The Jeep Gladiator has been on sale in the United States since the 2020 model year, giving used truck shoppers seven model years to compare. NHTSA complaint records show a substantial difference in reported problems between the earliest Gladiators and the newest examples.
The 2020 model has accumulated more than 480 complaints in the current database, while the latest model years have far fewer reports. These figures should not be treated as reliability scores because complaint totals are influenced by sales volume, vehicle age, mileage, and reporting behavior.
Still, the year-by-year pattern provides useful context when examining a used Gladiator. The following list covers every U.S. model year from 2020 through 2026.
1. 2020 Jeep Gladiator
The 2020 Gladiator sits at the top of the NHTSA complaint list, with approximately 483 owner complaints in the latest available database snapshot.
Another NHTSA-based compilation records 480 complaints, with the small difference reflecting the date on which the database was captured. The important point is that the launch-year Gladiator has accumulated substantially more reports than any subsequent model year.
The first production year deserves attention because the Gladiator was an entirely new pickup for Jeep. It combined the Wrangler’s removable-roof and removable-door concept with a longer pickup-bed configuration. That meant numerous components and systems were being introduced together in a new application.
Electrical and steering complaints stand out in the available complaint data. One NHTSA-based compilation identifies 181 complaints involving the electrical system and another 181 involving steering. Powertrain complaints were also present, along with reports involving the engine and suspension.
The model year also accumulated several recalls. One early campaign involved rear driveshafts that could have been assembled without sufficient grease, while another involved the clutch assembly on manual-transmission vehicles. A separate campaign concerned the rearview camera display on vehicles equipped with certain infotainment systems.
The instrument cluster became another important concern. NHTSA’s records show a recall covering certain 2020 through 2024 Gladiators equipped with the 3.5-inch instrument panel cluster, where the cluster could become blank. The affected population for the Gladiator was listed at 11,554 vehicles.
For a used buyer, the 2020 Gladiator is therefore important not simply because it is the oldest year, but because it has the longest complaint history and the largest accumulation of owner reports. A prospective buyer should check the VIN for completed recalls, inspect the electrical system carefully, and review maintenance documentation before purchasing.
2. 2021 Jeep Gladiator
The 2021 Gladiator occupies the second position in the complaint history, with roughly 288 to 290 NHTSA complaints depending on the database snapshot. That is considerably lower than the 2020 figure but still substantially higher than later model years. Current NHTSA-based data identifies 289 complaints for this model year, while another recent compilation lists 290.
Steering is particularly prominent in the 2021 complaint records. One current compilation identifies 94 steering-related complaints, followed by 69 involving the powertrain, 53 involving the engine, and 45 involving the electrical system. Suspension complaints are also represented in the database.
This model year is also relevant because some problems reported by owners overlap with broader Wrangler and Gladiator investigations.
NHTSA opened an investigation into underhood fires involving 2021 through 2023 Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles. In the agency’s investigation records, FCA reported multiple field reports and fire-related cases associated with the issue.
Another historical recall involved the manual-transmission clutch assembly. FCA’s 2021 recall documentation states that an investigation followed a vehicle fire event and subsequent examination of clutch assemblies. The manufacturer identified customer assistance records and warranty claims potentially related to the issue before deciding to conduct a safety recall.
The 2021 Gladiator is not automatically a truck that should be rejected. Its complaint count simply places it considerably higher in the NHTSA database than later years. For buyers considering one, the condition of the individual truck matters greatly.
A vehicle with completed recall repairs, documented servicing, and no signs of electrical or steering trouble represents a different buying proposition from a neglected example.
The high complaint volume makes this year particularly important to investigate before purchase rather than relying solely on price or mileage.
3. 2022 Jeep Gladiator
The 2022 Gladiator marks a substantial change in the complaint pattern. NHTSA-based databases currently show about 115 to 120 complaints for this model year, depending on the date and data snapshot. One current compilation lists 120, while another database built from NHTSA records through September 2026 reports 119.
That represents a large reduction compared with both 2020 and 2021. However, the lower complaint count does not mean the model year is free from concerns.
Steering remains the most frequently identified system in the available records, with 36 complaints in one current database. Electrical-system complaints follow with 32, while powertrain and engine reports are also present.
The steering category deserves particular attention because some owner complaints describe severe shaking or what drivers commonly call “death wobble.” The Center for Auto Safety’s NHTSA complaint records include 2022 Gladiator owners reporting severe front-end vibration and difficulty controlling the steering at speed.
Such reports are allegations from vehicle owners, not independent findings that every vehicle has the same defect.
The 2022 model year also appears in NHTSA investigation records connected to underhood fire concerns involving Gladiator and Wrangler vehicles. Current data shows two investigations associated with this model year.
For someone shopping for a used Gladiator, the 2022 model year provides a useful middle ground in the model’s complaint history. It has considerably fewer reports than the first two production years, while there is enough accumulated mileage and ownership history to give buyers more information about potential trouble areas.
A pre-purchase inspection should concentrate on steering components, suspension condition, electrical operation, and evidence of previous recall repairs. Tire condition and alignment should also be checked because steering complaints can sometimes involve multiple contributing factors.
4. 2023 Jeep Gladiator
The complaint volume drops again with the 2023 Gladiator. Current NHTSA-based sources report approximately 55 to 56 complaints, putting this model year well below the first three years of the generation. One recent database lists 55 complaints, while another NHTSA-derived record shows 56.
Electrical-system reports form the largest category, accounting for 14 complaints in the current data. Suspension follows with 12, while steering accounts for 10. Fuel and propulsion systems and the powertrain also appear among the more frequently reported categories.
