Home · 2018 Jeep Wrangler 2-door · Complaints

What 1,793 owners told NHTSA about the 2018 Jeep Wrangler 2-door

These are the actual owner complaints behind this car’s reliability verdict, filed with the federal government, unedited. They’re unverified reports, not confirmed defects: read them as leads for your pre-purchase inspection, not a diagnosis.

All (1,793)Crash / fire / injury (50)Steering (1,112)Suspension (342)Electrical system (257)Transmission & drivetrain (170)Engine (98)Body & structure (96)Wheels (61)Brakes (59)Electronic Stability Control (esc) (46)Visibility & wipers (42)

170 of 1,793 complaints match · Transmission & drivetrain · clear filters · page 4 of 7

Mar 12, 2023SteeringTransmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Displays, "Service Shifter". Often followed by many, mostly random warnings, gauges fluctuate wildly, and disabled stop/start, traction and stability control; and sometimes loses power steering, and stalls and won't restart. The stereo volume, wipers, and cabin fan speed also can fluctuate wildly; worst case. This issue first appeared after going through a puddle, and seems to be exacerbated by high EMF areas; this is only corollary. This vehicle has never been used roughly or off road. The obvious dangers are, spontaneous maniacal warnings are a significant distraction to driving; if stop/start is not disabled vehicle will not start after stop at intersection, causing disruption to traffic; if power steering randomly stops working, which occurs while stopped or driving, the vehicle is nearly impossible to drive, and can only practically be driven by a strongman athlete. The coup de grâce where everything goes berserk, is usually when parked and attempting to reset the condition. The problem has not been reproduced by a dealer or service center; I have spent days inspecting grounds, harnesses, and inspecting, cleaning and replacing connectors. There's also a long list of mostly random codes for nearly everything, including the persistent lost communication with TCM. Up to October 2022 and 66,000 miles the only warnings or codes were for, wheel sensor (rep under warrantee), and "Small Leak In Vapor Recovery System" (leaky gas cap). A month+ after the warrantee expired, at about 66,000 mi, the vehicle began to generate random warnings and codes, and became unbearable (and dangerous) to drive. My observations and inspections and limited testing (haven't probed system circuits directly) lead to an assertion that the problem is system wide; many wildly various, mostly non repeatable, codes are recorded, systems that shut down are wildly various and not always repeatable; like there's nothing specifically or consistently wrong-but everything is failing. 5V reg in TCM?

NHTSA ODI 11511450

Mar 10, 2023Transmission & drivetrainElectrical systemEngine

On multiple occasions I have been driving to work (45 min drive) when all of my dash lights and emergency lights go on. I am then notified on the dash of start /stop system failure(which is off), The emergency hand brake light is on, electric stability control failure, service antilock break system, auto park disabled and my radio volume going to max. This is then followed by my power steering or something locks up not allowing me to steer my car that is in motion! Once I stop I turn the car off and it won’t start again. I have waited 20 min and restart the car which then the shifter won’t let me put into drive! This has happened mulitple times and I have taken to my trusted mechanic to repair but was informed it is a recall on my vehicle…. When I look up my vin no recall reported so he gave me a form of the recall. Please help me, I’m honestly scared to drive my car because I don’t want this to happen while I’m on a highway or cause me to be in an accident. I shouldn’t be scared to drive my car.

NHTSA ODI 11511257

Mar 3, 2023Transmission & drivetrain

This vehicle underwent two recalls for clutch and pressure plate related problems yet it still happened to me twice and Jeep refuses to fix it. There is now a 3rd recall in the works. The clutch plate grenades and blows a hole through the transmission and other parts. The projectile of these parts is so very dangerous. It is clearly defective. I am paying 38000 for a useless vehicle.

