2018 JEEP WRANGLER Engine Problems

My 2018 Jeep Wrangler JL only now has 77,700 miles and got a blown head gasket!? This is so UNACCEPTABLE! Makes me regret ever purchasing! There is a ton more with same issue some with less miles and has been well maintained. Took to the dealer is who diagnosed and supposedly repaired due to a warranty that I am having to pay BIG money for! Alos, UNCALLED FOR! Took to dealer when Aux light first appeared but then eventually the engine light came on and I took to dealer and that's when diagnosed this! VERY VERY UPSETTING AS warranty should not have to cover not to mention, HOW DO YOU STOP FROM HAPPENING in ANOTHER 70000 or less miles? JEEP NEEDS TO BE RESPONSIBLE AND STEP UP BIG AND DO SOMETHING REGARDING THIS PROBLEM THAT IS THERE PROBLEM!

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.

On January 14, 2026, my 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK Sport (3.6L) with approximately 134,099 miles was inspected at Cox’s Automotive & Repair Inc. due to a check engine light and rough engine operation. During diagnostic testing, multiple fault codes were identified, including P000A (camshaft position slow response), P0300 In addition to the diagnostic findings, I contacted and visited multiple automotive repair facilities regarding this issue. Each shop advised that they have previously serviced 2018 Jeep Wrangler JK models with the same 3.6L engine presenting identical symptoms and diagnostic codes, including timing correlation errors, misfires, and internal engine damage. Several repair facilities indicated that they have had the same make and model in their shops for the same failure, including vehicles with significantly lower mileage, with one reported case occurring at approximately 7,000 miles. Based on consistent feedback from multiple independent repair facilities, this condition appears to be a known and...

What component or system failed or malfunctioned, and is it available for inspection upon request? THE THROTTLE FAILED ON THE FREEWAY DUE TO A BREAK IN THE ENGINE HARNESS. HAVE FULL REPAIR RECEIPTS FROM SHOP. How was your safety or the safety of others put at risk? FULL ENGINE AND THROTTLE FAILURE ON FREEWAY MULTIPLE TIMES, 1X ON A STRETCH OF FREEWAY WITH LITTLE TO NO SHOULDER WITH MY 1 YEAR OLD IN THE BACK SEAT. Has the problem been reproduced or confirmed by a dealer or independent service center? YES, FULL SERVICE REPAIR RECEIPTS ON HAND. Has the vehicle or component been inspected by the manufacturer, police, insurance representatives or others? YES Were there any warning lamps, messages or other symptoms of the problem prior to the failure, and when did they first appear? NO

The jeep lost power while I was driving. The lights stayed on but jeep came to a stop. I touched the key area and it started running again.

Started having misfire issues. Replaced spark plugs. problem continued. started having to add antifreeze regurlarly. 1 quart per 300 miles. multiple P0302 error codes. Dealer 1st tried to tell me was a loose coil pack. looked at it again and said needs a new head gasket possibly a whole new engine. 117,000 miles and this seems rediculous for a 60,000 dollar vehecle. Especially since Jeep already issued an extended 150,000 mile warranty for 2011-2013. with 100's of these same issues still happening on 2018's and latter they clearly did not correct the defect.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled, and the engine seized. In addition, the contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The contact stated that the failure had occurred while driving on a busy highway full of traffic and tractor-trailers. The contact stated that the vehicle was stuck in an unsafe location, in the middle of the highway. The contact exited the vehicle, trying to get to a safe area, onto the shoulder of the road. The contact stated that the grounds were icy and snowy. The contact stated that while crossing the highway on foot, trying to get to the shoulder of the road, the contact fell. The contact was transported to the local Medical Center by ambulance. The contact sustained a fractured left leg and fractured left knee. The contact stated that medical...

On August 6, 2025, while driving at approximately 65 mph on the highway, the vehicle experienced a sudden and total loss of motive power. The engine warning lights illuminated, and the vehicle would not accelerate, forcing an emergency maneuver across multiple lanes of traffic to reach the shoulder. This failure occurred just one day after a warranty repair for the same issue, and followed a previous 199-day repair for a known camshaft defect. This sudden power loss in highway traffic created an extreme and unreasonable risk of a high-speed collision and serious injury.

