general problems of the 2018 Jeep Wrangler - part 1

One day out of the blue, my Jeep Wrangler received a "service shifter" error code. The error code threw about 40 other codes at the same time. Loss of power steering, loss of abs, engine kept revving on its own, windshield wipers turned on. While in park it felt as if it was trying to shift itself into other gears. Loss of steering while driving as well as the engine revving up and down while on the interstate. Every warning light came on and stayed on. I can let it sit for awhile and it'll drive fine for a little while until it does it all again and again. I have not taken it to a dealership yet due to all the threads on being charged $2000 and it not get fixed.

The vehicle is a 2018 Jeep Wrangler with a 3. 6l engine and approximately 124,000 miles. The engine has experienced a failure involving multiple components, including suspected head gasket failure, significant oil loss with no visible external leak, low oil pressure, and engine knocking. Diagnostic trouble codes p0365 and p06dd were present, indicating camshaft position sensor issues and oil pressure control failure. The vehicle is available for inspection upon request. This condition creates a safety risk due to the potential for sudden engine failure and loss of power while driving, which could occur without warning and increase the risk of an accident. The problem has been confirmed by an independent repair facility, which identified low oil levels, coolant loss, and symptoms consistent with internal engine damage. The vehicle has not been inspected by the manufacturer. Prior to the failure, warning signs included a low oil pressure condition and engine performance changes. These symptoms developed rapidly over a short period of time. The vehicle is currently not safe to operate due to the risk of further engine damage or sudden failure.

Vehicle equipped with a 3. 6l pentastar v6 engine developed loud ticking noises, engine misfires, and loss of power while driving. The vehicle hesitated during acceleration and could not reliably maintain speed, creating a safety risk in traffic. An authorized dealership pulled diagnostic trouble codes, acknowledged the abnormal ticking, and advised the failure was likely related to the camshaft, lifters, and rocker arms. The vehicle was then taken to an independent mechanic for further inspection. The independent mechanic confirmed failure of the valve train and camshaft components, requiring replacement of the passenger side intake camshaft (bank 2), cam phaser, phaser bolt, and all lifters and rocker arms. Photos of the failed components are available. The defect was confirmed by both a dealership and an independent repair facility. Issue presents risk of sudden loss of power while the vehicle is in motion.

Problem description (very important): my 2018 Jeep Wrangler experiences a severe and violent front-end shaking commonly referred to as “death wobble. ” this occurs while driving at highway speeds and makes the vehicle difficult to control until I slow down significantly. The shaking feels dangerous and unpredictable and creates a serious safety risk. I transport my children in this vehicle, and this issue is frightening and unsafe for passengers and other drivers. My dealership states there is no recall, but I am aware of widespread consumer complaints, documented defects, and lawsuits involving death wobble in Jeep Wranglers, including the 2018 model year. I believe this is a known steering/suspension defect and not normal wear and tear. I am reporting this for safety reasons.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler jk. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the accelerator pedal was depressed; however, the vehicle failed to accelerate as intended. There were no warning lights illuminated. The contact stated that the transmission failed to shift out of first gear and failed to exceed 8 mph. The rpm was elevated almost to the red line. The contact stated that the failure had occurred several times, and the vehicle was unsafe to drive. The vehicle was taken to the dealer; however, the failure was not duplicated. The contact later purchased a portable diagnostic tester. The contact retrieved dtc: u414 (transmission control module failure). The dealer was contacted and advised the contact to take the vehicle in for a diagnostic test. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the dealer for the diagnostic test. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 67,000.

I took my Jeep to the dealer because it was making a rubbing sound. They told me the rear end and differential where out and needed replaced. Originally the parts were on a 45 day backorder. 3 months later the parts on still on back order. I notified Jeep customer service, my case manager said the parts may be available Dec. 19th. There is a high demand for these parts and that there are not enough available.