NHTSA ODI 11509964

Mar 3, 2023Transmission & drivetrain

The first instance happened on or about February 27, 2021 at mileage 48,865 I was traveling on an interstate and I completely lost all power to my transmission and my jeep started to smoke heavily as I pulled off to the side of the road. The jeep company refused to pay for the repair even though there was a recall on the clutch. After I posted on social media about the issue, Jeep reached out to me in a DM and resolved the issue. The same issue happened on or about in November/December 2022. Given my past history the the jeep I recognized the same symptoms of the clutch failing and stopped driving the jeep. I contacted several local dealers to see if they would repair it and again told me that there is nothing wrong with the clutch, and it was not covered under any recall since it was fix for the first clutch failure. I reached out to jeep through social media and was told that there was nothing they could do as there was no open recalls. Having no faith in the jeep parts I had the jeep towed to my local repair shop. It was confirmed that it was the same issue. I told them to fix the issue, but not to use any OME parts. I have had many manual tran cars and never had a clutch that went out, let alone with less than 50k miles on it. This jeep has had two (on the third) and each had less than 50 k. Given how the jeep can catch fire from this defect, it is sad that jeep does not take it seriously when life can be lost.

NHTSA ODI 11509981

Jan 30, 2023SteeringSuspensionTransmission & drivetrain

Unknown, I received a notice in the mail this week from Reynolds, et Al. V. FCA Us LLC, [XXX] for 2018 Jeep wrangler recall for front end/suspension dampening defect that causes the steering wheel and front suspension to shake at highway speeds. I just had this repaired on 12/17/2022. The notice in the mail states if I paid out of pocket for these repairs I will get reimbursed www.FCA recall reimbursement.com I have provided documentation of the receipt from the dealership and recall notice I received in the mail about the reimbursement. I just want reimbursement please. INFORMATION Redacted PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6).

NHTSA ODI 11504565

Jan 5, 2023Transmission & drivetrain

This vehicle has undergone two recalls for an issue involving the clutch and other parts in the same vicinity blowing apart, shooting out like a grenade, and causing catastrophic damage to the transmission, hoses, and whatever else might be in the way of the projectiles. This happened to me after I bought the car used, with very low mileage, and still under power train warranty. The dealer balked at first and tried to blame my tires until I mentioned the recalls. They then fixed it under the power train warranty. No less than 2 weeks later the same exact issue occurred yet again! (I had been nowhere near the clutch pedal and had not shifted for quite some time during either occurance) I pulled over immediately and shut down because I knew what had happened. It felt exactly the same. Now the dealership is insisting this isn't the case and that I get my auto insurance carrier involved. Simply because it projected a different way!!!!! I have been driving a manual transmission for almost 30 years now and have NEVER had any kind of issues in the past with any vehicles I have driven. This is ridiculous! Does someone have to lose their life before anything real is done?????

NHTSA ODI 11500277

Dec 25, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

Clutch flywheel/ transmission issue. 2nd time in 3 months.The other night when it happened I was on a back road and had been in 4th gear for at least 10 minutes, and going approx 38 MPH. It was cold out. The vehicle decided to only rev as if in neutral when I depressed the gas pedal. I immediately pulled over and saw sparks and smoke again before quickly shutting her down. This time I not only felt that same thud, but also what felt like a cable and a spring break loose. The clutch was at half mast with some resistance left to it.

NHTSA ODI 11498782

Dec 18, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

The 4 wheel drive grinds when shifting from 2 to 4 wheel drive and will frequently shift out of 4 wheel drive on it's own.

NHTSA ODI 11497924

Dec 7, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving 20 MPH, he felt a tug and heard a loud banging sound coming from under the hood. There was no warning light illuminated. The contact veered to the side of the road. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the clutch had overheated and exploded, causing damage to the transmission. The dealer diagnosed that the clutch and the transmission needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 20V124000 (Power Train) however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that only the cost to replace the transmission was covered. The failure mileage was approximately 54,000.

NHTSA ODI 11496488

Nov 25, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

my clutch went with 41000 on vehicle and jeep chrysler will not honor it. They say 12000/12000 is warranty. I have taking my jeep to 3 different transmission places and they all said its defective pressure plates.

