2022 Jeep Gladiator

Powertrain

Powertrain and transmission defects directly impair the vehicle’s core function and are generally considered substantial defects under California lemon law. Owners of the 2022 Jeep Gladiator have reported harsh shifting, shuddering, slipping, and transmission warning lights. 30 NHTSA complaints have been submitted for this defect category. Owner reports include: “Rear differential failed, axle fluid leak, causing damage to axle, bearings and brakes. All needed to be replaced.” (NHTSA Complaint #11712763)

Steering

Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2022 Jeep Gladiator include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 28 NHTSA complaints have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “I had an issue while I was driving my 2022 Jeep Mojave as I was accelerating to join traffic on the highway, and merging to the left. I suddenly lost my power steering capability. I no longer had power steering throughout my entire drive at Highway speed however once I encountered traffic on the highway and I slowed down to approximate 20-30 mph suddenly my power steering returned. This was extremely dangerous and thankfully my kids weren’t driving when it happened. Jeep doesn’t have any fix but this should absolutely be a recall! This car only has 20k miles on it and has never been mistreated in any way. All over the forums and also YouTube are stories of people having this exact issue. [XXX] INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)” (NHTSA Complaint #11721397)

Electrical System

Electrical system failures are notoriously difficult to diagnose and repair, which often results in multiple unsuccessful repair attempts — a key element of a lemon law claim. Reported issues for the 2022 Jeep Gladiator include infotainment malfunctions, battery drain, warning lights, power window failures, and intermittent starting problems. 22 NHTSA complaints have been filed for this category. Owner reports include: “The contact owns a 2022 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at various speeds, the instrument panel failed to display critical safety information as intended. No warning light was illuminated before the failure. The vehicle was taken to a local independent mechanic, where the failure was associated with NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V652000 (Electrical System). The local dealer was contacted. The vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired due to the cost. Upon further investigation, the contact associated the failure with NHTSA Campaign: 24V652000 (Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 20,000.” (NHTSA Complaint #11725302)

Steering,Suspension

Steering defects can create unpredictable vehicle behavior and qualify as safety-related under California lemon law. Reported issues on the 2022 Jeep Gladiator include pulling, vibration, loss of power steering, and electronic steering warnings. 18 NHTSA complaints have been filed in this category. Owner reports include: “While driving at highway speeds, my daughter experienced, without any prior symptom, a violent shaking of the vehicle in general, accompanied by violent shaking of the steering wheel, making the vehicle difficult to control. We have since discovered it is a known issue “popularly” known as the “Jeep Death Wobble”. My daughter was startled and frightened by the extent of the shaking and nearly lost control of the vehicle while driving 6o+ miles per hour on a highway. She managed to pull off the side of the road and call me to come pick her up, unwilling to drive the vehicle any further. We currently live in Ohio; if we still lived in San Antonio, TX and she was driving on one of their raised overpasses, I fear what might have happened. I believed this to be an anomaly, but have now experienced this phenomenon on four out of five Jeep Wrangle/Gladiator vehicles within my own family, a failure rate of 80%. All occurred prior to 36,000 miles (but after three years). When I took the vehicle in for repair to the Jeep dealership, they modified my statement of the problem on official paperwork because, they said, if they mentioned “death wobble” on paperwork, they would have a team of engineers descend on their dealership (which they did not want). They also recommended a repair that did not fix the problem. As an engineer, I recognize this as likely a resonance design flaw. My fear is, based on this statement and my lived experience, this serious safety issue is being greatly under-reported. While some years/models have received recalls, not all have … and Jeep appears complicit in addressing this safety issue across all vehicles exhibiting this frightening, potentially accident-inducing issue. I cannot understand why a recall does not cover all affected vehicles … unless, as I mentioned, the issue is being under-reported by the company. Please investigate/address this issue before someone dies. I honestly believe I came close to losing one of my daughters that day.” (NHTSA Complaint #11716570)