Continuous engine problems Says not in park/ is in park Clicking sounds when turned off Steering wheel won’t lock Will turn over but won’t start even tho all lights come on and air All lights will turn off when brake is pressed and when foot is off brake the lights will flash and the car will beep continuously All lights in gear will be lit up orange but can’t move it

The Check Engine light illuminated and diagnostic code P219A was recorded (Bank 1 Air/Fuel Ratio Imbalance), and the engine has a ticking noise. The dealership has indicated the issue likely involves the valvetrain/rocker arms/lifters and will require engine internal repair (valve cover removal, spark plug replacement, possible rocker arm replacement) estimated at ~$2,900-$4,500. The 3.6 L Pentastar engine has been the subject of numerous owner complaints of ticking noise, power loss, misfire, and premature valvetrain failure. I understand there have been related Jeep Technical Service Bulletins (such as 09-002-14 and 09-008-18) addressing these types of failures. A class action lawsuit (Maugain et al. v. FCA US LLC) alleges defects in the 3.6L Pentastar engine’s valve train (rocker arms, lifters) and failure to disclose the defect. Maintenance History: Regular oil changes (every <6,000 miles) at approved service centers; no prior major engine internal repairs. Concern: The defect affects engine performance, may...

My Jeep began misfiring, giving a P0304 error code via the ODB. On June 2nd 2025, we took it to the Sandy Sansing CDJR Dealership. They determined that my 3.6L Pentastar V6 engine needed a new camshaft and lifters, despite having only 42,609 miles on it. To further complicate things, it took the dealership over a month to get a replacement camshaft in and installed, due to an abnormally high demand for replacement camshafts; this suggests a systemic problem with the engine, especially considering the problematic history of earlier versions of the 3.6L Pentastar V6 (1). https://static.nhtsa.gov/odi/tsbs/2014/MC-10069161-0335.pdf

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle hesitated and failed to accelerate as intended while depressing the accelerator pedal. The check engine warning light was illuminated. In addition, the vehicle failed to accelerate while driving uphill or downhill. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, where the catalytic converter was replaced. After several more tests on the vehicle, it was determined that there was a leak in the engine block, and that the engine needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 98,000.

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...

Left headgasket blew at 51k miles / Sept 2024. Second headgasket (waiting on confirmation of left or right) blew at 62k miles. Vehicle is well maintained. Forums online suggest similar issues with other 2018 - 2023 jeep / chrysler engines.

After filing my first concern with the vehicle and attempting to rack my brain with answers to why a 2018 is falling apart at the seams, I can only come up with either fraud, or the vehicle has been modified in major ways and glued together only to fall apart every bump I go over. After some reading I’m questioning 49 CFR part 565 form that was turned in after I purchased the vehicle means that I possibly have a replica, “remanufactured”, or altered vehicle. I’m not sure of the legality of selling a vehicle built from whatever vehicles I have, I do know that parts are not all the same years upon scanning modules I got some strange replacement identifiers that I will send. I also question if it really passed emissions being that my short term fuel trim sensor passed the catalytic converter on both sides stays over...

Jeep randomly shuts off while actively driving. I have automatic JL. Screen shows to service clutch. All dash lights come on, no buss bar detected, ABS, No traction control, Airbags, park sense off, check engine, steering locks up. Engine shuts off while driving. MPH screen goes blank all electrical stops working. Connector behind stock bumper is expised to the elements causing shortage. Putting my life in danger everytime I drive

The engine blew while I was driving on the highway without warning. Several repairs since January and have had the car at just 2 years. Maintenance has been kept. Dealership replaced radiator, head gasket repair, etc. since just February. Car was towed to dealership. 2 holes in engine at the bottom. Dealership claims they don't know why. After researching this particular engine and car, I feel that vehicle has a lot of issues. I don't feel that it is safe. I think a safety recall should be considered.

Vehicle: 2018 Jeep Wrangler Sport Unlimited VIN: [XXX] Mileage at failure: 40,631 miles Issue Date: [XXX] Component: Engine / Cooling System / Head Gasket My 2018 Jeep Wrangler began experiencing overheating issues at approximately 40,000 miles. The engine cooling fan was frequently running on high, and I noticed an increase in coolant loss. The vehicle was taken to an authorized dealership, where a hydrocarbon test was performed and failed — confirming a likely head gasket failure on the driver-side cylinder head. The technician suspected a defect in the cooling system. I was quoted $4,500 just for engine disassembly, before any repairs. The vehicle is now undrivable and is being sent to another independent shop for a second opinion, costing an additional $250. My Wrangler has been properly maintained, and there is no evidence of abuse or neglect. I have attached a dealership invoice and diagnostic notes. This kind of failure...

