2020 JEEP GLADIATOR Complaints

WENT ON A 100 MILE TRIP AND WAS EXHAUSTED WHEN I RETURNED HOME FROM TRYING TO KEEP IT BETWEEN THE LINES. IT WANDERED ALL THE TIME.

THE STEERING ON THIS JEEP HAS A 1-1.5" PLAY ON EITHER SIDE OF DRIVING STRAIGHT AND WANDERS ALL OVER THE ROAD.. IT TAKES SOME SERIOUS EFFORT TO KEEP IT DRIVING STRAIGHT.

EXCESSIVE PLAY IN THE STEERING WHEEL. VEHICLE REQUIRES APPROXIMATELY 2 TO 3 INCHES OF MOVEMENT BEFORE THE FRONT TIRES REACT. THIS CREATES AN UNSAFE DRIVING CHARACTERISTIC WITH UNEXPECTED MOVEMENT WHILE DRIVING AND DIFFICULTY TO MAINTAIN LANE.

THE SO CALLED DEATH WOBBLE WHILE DRIVING UNDER NORMAL CONDITIONS....DRY PAVEMENT AT SPEEDS BETWEEN 60/65 MPH ON BOTH CITY STREETS AND HIGHWAYS ....IT HAPPENS QUITE OFTEN...THIS VEHICLE HAS ONLY 4000 MILES

WHILE IN MOTION AND INCREASINGLY NOTICEABLE AS SPEED INCREASES THERE IS A DEAD SPOT IN THE STEERING. THE INPUT OF THE STEERING WHEEL DOES NOT CORRESPOND TO THE MOVEMENT IN THE TIRES AS OBSERVED FROM TESTING STEERING WHEEL MOVEMENT AND MONITORING THE TIRE MOVEMENT. THE VEHICLE HAS BEEN CHECKED TWICE BY THE DEALERSHIP. THE FIRST TIME THE DRAG LINK WAS REPLACED WITH NO NOTICEABLE IMPROVEMENT. THE SECOND TIME THE VEHICLE WAS DEEMED TO BE OPERATING AS EXPECTED. AFTER REPLACING THE DRAG LINK THE DEAD SPOT MOVED ENTIRELY TO THE RIGHT SIDE. WHEN THE STEERING WHEEL IS STRAIGHT, MOVEMENT TO THE LEFT IS IMMEDIATELY RESPONSIVE. MOVEMENT TO THE RIGHT HAS ABOUT A 2 INCH DEAD ZONE. THE SYMPTOM CAN BE OBSERVED IN THIS VIDEO: HTTPS://YOUTU.BE/-PJQTFGV4UC THE PROBLEM IS MOST LIKELY IN THE STEERING BOX AS THE INPUT TO THE STEERING BOX IS NOT MATCHING THE OUTPUT INTO THE STEERING COMPONENTS. HAVING DRIVEN OTHER GLADIATORS WITHOUT THIS ISSUE AND HEARD FROM NUMEROUS OTHER OWNERS ABOUT HAVING RESPONSIVE STEERING, THIS ISSUE SHOULD NOT BE DESCRIBED AS NORMAL OPERATION.

THE VEHICLE HAS A STEERING ISSUE WHEN DRIVING AT HIGHWAY SPEEDS. IT HAS TO BE CONSTANTLY TURNED TO KEEP IN A STRAIGHT PATH. IT WONDERS UNCONTROLLABLY WITHOUT CONSTANT ADJUSTMENTS FROM THE DRIVER. THIS IS A SAFETY ISSUE TO ME BECAUSE IT'S EASY TO GET OUT OF YOUR LANE IF YOUR NOT CONSTANTLY FOCUSED ON THE ROAD. YOU CAN'T TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR EVEN A SPLIT SECOND.

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2020 JEEP GLADIATOR. THE CONTACT STATED THAT WHILE DRIVING AT SPEEDS ABOVE 50 MPH, THE VEHICLE WOULD DRIFT OUT OF THE LANE AND THE STEERING WOULD NOT IMMEDIATELY RESPOND WHEN TURNING THE STEERING WHEEL MAKING THE STEERING VERY UNSTABLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE LOCAL DEALER LITHEA DODGE (2121 MLK JR. BLVD EUGENE OR) WHO WAS UNABLE TO IDENTIFY THE FAILURE AND INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE HAD OPERATED AS NORMAL. THE MANUFACTURER) WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 8.

TODAY IS THE FIRST TIME I'VE TAKEN MY NEW JEEP GLADIATOR ON THE FREEWAY. IT HAS ONLY 259 MILES. I NEVER NOTICED ANY STEERING PROBLEM WHILE DRIVING IN TOWN, BUT AT HIGHER SPEEDS ON THE FREEWAY I WAS CONSTANTLY CORRECTING TO STAY IN THE CENTER OF MY LANE. I AGREE WITH THE MANY OTHER STEERING COMPLAINTS THAT THERE HAS TO BE A FIX. I FELT VERY UNCOMFORTABLE DRIVING LIKE THIS.

MY GLADIATOR STEERING IS NOT ABLE TO TRACK STRAIGHT. AND THERE IS CONSTANT PLAY AT ALL SPEEDS. IT HAS BEEN TO THE DEALER 3 TIMES FOR REPAIR AND DEALER HAS BEEN UNSUCCESSFUL AT FIXING STEERING PLAY. MY TRUCK WAS OUT OF ALIGNMENT FROM THE DAY I PURCHASED IT, CHRYSLER ESCALATED MY CASE AND THEN A NOTICE SAYING MY CASE HAS BEEN CLOSED. AND THERE IS NO RESOLVE FOR MY STEERING ISSUE.MY NEXT STEP IS TO DISCUSS WITH LEMON LAW ATTORNEY.

MY JEEP GLADIATOR REQUIRES CONSTANT CORRECTION WHILE DRIVING AND SEEMS TO HAVE A ~1 INCH DEAD SPOT FROM CENTER BEFORE THE WHEELS REACT WHICH SEEMS TO ALLOW IT TO ALSO WANDER FROM LEFT TO RIGHT SLIGHTLY AND DOES NOT WANT TO COME BACK TO CENTER. IT IS MORE APPARENT AT HIGHER SPEEDS AND REQUIRES YOU TO CONSTANTLY OVER-CORRECT TO KEEP IT CENTER ON A STRAIGHT ROAD. I SCHEDULED A SERVICE AND THEY COULD NOT FIND ANYTHING WRONG BUT AFTER I RETURNED TO PICK UP MY JEEP A ASKED THE SERVICE MANAGER TO TAKE A QUICK DRIVE WITH ME AND I WOULD SHOW HIM THE ISSUE. AFTER DRIVING MINE WE ALSO DROVE ANOTHER ONE FROM THE NEW LOT AND IT SEEMED TO HAVE THE SAME DEAD-ZONE/PLAY IN THE STEERING THAT MINE DID. THE SERVICE MANAGER AGREED THAT HE COULD TELL THERE WAS SOME SORT OF ISSUE BUT THAT THEY DO NOT HAVE A FIX FOR IT AT THIS TIME. THIS IS UNACCEPTABLE FOR A BRAND NEW $55K+ VEHICLE. I HAVE ALSO NOTICED THAT THE STEERING BOX SEEMS TO ACTUALLY MOVE SLIGHTLY WHILE LOOKING AT IT WHILE THE STEERING WHEEL IS BEING TURNED. THIS ISSUE NEEDS TO BE RESOLVED QUICKLY AS I AM NOT THE ONLY ONE COMPLAINING OF THIS. FCA NEEDS TO DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT ASAP.