NHTSA ODI 11494855

Nov 8, 2022SteeringTransmission & drivetrainElectrical system

When driving steering stops working transmission won’t shift wipers come on speedometer stops working radio gets loud engine cooling fan turns on fast and loud warning lights come on in dash abs, trac control, air bag, and service shifter. Have to restart vehicle and tap on small electrical connector behind the glove box to return to normal. Sometimes the vehicle won’t start or shift out of park. Problem is ongoing happens when idling sitting still or driving down the road

NHTSA ODI 11492786

Sep 14, 2022SteeringTransmission & drivetrainBrakes

The dash board lights all came on, The steering wheel lost power, the ABS light came on, with check shifter, could not control Jeep.

NHTSA ODI 11484530

Aug 30, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

When driving in my Jeep I hear a Rotational thumping/clunking sound when Decelerating between 5-12 miles per hour. Test drives have determined it is coming from the rear axle. . I've done extensive research regarding this issue on jeep forums. I've found that this is a common issue among jeep jl owners . all have experienced sounds that sound like its coming from the front only to find out it’s coming from the rear. It is getting louder over the past 3 months (May 2022-August 2022)

NHTSA ODI 11481943

Aug 19, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving 5 MPH, several unknown warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was turned off and restarted; however, the check engine warning light remained illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer and diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure was not found. The contact stated that there sixty fault codes stored in the system. The contact stated that an unknown software update was performed; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle was taken to another dealer who also retrieved the fault codes but could not determine the cause of the failure. The manufacturer was contacted and notified of the failure. The manufacturer suggested that the vehicle be diagnosed. The failure mileage was 54,000.

NHTSA ODI 11480179

Jul 18, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that a relative was driving the vehicle at approximately 55 MPH and the vehicle started losing motive power. The relative noticed an abnormal burning odor before hearing a loud boom sound underneath the vehicle. The relative saw smoke and safely pulled off the highway. The contact stated no warning light was illuminated. The contact had the vehicle towed to a local dealer who diagnosed that the clutch plate had exploded through the transmission bell housing and shrapnel went through the radiator. The vehicle had not been repaired. The manufacturer had been informed of the failure. The failure mileage was 46,465.

NHTSA ODI 11474585

Jul 4, 2022Transmission & drivetrainFire

I had the Y03 recall done on August 30, 2021. My 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL Sahara Unlimited has 53,00 miles. On my way home from vacation, June 4, 2022, my clutch plate overheated, exploded through the bell housing and transmission, burnt the wire casing, and melted the fuel line. I had to leave my Jeep in NC and get a rental car to make it home. After being at a dealership 7 hours away from home for a week in Jacksonville, NC, I am told by the dealer that Chrysler will not honor my Powertrain warranty because the clutch is not a covered component; however, the issue that occurred with the clutch and how it occurred is exactly what both the Y03 and W12 recall said could happen. The W12 recall is still showing "incomplete in every location I've checked, including Chrysler and Mopar; however, I am being told that the simpler fix noted in the Y03 recall supersedes the W12 recall instructions - which required service techs to perform a hydraulic clutch system bleed and also perform of clutch health check procedure; whereas the Y03 skips these steps. I spoke to someone at MOPAR who told me that all components related to the recall (i.e. the clutch) have a 2-year warranty after the recall is completed, but any other components affected by the clutch failure are not covered. How can Jeep/Chrysler know there is an ongoing clutch issue specifically with the clutch plate and not honor/cover repairs that result because of it? And, how can a wire sheath and software update guarantee the potential failure is resolved if the clutch is never inspected to make sure the clutch plate hasn't already been compromised because of excessive heat? I have already filed a complaint with NHSTA, spoken to Chrysler Corporate (without any luck). Chrysler and Mopar should stand by their parts/vehicles when something catastrophic like this happens. Had the fuel line caused a fire, my Jeep could have exploded or caused a serious accident/death/injury.

NHTSA ODI 11472253

Jun 10, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving approximately 48 MPH, there was a burning rubber odor and a loud popping sound coming from the vehicle. The vehicle lost motive power and stalled. The contact stated that Roadside Assistance was called; while the vehicle was being raised up on the tow truck fuel started leaking from a damaged fuel line. The vehicle was towed to the local dealer who diagnosed that the clutch plate had malfunctioned and came apart creating a hole in the bell housing and damaging the fuel lines. The contact was informed that the transmission, clutch assembly, and fuel lines needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not yet repaired. The contact indicated that the vehicle was previously serviced under the NHTSA campaign 20V124000 (Power Train) for the same failure. The failure mileage was 53,000.

