Jeep Gladiator years to avoid
Jeep Gladiator years to avoid, by NHTSA owner complaints: the 2020 (485 complaints, led by the electrical system at 183 and steering at 182) and the 2021 (294, led by steering at 95 and the powertrain at 72) drew the most of the 2020–2025 model years on record as of November 10, 2026; complaints are owner reports, not proven defects, and the counts also reflect each year’s age and sales. Before buying a used Gladiator, run its VIN: the $14.99 original ClearVIN PDF shows title brands, odometer readings, accident and auction records on file.
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The 2020 (485) and 2021 (294) drew the most owner complaints to NHTSA of the 2020–2025 Jeep Gladiator model years on record, as of November 10, 2026.
2024 and 2025 have fewer than 40 complaints on file, too few to compare.
Fewest complaints: not named. Fewer than three of the Jeep Gladiator model years from 2020 to 2020 with at least 40 complaints on file remain once the years with the most are set aside.
Half of the 292 NHTSA owner complaints on the Jeep Gladiator that list mileage came after 4,900 miles (NHTSA complaints file of November 11, 2026). How many miles will a Jeep Gladiator last? →
Jeep Gladiator complaints and recalls by model year, 2020–2025
This table lists the 6 Jeep Gladiator model years NHTSA holds records for between 2020 and 2025, collected from NHTSA’s complaints and recalls APIs on November 10, 2026. Each owner complaint is counted once, by its NHTSA number, and a complaint can name more than one component; recall campaigns are counted once per model year, by campaign number. Across these years NHTSA lists 16 distinct recall campaigns, the newest filed Jun 4, 2026.
| Model year | Owner complaints | Most-reported components | Recall campaigns | Newest recall filed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 Gladiator | 485 · most | electrical system (183), steering (182), powertrain (55) | 7 | Sep 5, 2024 |
| 2021 Gladiator | 294 · most | steering (95), powertrain (72), engine (53) | 8 | Jun 4, 2026 |
| 2022 Gladiator | 121 | steering (37), electrical system (32), powertrain (21) | 8 | Jun 4, 2026 |
| 2023 Gladiator | 57 | electrical system (15), suspension (12), steering (10) | 6 | Jun 4, 2026 |
| 2024 Gladiator | 23 · too few to compare | electrical system (8), steering (7) | 2 | Jun 4, 2026 |
| 2025 Gladiator | 17 · too few to compare | electrical system (4), fuel system (3), speed control (3) | 1 | Jun 4, 2026 |
Jeep Gladiator by model year: mileage, problems and recalls
Each page below covers one model year in NHTSA’s complaints file of November 11, 2026: the mileage when owners reported problems, the most-reported components and the recall campaigns NHTSA’s recall files list. That file is a separate collection from the table above and goes back to the 1981 model year, so its counts can differ and it holds years the table does not.
How to read these numbers
- A higher count is not proof of a worse vehicle. Complaint volume rises with sales volume and with years on the road, so older and best-selling years collect more.
- The comparison is between years of the Jeep Gladiator only. It says nothing about how the Gladiator compares with other models.
- NHTSA publishes owner reports without verifying them. A complaint is an allegation, not a defect finding.
- Recall campaigns cover production ranges. NHTSA’s VIN lookup checks open recalls within its coverage and excludes completed repairs. A zero result does not prove the vehicle’s complete recall or repair history; ask for dated repair documentation.
- NHTSA files some years under body or cab names (for example ACCESS CAB or CREW CAB). This collection asked for the names NHTSA lists, and a year far below its neighbours also under the common cab and body names. Such a year is marked as possibly filed under another name only when NHTSA’s records show it split across names or holding recalls and no complaint; otherwise its count is read as low.
Primary sources behind this page
Open the underlying public source and verify that its scope matches the question you are asking.
- NHTSA recall and complaint datasets: scope and API documentationNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA complaints by vehicle APINational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NHTSA recalls by vehicle APINational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- Recalls Lookup by VINNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration
Jeep Gladiator year-by-year questions
Which Jeep Gladiator years should I avoid?
Jeep Gladiator years to avoid, by NHTSA owner complaints: the 2020 (485 complaints, led by the electrical system at 183 and steering at 182) and the 2021 (294, led by steering at 95 and the powertrain at 72) drew the most of the 2020–2025 model years on record as of November 10, 2026; complaints are owner reports, not proven defects, and the counts also reflect each year’s age and sales. 2024 and 2025 have fewer than 40 complaints on file, too few to compare.
What are the best Jeep Gladiator years?
Complaint counts do not show which model year is best; the closest they come is which years drew the fewest complaints. This page names none: fewer than three of the Jeep Gladiator model years from 2020 to 2020 with at least 40 complaints on file remain once the years with the most are set aside.
Do complaint counts mean the Gladiator is unreliable?
No. NHTSA complaints are unverified owner reports, and the count rises with how many vehicles were sold and how long they have been on the road. They are useful for comparing years of the same model, which is what this page does, not for ranking one model against another.
How do I check a specific Gladiator before buying?
Take the 17-character VIN from the windshield or driver-door label and run it through NHTSA's free recall lookup. It reports open recalls within its coverage and excludes completed repairs. A zero result is not a complete recall or repair history; ask the seller or manufacturer for dated repair documentation. For the vehicle's own past, the original ClearVIN PDF from VIN Lookup shows title brands, odometer readings, accident and auction records on file for that VIN.