The 2023 model year is particularly interesting because it falls within NHTSA’s investigation concerning underhood fires on certain 2021 through 2023 Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles. NHTSA’s investigation records show that the agency examined reports involving fires, property damage, and other information associated with the vehicles.
Another recall directly affected certain 2023 Gladiators because of a steering column control module issue. The recall documentation states that an insufficient weld within the module could prevent an occupant-restraint deployment signal from reaching the driver airbag under certain circumstances.
The 2023 Gladiator therefore demonstrates why complaint totals need context. Its 55-plus complaints are dramatically lower than the 2020 figure, but the individual complaints still cover safety-relevant systems.
A buyer looking at one should verify the VIN rather than assuming that every 2023 truck received the same recalls. NHTSA specifically distinguishes between general model-year information and VIN-specific recall status. A VIN search can show whether an individual vehicle has an unrepaired recall.
The lower complaint volume makes the 2023 model an important point in the Gladiator’s seven-year history, but the inspection process remains essential.
5. 2024 Jeep Gladiator
The 2024 Gladiator has accumulated about 23 NHTSA complaints in the latest available data, placing it well below every model year from 2020 through 2023. The current records identify electrical-system complaints as the largest category, followed by steering. Engine and service-brake reports also appear in the database.
The difference between 2024 and the earlier model years is substantial. The latest NHTSA-derived figures show 23 complaints for 2024 compared with 55 for 2023, 120 for 2022, 289 for 2021, and 483 for 2020.
This is a clear decline in the number of reports attached to each newer model year, although complaint totals cannot establish a defect rate without considering how many vehicles were sold and how long they have been in service.
One important issue associated with the 2024 Gladiator is the instrument cluster recall. Certain 2020 through 2024 Gladiators equipped with the 3.5-inch cluster could experience a blank display. A blank cluster can prevent the driver from seeing critical information such as vehicle speed or warning indicators.
The 2024 model year also appears in the production range of this recall because suspect clusters were installed through May 18, 2024. Not every 2024 Gladiator is necessarily affected, which again makes the VIN check important.
For used-car buyers, the 2024 model has another consideration when reviewing complaint history. It has spent less time on the road than the earliest Gladiators, so its lower complaint count should not be taken as evidence that it will remain at that level over time.
Still, the available data gives the 2024 truck a markedly different complaint profile from the launch years. Buyers should confirm recall completion, test every electronic display and warning light, inspect the steering system, and examine the truck for aftermarket modifications.
6. 2025 Jeep Gladiator
Only 15 NHTSA complaints are currently associated with the 2025 Gladiator in the available database, putting this model year near the bottom of the seven-year complaint table. The reported categories include electrical systems, fuel and propulsion systems, vehicle speed control, suspension, exterior lighting, and equipment.
The smaller number needs to be interpreted carefully. The 2025 Gladiator has been on American roads for far less time than the 2020 model, which has had years longer to accumulate owner reports.
A newer vehicle also has had fewer opportunities to experience high-mileage failures. NHTSA itself explains that complaints are owner-submitted reports used alongside other information to identify potential safety issues, rather than confirmed defect findings.
One recent complaint illustrates why even a low-count year should not be treated as trouble-free. An owner report included in an NHTSA-derived database described intermittent Uconnect problems requiring the system to be restarted, with the owner reporting repeated dealer visits. That is a single complaint and does not establish a defect affecting all 2025 Gladiators.
The 2025 Gladiator is also included in a major 2026 recall involving the electric hydraulic power-steering pump wiring.
NHTSA announced that more than 1 million 2021 through 2025 Gladiator and Wrangler vehicles were recalled because an electrical connection could overheat and potentially cause a fire. The agency said it was aware of 51 fires and one injury likely associated with the issue.
That recall is particularly important for anyone purchasing a 2025 Gladiator used. The vehicle’s low complaint count does not eliminate the need for recall verification.
A buyer should obtain the VIN, check NHTSA’s current recall database, confirm that applicable repairs have been completed, and inspect the truck’s electrical and steering systems before purchase.
7. 2026 Jeep Gladiator
The 2026 Gladiator has the smallest complaint count in the current comparison, with only a handful of reports appearing in NHTSA-derived databases. One current compilation lists two complaints for the model year.
That number should be viewed primarily as a reflection of how new the model year is rather than as conclusive evidence of superior long-term reliability.
A 2026 vehicle simply has not accumulated the same amount of mileage or time in service as a 2020 Gladiator. The difference in exposure is enormous, making direct complaint totals useful for comparison but inadequate as a standalone reliability measurement.
This distinction matters particularly when discussing a new model year. A low number of complaints can result because fewer vehicles have been sold, because the vehicles have spent less time on the road, or because owners have not yet encountered problems that appear later in a vehicle’s life.
The 2026 Gladiator also arrives after NHTSA and Stellantis identified the major power-steering electrical connection issue affecting 2021 through 2025 Gladiator and Wrangler vehicles.
Because the published recall range stops at the 2025 model year, buyers should not automatically assume the 2026 truck is covered by that particular campaign. Instead, they should check the specific VIN for all applicable campaigns.
The same principle applies to complaints. NHTSA makes complaint and recall information searchable by vehicle year, make, and model, while VIN searches provide vehicle-specific recall information.
For someone considering a 2026 Gladiator, the biggest advantage in this particular comparison is simply that it has generated very few owner complaints so far. The biggest limitation is the lack of long-term exposure.
That makes the 2026 model an important endpoint in the Gladiator’s complaint history, but not a final verdict on durability. A used buyer should still inspect the vehicle carefully, verify its VIN, and retain all service documentation.