My 2018 Jeep Wrangler jl sport is experiencing multiple premature engine failures that present a serious safety risk: •vehicle overheats while driving. •recurrent misfire on cylinder #5 (dtc p0305). •white exhaust smoke with a sweet coolant smell on cold start. •coolant loss despite recent refill. •oil contamination with metallic particles found during inspection. •valvetrain noise from the right bank, suspected intake camshaft wear. These conditions create a risk of engine seizure or sudden stalling while driving, which could cause a crash. Manufacturer awareness: Jeep/mopar has issued bulletins acknowledging these exact problems, including: •TSB mc-11018482-0001 (may 2025): intake camshaft/rocker wear causing misfires (p0301–p0306). •customer satisfaction notification zd8 (2023): coolant inlet tube fastener issue causing coolant leaks and overheating. My vehicle’s symptoms directly align with these known manufacturer issues. Despite this, Jeep/mopar has denied goodwill repair coverage. Safety concern: this defect is not just a performance issue — it creates a high probability of sudden engine stall or seizure, endangering me, my passengers, and other drivers. I am requesting NHTSA investigate premature engine failures on the Jeep Wrangler jl (3. 6l pentastar) and require Jeep/mopar (stellantis) to address this safety hazard.

Vehicle loses power steering while driving and is near impossible to steer when this happens. If in a curve I'm afraid the vehicle will not respond in time and leave the roadway or cross into oncoming traffic.

First it was my clutch blowing up including the transmission from underneath me while I drove down a hwy. Then it was a month later before I got it back. (I'm single, and it's my only vehicle). Once I got my Jeep back the start/stop button stopped working. I had to lock/unlock with the key fob for it to start. Even with both fobs in the Jeep. Now every code, 101 to be exact) is being thrown out of nowhere. Every light goes off, the wipers start going off, the sway bar and traction control disconnects while I'm driving along with the steering wheel locking up while I'm driving down the hwy. The brakes are pulling very badky to the left and /or right. The entire thing is absolutely a death trap. I can't believe this was passed by someone who has the customers best interest for safety. I'd like to know if any of this is recalled because it's been every Jeep from 2018-2021 that have this issues. Also 5th gear now vibrats pretty bad.

My 2018 Jeep Wrangler unlimited has experienced repeated no-start failures and electrical/can-bus communication issues. The vehicle has intermittently failed to start and ultimately became completely inoperable. Due to the electrical failure, the vehicle was towed to an authorized Jeep dealership on June 8, 2025. Despite remaining in the dealership’s possession for several months, no diagnostic testing or repairs have been completed. The electrical failure prevents safe and reliable operation of the vehicle and poses a risk of being stranded without warning. As of December 2025, the vehicle remains inoperable and unrepaired.

The contact owns a 2018 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 dealer informed the contact that the parts were on backorder. 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.

The vehicle will intermittently struggle to engage in 1st gear, the brake pedal gets hard, the auto stop start light will display on the dash and the esc light will display on the dash. Each issue may occur separately, not at all or they will all occur within 5 mins of driving the vehicle. I have been at a traffic light where the vehicle would not immediately engage in 1st gear and the vehicle behind me came within a few inches of rear ending my vehicle when I did not begin moving with the flow of traffic. I also have a similar experience with the auto stop start system failing while at a traffic light which caused the vehicle to stall in the intersection and I could not restart the vehicle without completely power cycling the ignition two times. The problems have been reproduced on multiple occasions throughout the past month. The vehicle has not been inspected by a 3rd party and the warning lights and alert messages that appeared for auto stop start system/ esc system did not appear until the problem occurred.

