2020 Jeep Wrangler Powertrain (other) Problems

While driving on the highway, the check engine light illuminated. Approximately 5 to 10 minutes later, the battery warning light came on. Upon exiting the highway and coming to a stop at an intersection, the automatic engine Start/Stop system engaged and shut down the engine. When attempting to safely proceed, the vehicle suffered a complete electrical failure due to the 48V mild-hybrid eTorque system failing to restart the engine. The vehicle refused to crank, would not shift, and became entirely disabled and stranded in the middle of a live intersection, creating an extreme safety and collision hazard. The vehicle was towed to an authorized dealership, where technicians officially confirmed the failure. The dealer diagnosed the root cause as an internal electrical failure of the Motor Generator Unit (MGU / Belt-Driven Hybrid Starter Generator Assembly), which completely disabled the vehicle's charging and hybrid restart capabilities. The failed component is available for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11756283

Incident

Jul 15, 2026

Transmission pops out of second gear after downshifting from third. This has left me stranded in the middle of an intersection in front of oncoming traffic at least five times while struggling to get the vehicle back into second gear. This is a widely reported problem with the 2020 JL model that dealers are attempting to write-off as a transmission failsafe to avoid repairing.

NHTSA ID

11750979

Incident

May 1, 2026

Vehicle Information: 2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Complaint: I am reporting a safety issue involving my 2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon related to both the transmission and instrument cluster. In 2025, the transmission failed unexpectedly. The failure affected the vehicle’s ability to operate normally and created a potential safety hazard while driving. The issue required repair and appears consistent with other reported transmission problems in similar vehicles, even though my specific VIN was not included in any recall. In 2026, the instrument cluster failed, mileage at time of failure 108073. This caused loss or malfunction of critical driver information, including speed and warning indicators. This is a serious safety concern because it limits the driver’s ability to monitor vehicle operation and respond to potential hazards. These failures occurred within a year of each other and involve critical vehicle systems. I am aware that similar issues (transmission and instrument cluster failures) have been reported and/or recalled in other 2020 Jeep Wrangler vehicles, but my VIN has not been included. Given that the same components have failed in my vehicle, I believe this indicates a broader defect that may extend beyond the currently identified recall population. Safety Risk: Both failures pose safety risks: •Transmission failure can lead to loss of power or control while driving •Instrument cluster failure prevents the driver from seeing speed, warnings, and other critical information Request: I request that this issue be investigated and that the recall scope be reviewed and potentially expanded to include additional affected vehicles like mine.

NHTSA ID

11730253

Incident

Feb 20, 2025

I was driving on the highway with my daughter with dry normal conditions approximately 65-70mph when all of a sudden the jeep downshifts into 1st gear causing an extreme deceleration almost to a complete stop. I had a dead gas pedal and could not accelerate to get to a safe area or shoulder. The problem stopped after I came to a complete stop. My Jeep has been in the shop many times with unrelated issue. I did notify dealer they just brushed it off. It is in the dealership now with oil leak and mentioned transmission issue occured again and this time I made sure they wrote down exactly what happened and I feel extremely unsafe driving this car.

NHTSA ID

11713419

Incident

Jun 4, 2025

Subject: Formal Complaint Regarding Failed Recall Repair and Improper Diagnostics Charges - Jeep Recall No. 23V116 (Manual Transmission Clutch Overheating) & Violation of 49 U.S.C. Section 30120 Dear Sir or Madam, I am submitting this complaint regarding an unresolved safety defect and improper repair charges related to an official recall performed on my 2020 Jeep Wrangler (manual transmission). The issue concerns Recall No. 23V116 and superseding Recall 21V028, which addresses clutch overheating and associated software logic. Prior to the recall work performed, my Jeep had approximately 23,000 miles on it, and I never had any issues with the manual transmission or transmission related warning codes. In May, I received letters informing me that I needed to take my Jeep to the dealership as soon as possible to have the above recall work performed to avoid potential overheating and fire hazards related to my clutch plate. In June 2025, I brought my vehicle to Don White's Jeep dealership on York Rd. in Cockeysville, MD. The dealership replaced the clutch hardware and performed a software update as required. I did not drive the Jeep for a couple of months due to weather and frequent rainfall during June, July & August. Upon driving the Jeep in August, the "Service Transmission" light came on, and I immediately notified the dealership, and they performed a software update to fix the warning light, admitting they did not realize the software update was required the first time. Two days later, the "Service Transmission" light came on again, and I immediately notified the dealership and dropped the Jeep off to be serviced. The dealership has now had the Jeep for more than a month and has not been able to resolve the "Service Transmission" issue. They are now refusing to perform any additional work unless I pay them approx. $1,000 in diagnostics fees. I opened a case with Jeep Customer Care and they also refused coverage and are demanding payment.