Suspension

Suspension problems affect vehicle handling and ride quality. For the 2022 Jeep Gladiator, reported issues include clunking noises, premature wear, and handling instability. With 10 NHTSA complaints on record, this defect has a documented pattern. Owner reports include: “issue with Death Wobble. Factory 2″ leveling lift was installed. Shortly after that I had issues. I was informed to replace the steering damper. that didnt fix the issue. Then I replaced the drag link with a after market one and the issue is better. But it is still an issue on some roads. the death Wobble is still there.” (NHTSA Complaint #11722676)

Active NHTSA Recalls — 2022 Jeep Gladiator

The following 7 recalls have been issued for the 2022 Jeep Gladiator by the NHTSA or Jeep. If your vehicle is affected, the manufacturer is required to provide a free remedy. Check your VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls.

California Lemon Law — Song-Beverly Act

California’s Song-Beverly Consumer Warranty Act (Cal. Civ. Code §§ 1790–1795.8) is one of the strongest lemon laws in the United States. It protects buyers and lessees of new and certified pre-owned vehicles that develop substantial defects the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts.

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, a lemon law presumption is triggered when any of the following apply to your 2022 Jeep Gladiator:

• 4+ repair attempts for the same non-safety defect without resolution
• 2+ repair attempts for a defect likely to cause death or serious bodily injury
• 30+ calendar days out of service for warranty repairs (cumulative, not consecutive)

Once the presumption is triggered, the burden shifts to Jeep to prove the vehicle is not a lemon. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Jeep must pay your attorney’s fees if you prevail — meaning qualified representation costs you nothing out of pocket.

What You Can Recover

If your 2022 Jeep Gladiator qualifies as a lemon under California law, Jeep may be legally required to:

• Repurchase your vehicle — Full refund of your down payment, all monthly payments, registration fees, and incidental costs (towing, rentals), minus a mileage offset for miles driven before the first repair attempt
• Replace your vehicle — Provide a new, comparable vehicle at no cost to you
• Pay your attorney’s fees — Under § 1794(d), Jeep pays all legal fees if you prevail
• Civil penalty up to 2x damages — If Jeep willfully violated the Act, courts may award double the actual damages

Steps to Protect Your 2022 Jeep Gladiator Claim

Step 1: Document every repair visit. Keep all repair orders, work orders, and dealer invoices. Each visit counts as a repair attempt, even if the dealer says nothing is wrong.

Step 2: Keep returning for repairs. You must give Jeep a reasonable opportunity to fix the defect. Visit different authorized Jeep dealers if needed and ask for written documentation of each visit.

Step 3: Contact a California lemon law attorney. Once you believe the threshold has been met — 4 attempts for non-safety defects, 2 for safety defects, or 30 days out of service — contact an attorney for a free case evaluation. Under § 1794(d), Jeep pays your fees if you win.

Step 4: Send a demand letter. Your attorney will send Jeep a formal demand letter. Most California lemon law cases resolve through negotiation without going to trial.

2022 Jeep Gladiator Lemon Law Questions

How many repair attempts qualify my 2022 Jeep Gladiator as a lemon?

Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1793.22, four or more repair attempts for the same non-safety defect, or two attempts for a safety-related defect, triggers the lemon law presumption. Additionally, 30 or more cumulative days out of service qualifies regardless of the number of repair attempts.

Does Jeep pay my attorney fees?

Yes. Under Cal. Civ. Code § 1794(d), Jeep is required to pay your reasonable attorney’s fees and court costs if you prevail in a lemon law claim. This means qualified lemon law representation is free to you if your case succeeds.

Can I file a lemon law claim without an active recall?

Yes. A recall is not required to file a lemon law claim. The Song-Beverly Act covers any substantial defect that impairs the use, value, or safety of the vehicle that the manufacturer cannot repair after a reasonable number of attempts. NHTSA complaints support the claim by establishing a pattern, but are not a prerequisite.

What is the time limit to file a lemon law claim for my 2022 Jeep Gladiator?

California lemon law claims are generally subject to a four-year statute of limitations from the date you discovered or should have discovered the defect. However, you must still be within the manufacturer’s original warranty period when the defect first appears. Contact an attorney promptly to preserve your rights.