My vehicle will randomly have the check engine light come on, a service shifter light come on, and then lose the ability to steer. I have taken it to the dealership twice and told it was fixed. Now it is back at the dealership for the third time. As a result of this issue I was involved in a car accident when a van came into my lane and I was unable to avoid impact and they were able to leave the scene. This is a safety issue for not only myself and anyone in my car but also anyone on the road around me. I did not file a police report regarding the accident as my situation involves a language barrier and I was so upset I just wanted to get home and be safe. Now I am in a state of fear anytime I drive my vehicle. I did have passengers and witnesses for two different instances where our lives were put in jeopordy because of this issue. On a separate occasion we were on a busy highway lost steering and were unable to get out of first gear. If I end up in a court situation I have several witnesses that would all be willing to make statements on my behalf as their lives were also put in jeopardy. I'm very upset as this vehicle was expensive and I bought it brand new. Now I've been out of a car for weeks and am being told I may have to pay for something that is clearly an ongoing issue. I have read several forums and articles and complaints from fellow Jeep owners, many the same year, who have experienced the same issue. This is horrendous! my service records are all on file with auto centro caguas in puerto rico.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that the vehicle was taken to the local dealer to be repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 23v116000 (power train). The vehicle was repaired. The contact stated that after retrieving the vehicle, the vehicle intermittently failed to start. There were no warning lights illuminated. The vehicle was towed back to the local dealer and the contact was informed that a diagnostic test needed to be performed; however, the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

While driving the transmission and clutch system blew up. And I mean that in the literale sense. Sparks and a big flash. Unfortunately, I was an hour away from where I live. This caused me to have to find a way home and find a tow company that would be able to pick up my Jeep on the side of the highway, tow it an hour to me. I couldn't afford that, so it was taken to the Chrysler dealership there and it was there for a month before they could work on it due to the parts having to be ordered and shipped in. Once the entire clutch system and transmission fully replaced I have to find a way to go back and pick it up. It was after hours when I finally got to it. That's when the mechanic that worked on it researched and found the recall for the transmission and clutch system because they would blow up. Just as mine did. But the next set of problems started as soon as I picked my Jeep up. Pulls to the right when braking, push start won't start saying the fobs are not detected while I'm holding them in my hands. All lights on cluster go off randomly, the steering wheel locks up while I'm driving causing more danger. The traction control, sway bar will go off and on as well as the push start will not turn off. I did manage to take a short clip of this happening while I'm driving.

Rear axle and differential began to make a whirring noise indicating bad bearings. After taking it to a shop who replaced the axle shaft, the noise continued. They noticed excessive wear in the differential components and said that it requires a rebuild. Another shop looked at it and agreed on the excessive wear, advising that the vehicle is undriveable until it can be repaired. The second shop has said this is becoming a common failure on this line of Jeep Wranglers and it ends up requiring a full replacement of the entire axle housing and assembly. The vehicle is undriveable because if the rear axle fails it would no longer be able to move. As it has not been repaired as of the date of this report, the components are available for inspection.

The panel display is short circuiting. It flickers on and off then goes black. Abs modular was malfunctioning, had to be place and damage the axel locker system- Jeep wouldn't come out of park.

After starting the Jeep Wrangler it will not shift into drive and it says shifter needs service, then abs needs service start stop needs service, it keeps flashing these warnings. It can sit for a hour or day then becomes driveable, took to local mechanic he says it's a Jeep dealer problem (had several people with this problem) they did repairs, but call them and they say never heard of this problem. It's a 2018 Jeep Wrangler.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that immediately after the vehicle was serviced under NHTSA campaign number: 23v116000 (power train) the "service transmission" and "clutch overheating" warning lights intermittently illuminated while operating the vehicle. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer who performed additional services on the vehicle, but the failure persisted. The manufacturer was notified of the failure. The contact stated that the failure had not occurred prior to the recall repair. The failure mileage was 65,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the contact became aware of a failure with the transmission while attempting to shift into reverse(r). The contact state that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was towed to the dealer where a diagnostic test was undetermined, and the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 93,000. The VIN was not available.