NHTSA ID

11695029

Incident

Oct 1, 2025

One day, my check engine light came on but when I went to Auto Zone no issues came back. The light came on again a week later so I went back to Auto Zone (I attached the photo of the diagnostic they gave me). I went back to the Jeep Dealership and they said the next available would about a week later but I would be fine in the meantime. I unfortunately was not fine. I attached screenshots from the video of all the issues that popped up during the incident a few days later. My steering wheel locked up while I was driving. My car came to a complete sudden stop like it automatically went into park while I was driving. Then, the windshield wipers started going by themselves. My gas meter went down to E then back up and down. The car not go into park and it would not turn off by pressing the push start button. I had to call a tow truck because I could not move. It was very scary and extremely unsafe. My car has been at the same Jeep Dealership since then on June 17, 2024 with no updates and no repairs. I have been waiting in limbo. I have contacted higher management and even they have given me no answers.

NHTSA ID

11670730

Incident

Jun 17, 2024

Had gas leak on lower part of engine leaking gas from the high pressure fuel line took it to a dealer ro so the repairs Jan 29th 2025 and my jeep is still not right ..it had no mechanical problems at all except the leak and now they have had to replace the reservoir for coolant due to broken damaged line and the vehicle has no power at all since the dealership has had possession of my vehicle ...it is the 2.0 liter turbo

NHTSA ID

11656597

Incident

Jan 30, 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11650736

Incident

Mar 18, 2025

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (POWER TRAIN); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was not made aware of the issue. The contact stated while driving at 2 MPH, the vehicle started to stall, and the vehicle was downshifting. The contact was unaware of any warning lights being illuminated. The transmission downshifted with a burning odor and was losing power intermittently. The vehicle was not yet diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired after the recent failure, because the dealer informed the contact that the parts were on backorder. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 21,000. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11647345

Incident

Feb 14, 2024

Mileage

21,000 mi

1. Transmission lags about 2 to 3 secs when trying to accelerate from a stop, or almost complete stop. This happens often. 2. Both sun visors just fall down when driving down the road. Design is poor. They are only attached by an internal cable. This happens often.

NHTSA ID

11637529

Incident

Jan 7, 2025

My vehicle had been experiencing loud acceleration as well as difficulty while driving. Upon taking the vehicle to the dealership where purchased they informed me the rear differential on the vehicle was starting to fail. They informed me they had ordered the part from Mopar with no recollection of when it would be in other than it stating it was on backorder. We have tried getting in touch with Mopar over expediting the piece to be told they also have no idea when it will be in, but they are working on it. The vehicle has been messed up for over a month and is worsening. I am having greater difficulty driving it and at points it begins to bounce while moving. It is getting to the point I am now starting to worry for my own as well as others safety because I am unsure when it will fully stop working.

NHTSA ID

11619952

Incident

Aug 16, 2024

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue. The contact had not experienced a failure. Parts distribution disconnect.

NHTSA ID

11593710

Incident

Feb 23, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The dealer was made aware of the issue. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11586301

Incident

May 1, 2024

Stellantis issued Recall #19A more than a year ago (NHTSA Recall #23V-116) and still does not have a remedy

NHTSA ID

11576262

Incident

Mar 8, 2024

An internal defect in the 2014-2020 Jeep Wranglers with the 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine affects its rocker arms, lifters, and related valvetrain components, including the engine control module (ECM) software that controls the precise timing and function of the lifters. Specifically, the rollers of a Pentastar engine’s rocker arms prematurely wear down, become loose, and then drop, which shifts the rocker arm out of alignment. The rocker arms then come into contact with the cam, scraping both components and creating metal debris. This Pentastar V6 engine defect creates an audible ticking sound that stems from metal particles and debris from the failed rocker arms and other components, contaminating the engine oil and circulating throughout the engine. This defect also causes engine misfires, resulting in bucking and surging, decreased engine performance, hesitation, loss of power, premature wear on internal components, and eventually catastrophic engine failure. The check engine light came on in my 2020 Jeep Wrangler with 69,000 miles. After having it read by a dealer, it showed the P219A code, Bank 1 air/fuel imbalance. The dealership told me that if the Jeep was running fine, I did not have to worry about it, as it was likely an O2 sensor. The code was cleared, and the P219A code returned the following day. It was driven approximately 500 miles before noticing that it began idling roughly and had an engine tick, which the dealership confirmed to be a valvetrain issue. The rocker arms, lifters, valves, and camshaft components of the Pentastar V6 engine in my 2020 Jeep Wrangler with 70,000 miles have failed. Three Jeep dealerships in my area and MANY online forums stated that this is a common occurrence with this engine, which has escalated my concern about this problem.