NHTSA ODI 11468685

May 18, 2022SteeringTransmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Electrical system failure. All indicator lights come on and all safety feature warning lights activate. Automobile loses power and power steering stops working. Automobile then veered right into traffic other lanes of traffic on freeway. The problem has been confirmed by Ken Ganley Chrysler. The vehicle was inspected by Ken Ganley Automotive. Has been taken to the repair shop 4 times. Same problem continues to happen. Several warning lights came on all at once and vehicle lost power steering causing vehicle to veer right abruptly. Problem first occurred at the beginning of April 2022.

NHTSA ODI 11465159

Apr 14, 2022SteeringTransmission & drivetrainElectrical system

The jeep will automatically go into park will lock the shifter in park every light on dash will come on You will also lose power steering it will say service shifter service stability control ABS light comes on check engine light comes on error lights will come on and you can no longer move the jeep until you cut it on and off multiple times before it fixes itself have took it to a local jeep dealer and they claim nothing is wrong but you can clearly see all the lights on the dash no power steering and you cannot shift it out of park this happened to us going to get dinner and we were stuck for about two hours before the jeep decided it was ready to go again That was the first time that it had happened Now it will do it daily but we have to drive it because we need means of transportation back-and-forth to work can you please report this as a major issue thank you

NHTSA ODI 11460701

Mar 28, 2022SteeringTransmission & drivetrain

the steering is very loose and the jeep wanders on the road. I have experienced i down shifting very hard when braking.

NHTSA ODI 11458691

Feb 22, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

My jeep makes a thumping/clunking sound when ever I take my feet off the acceleration and slow down . When sitting in the Jeep it sound like it's coming from the front end suspension but when I stick my head out the window to listen and look for the sound it's clearly coming from the rear axle . I've done extensive research regarding this issue on jeep forums. I've found that this is a common issue among jeep jl owners . all have experience sounds that sound like its coming from the front only to find our it coming from the rear and also to have entire axle replaced. I fear this is getting worst as many has also said that upon inspecting axle metal shavings are found in diffs .

NHTSA ODI 11453429

Feb 21, 2022Transmission & drivetrain

Warning Light on for “ Service axle locker system” and functionality of axle lock is not available

NHTSA ODI 11453166

Feb 16, 2022Transmission & drivetrainFire

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while the vehicle was parked, his wife noticed a strong burning odor coming from underneath the vehicle. . The contact's wife drove the vehicle out of the garage and parked outside. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where it was diagnosed that the transmission clutch was fractured, had failed, and had a burning smell. The dealer also diagnosed that the engine RPMs rev up between shifts of the transmission. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact became aware that the recall for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V028000 (POWER TRAIN) was completed on the vehicle in 2021 to prevent transmission clutch failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact that the dealer would need to disassemble the transmission and the clutch further for proof that the failure is related to the recall for NHTSA Campaign Number: 21V028000 (POWER TRAIN). The manufacturer also advised the contact that he would need to commit $600 before the dealer disassemble the transmission and clutch. The contact declined. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 24,000.

NHTSA ODI 11452228

Oct 24, 2021Transmission & drivetrain

Vehicle has 13,000 miles on it and manual transmission keeps popping out of second gear. This has almost cause 5 rear end collisions.

NHTSA ODI 11437977

Oct 12, 2021SteeringTransmission & drivetrainElectrical system

Random intervals the jeep dash complety shuts down and loses all power steering and ABS and stability control functions. Ran codes and says its losing connection the the tcm. Abs module fails to relieve signal from can bus c

NHTSA ODI 11436362

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Working with the data? Download all 1,793 complaints as CSV · fetched from NHTSA July 19, 2026

How to use these: a complaint is one owner’s report, filed voluntarily and published unverified. Patterns matter more than any single story. If several owners describe the same failure at similar mileage, put that system at the top of your pre-purchase inspection list. Back to the full 2018 Jeep Wrangler 2-door verdict →