VIN [xxx] hi everyone, I’m new to the group and hoping for some guidance and support. I tried to message Jeep cares but the message button does not appear on their profile name. I bought my 2018 Jeep Wrangler jku rubicon December 2021 with 29k miles on it and by may 2022 my clutch blew out with only 32k miles on it! they said it was the worst they’ve seen (doubt it) and would not cover it. In fact, they wanted $4k to replace it with a mopar one. I told them where to go and bought a centerforce dual friction and had it installed at a local shop for $3,700. I chose centerforce to avoid having issues again with the mopar one. Everything was fine till the rear main seal went out and had to be replaced under warranty. When I got it back there was a ticking noise at the top of the clutch pedal and they didn’t even put the heat shield back in so the cab was hot as hell. I ended up paying a local shop to put the heat shield back in since the dealer said they were behind and would take months. Now here I am a year later. The dealer just installed a new engine under warranty after only 47k miles on the original. They just called to tell me the work is done but btw…the clutch is blown. I told them there’s no way in hell that’s possible since I just put on in on may 2022. I reminded them I reported the noise back when I got it back from the rear main seal being done. I was then told she was going to “talk to her manager “. The next call was to tell me “sorry, we can’t do anything and it’s dangerous to drive it the way it is. I had no other choice but to authorize another clutch. I can’t afford to spend another $3,700. I’ve driven a clutch since I was 12 on my grandpas farm. This is absurd. Every vehicle I’ve had has been clutch and never had a problem till I bought this one. Where do I start? not only should they put a new one in now but they should also reimburse me for the last one! why is this happening and how do I prevent it again? information redacted pursuant to the freedom of information act.

The Wrangler will shift out of gear and into neutral and steering become very hard and difficult to maneuver while accelerating from a stopped position and at times at highway speed. On the highway one can coast to the side of the road and shut off engine and restart and move again. This can also be done at an intersection but big safety concerns when pulling onto a highway with traffic, multiple check lights will come on including check engine, stability control and service shifter. The Jeep has been taken to the dearer for repair to no resolve. Codes are cleared and problem persists. Began at about 70k miles and has persisted since.

Car shuts off while driving.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the service transmission warning light illuminated, and the vehicle was unable to exceed 45 mph. The contact stated that the failure occurred after the vehicle was repaired under NHTSA campaign number: 23v116000 (power train) was performed. The vehicle was taken to a local dealer however, the cause of the failure was not yet determined because the dealer could not retrieve a dtc code. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact stated that the failure persisted. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and several cases were opened. The failure mileage was approximately 69,000.

The contact owns a 2018 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, and it was confirmed that the part 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.

The contact owns 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while at a complete stop, she noticed an abnormal overheating odor. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the recall repair of NHTSA campaign number: 23v116000 (power train) was performed. The contact stated that after the repair, the message "service transmission" was displayed. Additionally, the vehicle failed to exceed 10 mph while driving and depressing the accelerator pedal. The vehicle was driven back to the dealer, who informed the contact that the failure could be caused by a computer malfunction or a pre-existing issue. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle to another dealer for repair. The vehicle was towed to a second dealer, phillips Chrysler Jeep Dodge ram (3440 s pine Ave, ocala, FL 34471), who informed the contact that the manufacturer had advised them to replace the clutch for a second time; however, the part was not available. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was approximately 113,010.

I was stopped at a traffic light, when the light turned green, I started to move forward and in approximately 6-7 feet the vehicle come to a complete stop. The engine was still running, the engine light came on and the letter on the shifter started to blink. The rear tires/drive train locked up. This through me forward and I was wearing my safety belt. The vehicle was towed to a Jeep dealer ship; the car had to be dragged onto the flat bed. The tow truck driver needed to use a soup product to slide the car on the street and on to the bed. I will not hear back from the dealer ship till next week on exactly what happened. I was coming out of the mall parking lot to get onto the garden state parkway. If I had been on the parkway doing 65 mph, I firmly believe I would have been severely injured. I have been told by the dealer ship they have seen this throughout the brands. The dealer ship sells and services Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep. This is not the dealer I purchase the Wrangler from. I purchased this vehicle as a certified used. I find this incident very disturbing and I am seriously concerned about someone getting severely hurt or worse a fatality. I would like to further discuss this with someone, this needs to be addressed.

