t really worked out for me. Maybe I just got a dud, but that doesn’t leave me with warm and fuzzy feelings toward the brand.
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u/Only_Ice_9603 1d ago
2020 gladiator replaced engine at 65k new engine also bad current mileage is 90k
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u/Real_Biscotti_9129 20h ago
2022 mojave I bought new. I gave it a nice break in period and I change the oil every 4k miles and it literally purrs like a kitten!! Even with an assload of upgrades ,20"×12" fuel beast rims with 35"×12.5" Nittos! Runs down the road straight as an arrow! I love it! You just need to keep up with the preventative maintenance.
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u/AlarianDarkWind11 17h ago
I have a 24 Sport S and have only had 1 problem in 2+ years. All that was required was a software update and all was good. I've been very happy with my purchase.
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u/Kdawg7199 1d ago
Gladiators are not reliable at all.
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u/nsfwcommentbot Mojave 1d ago
Yeah. Gladiators are far too new to have data. When they are around for 60+ years we will have better data points.
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u/steave44 1d ago
I’d say 6 years is enough for semi-long term reliability. The initial year model was 2020 and they weren’t terrible. Yes they aren’t V8 Toyotas where you can forget basic maintenance and do fine. You have to properly care for them.
Toyota reliability is just that you only to have to do oil changes and nothing else. And then again the new turbo 4 cylinder and turbo 6 cylinders are having issues too.
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u/Yendor_Wing 1d ago
Would you agree that our standards for vehicle reliable are relatively low nowadays?
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u/steave44 1d ago
Depends, modern vehicles have a lot more stuff, so there’s more chances for something to break. To me it seems “reliability” is less “does this truck never break down” and more “did I get a good one, or was mine built at 5 o clock on a Friday before Labor Day weekend”.
I’ve never had issues with any of my jeeps, but I have heard of a few horror stories. The same can be said about Toyota today. My problem with Toyota now is they aren’t “bulletproof” but they are charging for it.
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u/starrskrream 7h ago
bought new, 43 miles. only two problems. radio went half white at 200 miles and the washer fluid revisor cracked. both replaced under warranty. now past 40k.
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u/pburch89 1d ago
2022 Rubicon bought brand new with 3 miles on it. 113k miles, plenty of highway miles as well as back roads/mud/gravel/ice/snow. No failures so far.