NHTSA ID

11572425

Incident

Feb 15, 2024

Stellantis, formerly FCA, formerly Chrysler issued Recall no. 19A nearly a year ago (NHTSA Recall Number 23V-116) and still does not have a remedy for my Jeep. Because this is a dangerously defect design in the clutch system that has caused vehicle fires, I have elected to pursue an aftermarket clutch system, the Centerforce II. Once I have this installed, how do I go about having Recall 19A/23v-116 cleared to show that my vehicle has been repaired?

NHTSA ID

11559050

Incident

Mar 2, 2023

At 38 months of ownership and less than 17000 miles, the vehicle gets a service shifter mil (U1267) as well as an ESS indicator. The engine starts but is unable to shift out of park. Shifter issues have been going on for years with Jeeps, it is time to fix this. Of course it is 2 months out of warrantee, so I can expect a big bill.

NHTSA ID

11553546

Incident

Oct 30, 2023

There is an open Safety Recall on my vehicle with no fix. See 19A/NHTSA 23V-116. Stellantis (formerly FCA) has refused to reimburse me for aftermarket clutch replacement in the amount of $1527.10.

NHTSA ID

11553259

Incident

Oct 19, 2023

This jeep has the dreaded "death wobble" in which the front end starts to shake violently from side to side as you are driving down the interstate, usually after hitting a pothole or beginning of a bridge. This issue also caused a malfunction of the cooling system which caused the jeep to overheat while idling or driving at cruising speeds. No warning messages have appeared other than when the jeep begins to overheat. The jeep is available for inspection.

NHTSA ID

11552359

Incident

Aug 13, 2023

My 2020 Jeep is on its 3rd clutch recall however this recall is now over half a year old with no resolution in sight. The risk is a catastrophic failure of the powertrain, fire, and death. We cannot sell our cars due to the open recall and we have been given no updates on any solution. I'm not sure how a manufacturer can have cars on the road that may or may not catch fire at any time and have no solution available. I think Jeep should either fix the issue, recall the cars and offer buy backs, or pay for 3rd party clutch replacements and allow us to close the recall once those are installed. I'm hoping NHTSA or someone can force a solution here.

NHTSA ID

11547015

Incident

Mar 5, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that there was an abnormal burning odor, and a grinding metal sound coming from the vehicle while depressing the accelerator pedal. The contact also stated that the Auto On/Off warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was taken to a dealer and the contact was informed that the vehicle was included in NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The manufacturer was made aware of the issue and provided the contact a case number. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repair. The failure mileage was approximately 60,407. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11545598

Incident

Sep 6, 2023

Mileage

60,407 mi

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at undisclosed speeds, the steering wheel failed to respond while attempting to make a left or right turn. No warning light was illuminated. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V116000 (Power Train) however, the dealer was notified of the failure and the contact was informed that the failure was a known issue. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact stated that he was concerned for his safety while driving the vehicle. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and the contact was denied the repair due to the vehicle having a Salvage Title. The failure mileage was approximately 30,000.

NHTSA ID

11542894

Incident

Sep 6, 2023

Mileage

30,000 mi

Randomly the check engine light will appear and the dash will display multiple messages about service needed for traction control, stability control, auto start stop disabled, service cruise control etc. Then while driving you will lose power steering and this almost caused my daughter to wreck while trying to finish a turn. Additionally when the messages appear the vehicle will not have the ability to shift so you can not reverse and once it shut off in the middle of the highway blocking traffic and almost caused multiple accidents. The dealership has replaced the battery sensor and said it was fixed. I was told to replace the primary and secondary battery to ensure it was not a battery problem and I did, however the issue still remains. Looked online for others with this issue and there are many with the exact problem. The Jeep will report the transmission temperature and oil temperature incorrectly with the gauge maxed out even if it has sat overnight. Additionally it also says to service the transmission.

NHTSA ID

11542380

Incident

Jul 20, 2023

Events leading up to the incident Approx 7:25pm on July 24, 2023 driving up a hill on 71/75 South, he in 6th gear, lost acceleration, downshifted to 5th gear still losing acceleration, smelled an awful burning smell, then heard a clunk sound, clutch fell to the floor. Noticed some smoke, temperature gauge normal. I had enough momentum to pull off to the right shoulder. Turned the car off, called a family member for help @ 7:28pm. About a minute later the smoke became thicker & that's when I exited the vehicle. Called 911 at exactly 7:30pm. Engulfed in flames before I got off the phone with 911. Fire department arrived @ 7:35pm. .First noticed clutch slippage on Sat July 15th, 2023. Appointment was made for July 20, 2023 but they informed me 10min prior to the appointment by text that I couldn't wait on it and they couldn't provide a loaner vehicle

NHTSA ID

11534479

Incident

Jul 24, 2023

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Wrangler. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V124000 (Power Train) and 23V116000 (Power Train) however, the parts to do the recall repairs were unavailable. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time for the recall repairs. The manufacturer was notified of the issue. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

NHTSA ID

11531980

Incident

Jul 13, 2023