Jeep dash warning lights will randomly all come on at once. This includes service shifter, service airbags, service braking system, abs warning, cruise control disabled and many others. When it does this, which is daily, the power steering goes out completely at highway speeds and sometimes curves. This has caused me to nearly hit other drivers head on with my family in the vehicle with me. It has left me stranded many times by not recognizing the key fobs and locking the transmission in park at stop lights. I just bought the vehicle, with 64000 miles on it, in October as my primary transportation and I am afraid to drive it. This has caused me severe hardship and endangered mine and my family's life on several occasions. This problem is extremely common with my model year, as seen on several online forums and Jeep has refused to acknowledge the problem or recall the vehicles. It was purchased from a Jeep dealer, tim short of middlesboro ky. I can understand wear and tear on vehicles, but this has been an issue with 2018 Jeep rubicons for years. If this problem goes uncorrected, many people will die as a result of this issue. Autos are the only thing I know of that, if defective, cannot be returned for a full refund. Something should be done, since I have an 800 dollar monthly payment and nothing to show for it. Thank you for any help you may provide.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving approximately 55 mph, he noticed an abnormal melted metal odor. The contact veered to the side of the road. The contact stated that he inspected the hood and underneath the vehicle, but no issues were found. The contact stated that the odor persisted as he was driving back to his residence. The contact also stated that while changing gears, the clutch went down to the floorboard and failed to rise. Additionally, the gear shifter was loose, and the transmission seemed to be on neutral (n). The contact stated that another driver then alerted him that there was fire in the front of the vehicle. The contact immediately pulled to the side of the road. The contact then saw fire coming from the cowl. The contact and his partner immediately exited the vehicle. The contact then remove his belongings from the rear seats. The contact stated that he opened the hood and noticed that there was fire in the engine compartment. The contact stated that the fire extended from underneath the engine compartment to underneath the front driver's and passenger's seats. The contact was able to extinguish the fire with two cases of water bottles. The fire department later arrived at the scene and filed a report. The contact was unsure whether a police report was filed. The contact stated that he sustained minor burns on the left wrist and on the right hand. The contact did not seek medical assistance. The vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. The insurance company then towed the vehicle to a tow lot to be investigated. The dealer was notified of the failure. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact related the failure to NHTSA campaign number: 23v116000 ( power train). The manufacturer was not notified of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 60,000.

The contact owned a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at 60 mph, the vehicle had lost of power and had shifting issues with the manual transmission. The contact noticed smoke from under the hood and tried to pull to the side of the road. While pulling to the side of the road, under the hood had caught on fire. The contact was able to pull to the side of the road. Automatic shift warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to a scrapyard. The origin of the fire was unknown. The fire was located under the hood. The fire department had extinguished the fire. A fire department report was not filed. A police department report was not filed. The vehicle had not been diagnosed or repaired by an independent mechanic or dealer. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 39,000.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer for NHTSA campaign number: 23v116000 (power train). The vehicle was repaired, but the failure recurred. The contact stated that upon retrieval of the vehicle, the service transmission warning light illuminated. The vehicle was taken back to the local dealer, where it was diagnosed with a software failure, but the vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was contacted, who opened a case. The failure mileage was approximately 11,600.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact received notification of NHTSA campaign number: 23v116000 (power train) however, the part to do the recall repair was unavailable. The local dealer was contacted, and it was confirmed that the part 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 stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the transmission slipped out of 2nd gear, with an abnormal grinding sound. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to properly accelerate. The vehicle was not repaired. The failure mileage was 68,000. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2018 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 and confirmed that parts were 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 and confirmed that parts were not yet available. The contact had not experienced a failure. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

The contact owns a 2018 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 and determined that the parts were not 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 and confirmed that the parts were not available. The contact had experienced a failure. The gears slipped when operating. VIN tool confirms parts not available.

See attached document for complaint.