2020 Jeep Gladiator

On May 27, 2026 at approximately 11:00 PM, my 2020 Jeep Gladiator Overland (VIN: [XXX] ) suffered catastrophic engine failure during normal operation at 78,190 miles. The alternator seized, causing the harmonic balancer (crankshaft damper) to fracture. The broken balancer fell into the engine block, causing extensive internal damage requiring complete engine replacement at significant cost. This failure sequence points to a design and/or manufacturing defect in the OEM alternator and/or its mounting system on the 3.6L Pentastar V6. A properly designed alternator should not seize with enough force to fracture the harmonic balancer and deposit debris into the engine block under normal operating conditions. The vehicle was not involved in any accident or operator abuse. It was being driven normally with no prior warning — no dashboard lights, no unusual sounds, no prior related mechanical issues. I request NHTSA investigate whether this failure pattern is systemic across 2020 Jeep Gladiator vehicles and other 3.6L Pentastar V6 platforms, including the Jeep Wrangler, Ram 1500, and Dodge Durango. Sudden complete engine failure at highway speeds is an immediate crash hazard to the driver and surrounding motorists. I respectfully request a formal defect investigation and, if warranted, a safety recall with full remediation and reimbursement of repair costs to affected owners. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

On Friday, May 22, 2026, at approximately 59,442 miles, the vehicle's instrument panel cluster (IPC) failed suddenly and without warning. The vehicle was driven to a store in [XXX] , with the display functioning normally, but upon restarting the vehicle less than an hour later, the central information screen went completely blank. The screen remains permanently blank and fails to display any driver information. At night, turning the vehicle on causes the screen to emit a faint dark gray backlight, but no text, gauges, or data populate. This failure creates an immediate safety hazard. With a permanently blank cluster, I am forced to drive without access to a speedometer, fuel gauge, odometer, or critical vehicle warning and safety lights, severely impacting my ability to maintain safe speeds and monitor vehicle health on public roads. The vehicle was inspected on May 27, 2026, by an authorized Jeep dealership (Lopp Motors in Dodge City, KS). The technician confirmed the failure and noted: "INFO SCREEN BETWEEN TACH AND SPEEDO IS BLANK. NO CODES IN SYSTEM PERTAINING TO CONCERN. TECH TRIED TO RESET CLUSTER AND PERFORMED PROXI ALIGNMENT – WOULD NOT ALIGN. ATTEMPT A VEHICLE CONFIG RESTORE – STILL NO CLUSTER OPERATION. INSTRUMENT CLUSTER REQUIRES REPLACEMENT." This identical component failure is the subject of NHTSA Campaign 24V-652 (Jeep Recall 30B); however, my 2020 model year VIN is currently excluded due to manufacturer time-in-service parameters. The vehicle and the failed component are available for inspection upon request. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, the infotainment center display blinked on and off. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic where it was diagnosed with a failed instrument cluster panel. The vehicle was not repaired. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. In addition, the contact was informed of a recall NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V652000 (Electrical System) however the contact's VIN was not associated. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 40,000.

At 90k miles head gasket failed letting coolant in engine cylinders which was diagnosed and repaired by a Jeep dealer. At 130k miles engine light back on with dealer suggesting it is rocker arm/lifter failure with cylinders misfiring. At initial purchase of vehicle touchscreen would black out and restart. Dealer replaced with another touchscreen but issue still exists after warranty term.

Instrument Cluster/Dash panel electrical is shorting out and glitching while driving. Lights and messages go off while driving and then when the computer/vehicle resets the codes and lights go away. Then come back again. Garage checked out and could not find any electrical issues with Battery or Alternator and points towards the instrument cluster.

The contact owns a 2020 Jeep Gladiator. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the instrument panel failed to display the speedometer, warning lights, engine oil gauge, and the fuel gauge as needed. The failure had caused the vehicle to run out of fuel several times. The vehicle was taken to an independent mechanic after being involved in a crash while the vehicle was parked, and the mechanic related the failure to NHTSA Campaign Number: 24V652000 (Electrical System); however, the VIN was not included in the recall. The contact was advised to take the vehicle to the dealer. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure and advised the contact to report the failure to the NHTSA Hotline. The failure mileage was unknown.

This complaint is a follow-up to NHTSA complaint number 11729095. Since submitting the original complaint, the issue has continued and is now occurring while the vehicle is in motion. The vehicle is experiencing intermittent electrical and communication failures affecting multiple systems. The issue began approximately three weeks ago after completing a normal drive and has persisted since that time, occurring randomly and without warning. Both the main battery and auxiliary battery have been replaced; however, the condition remains unresolved. Current symptoms include: •Multiple warning messages and warning lights activating simultaneously while driving (including “Service Antilock Brake System” and “Service Shifter”) •Loss of communication between multiple control modules •Fault codes that temporarily clear but return •Instrument cluster instability and erratic system behavior Power steering assist becomes intermittent during these events, making steering significantly more difficult, particularly when navigating curves or operating in heavy traffic. This creates a serious safety hazard due to reduced vehicle control. Diagnostic trouble codes associated with this condition include multiple communication-related faults (U-codes), indicating loss of communication between critical control modules. The condition may temporarily improve when the auxiliary battery system is bypassed and the battery sensor is disconnected, but the failures consistently return. The issue is ongoing, intermittent, and reproducible. No accidents have occurred to date; however, the condition presents a clear and increasing safety risk. Photographic evidence of warning indicators and system faults occurring during vehicle operation is available. Root cause remains UNKNOWN but is suspected to involve the auxiliary battery system, battery management system, wiring, or vehicle communication network.

The vehicle is experiencing intermittent electrical and communication failures affecting multiple systems. The issue first occurred approximately three weeks ago immediately after completing a normal drive. Since that time, the problem has occurred randomly and repeatedly. Following the initial event, multiple warning messages appeared, including “Service Shifter,” along with numerous fault codes indicating loss of communication between control modules. Both the main battery and auxiliary battery have been replaced; however, the issue persists with no improvement. Current symptoms include: •Intermittent loss of communication between modules •Repeated warning messages, including “Service Shifter” •Fault codes that temporarily clear but return after driving •Unpredictable and inconsistent vehicle system behavior The condition sometimes temporarily improves but the faults and warnings consistently return. This creates a safety risk due to unreliable vehicle operation, including potential loss of shifting capability, starting issues, or failure of electronically controlled systems while driving. The failure is ongoing and intermittent but reproducible. The vehicle has not been involved in any accidents related to this issue. Root cause is UNKNOWN but suspected to involve the auxiliary battery system, battery management system, wiring, or related electrical components.