After purchasing seems the vin was updated with information I was not disclosed. The bcm has never worked correctly the instrument panel is erratic and even with a code reader showing P codes there’s no check light. The steering makes the entire vehicle jump over half a road. Blind spot monitors don’t know what to do sometimes they are unavailable, odometer has all 9s sometimes. I did all the checks on the vehicle at the time and what I was given showed I had a 2018 4 door Sahara and that was what I was led to believe. After having issues and getting my registration I started looking at everything more because the dealer registered me as a commercial passenger truck(still don’t know why) but found a report that says Moab/sahara and my seems my vehicles body chasis and motor are all over the place. I’m pretty sure the engine...

The check engine light came on in my car. I was waiting for the dealer to call me to fix it for the 3rd time. I was on my way home when every electrical option on the vehicle turned on- wipers, lights, dash lights, brake- which caused the car to brake- then it turned off and I had no brakes, the car had no steering, it accelerated and I went off the road.

The 3.6L Pentastar engine has a know engine problem with the Cam, valves, lifters. I am a lucky enough to have the same ticking issues as millions of other unsuspecting customers. They was just quoted $6,000 dollars for the repair at our local Dodge dealer for a know defect on this particular engine. This issue should be brought up to US consumer protection and be covered by the manufacturer. My 2018 Jeep has 71,000 miles! The Engine should not have a catastrophic failure this early in its life.

My vehicle’s cooling system continues to develop leaks in the antifreeze line/reservoir. I’ve had it repaired three times, but the problem returns each time, causing the engine to lose coolant and overheat. The coolant reservoir continuously cracks little by little my vehicle has broken down twice due to overheating. During my last oil change my mechanic informed me he has seen this issue and multiple times on other Jeep wranglers. The vehicle is available for inspection The vehicle has not been inspected by of the listed parties No warning lamps the symptoms are the car making a humming noise after driving about an miles, leaking antifreeze as soon as I add it to the compartment. I’m constantly refilling it with antifreeze due to this, and vehicle overheating.

This part is required to make the vehicle drivable. 68661147AA intake camshaft. The vehicle has been off road in a dealership since 2/26/2025. No part is available; we are told more than 10,000 are backordered. This is a daily driver. The vehicle is 2018 with only 78,000 miles. No known answer to why the part failed however with this many backordered parts it is clear there is an ongoing and significant issue related to this.

The oil filter housing/oil cooler is made of plastic and every Jeep Wrangler ends up leaking because of it and it should be a recall.

the vehicle was taken to the dealer because the check engine light was on. we were told the oil cooler was leaking and there was no oil in the vehicle. at no time did the low oil indicator come on. the dealer advised the oil cooler was manufactured as a plastic component and repeatedly would fail causing the oi to leak out of the engine. the engine oil cooler was replaced with a newly designed metal part. the oil cooler failure also caused the oil pressure sensor to fail. repairs totaled $1942.07 for jeep's faulty designed. repairs were made by the jeep dealer. repairs were paid out of pocket and not covered by warranty. the jeep had just hit 100,442 miles when the failure occurred. jeep online forums have repeatedly posted about this problem. jeep needs to recall the faulty design that can cause the engine to leak out all...

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.

The 3.6l v6 (mostly in the 2014-2020 wrangler) has a known issue for cylinder 4, 5 and 6 misfires, warping, metal shavings, damaged cams, ticking, overheating etc. My wrangler has had this issue multiple times and the cost to repair it is well over $4000 each time. The first time, my wrangler had 85000 miles and now it has 135,000 miles. The vehicle overheats, starts rough, idles rough, loses power, mpg tanks and its a huge safety issue (I drive my 2 year old son around a lot, as well as my dog).

The sensors, in particular the blind spot warning, randomly light up and stay on until the vehicle is turned off. Radio and navigation system randomly shuts off, and check engine light goes on and off randomly. While driving at night, my entire dash flashed a red warning that there was no oil in the vehicle. I immediately pulled over at a gas station. It was dark, I couldn’t see, and it was 2am in a town I was unfamiliar with. I added 1 quart of oil ( I couldn’t really see the dipstick). The warning light went off, and the check engine light came on. I went 30 minutes to my destination and had the car towed to the dealership the next day. They said it was an o2 sensor, and that there was TOO MUCH oil in the vehicle so they drained it and did an oil change. I...

I have put thousands of dollars already into the motor because my Jeep continually overheats and looses coolant. Its been in the shop countless times over the last year with the same issue. I was told it was the head gasket with is a $3k job. I took it to get a second opinion and this shop just completed the same repair on my exact vehicle. It wasn't the head gasket. He said the cylinder is cracked and it would need to be completely replaced. $10k. That it is a factor defect and that Chrysler has been aware of the issue but is currently not doing anything about issue. He said they extensively searched the cylinder head and could not see where the crack was but Chrysler's recommendation was just replace the cylinder because that is where the issue is. I cannot afford to spend $10k on a repair. The...

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while his daughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the vehicle stalled. No warning light was illuminated. The vehicle was towed to an independent dealer where it was diagnosed that camshaft phasers had failed, and metal shavings were discovered inside the engine. The vehicle was not repaired. The local dealer was contacted, but the vehicle was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA Hotline for assistance. The failure mileage was approximately 81,000.

Clutch - The Sansone Dealer located in Avenel, NJ has informed me that they did not have the part at the time and that I would receive a call. I never got a call so I decided to take the car back to them and now I'm being told they would need to hold onto the car for at least 48-hrs to diagnose the car. I don't understand why when they should be aware of the recall.

Track bar bracket separating from frame. Coolant leaking into engine. This has been going on for about a year since we bought it. Dealer just says there’s nothing wrong with it. But we have been taking it to mechanics since we got it.

Start and Stop button light came off and vehicle stopped drive. I’m the last 2 years I have to replace battery 3 times.

The contact owned a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at 60 MPH, the vehicle had lost 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 safely. The 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...

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving at 2 MPH, the engine started backfiring, and the vehicle was shuddering. Several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle was taken to an unknown dealer to be diagnosed; however, the cause of the failure could not be determined. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was not made aware of the failure. The failure mileage was approximately 14,500.

Head gasket failed due to a manufacturing flaw in the engine block. Coolant leaked internally from the cooling passage into cylinder one causing a hydro lock. No external leaks. Engine is damaged beyond repair.

there is a recall, 19A, that has no fix yet. the "this-might-happen" happened to me. clutch plate hot, hole through transmission, near melted fuel lines. got it fixed, major work $6000. Chrysler won't reimburse me because "there is no fix for the recall yet." that is the point. my car sustained major damage due to the recall issue with no fix. when they do find a fix, the replacement parts that i have now will still have to be fixed. nothing, including 3 weeks rental, covered under extended warranty because it is a recall issue. recall reimbursement documentation not processed because there is no fix. they have been running me around for almost 2 weeks. i am not someone who can drop $6000 without major pain. i paid with what cash i had, financed what i could at 23%, and had to have a friend use her credit card for...

Told I need a new engine, never over did anything. An, used only as a daily driver. No extreme use.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated driving 30-35 MPH, the ABS warning light, the check engine warning light, the traction control warning light, and other unknown warning lights were illuminated. The odometer became inoperable. The vehicle lost power steering functionality and shifted into Accessory Mode. The contact was able to veer to the side of the road. The contact stated that the vehicle failed to respond while attempting to drive. Additionally, the vehicle failed to shut off as needed. The contact stated that the vehicle remained in Accessory Mode for 15 minutes and restarted independently. The contact stated that the failure had been reoccurring. The vehicle was taken several timed to the Ford dealer where it was purchased; however, the dealer could not duplicate the failure. The Jeep dealer was notified of the failure and advised the contact to take the vehicle in to their location...

ALL KINDS OF CODES CAME ON JEEP LOCKED UP COULDNT STEER ALMOST WRECKED. HAD TO TOLL NOW DEALERSHIP SAYS ITS THE ENGINE AFTER SAYING IT WAS THE STARTER

The oil housing unit has cracked and has to be replaced. The Jeep is currently in the shop and they discovered that it is made of plastic and cracked. I had oil pouring out when I took it to the shop. After doing some research, apparently this is a problem with Jeeps.

All the lights on the Jeep came on. Locked up nearly had a wreck. Had to be towed. Now dealership is saying its the motor. Everything shut down. This is not the first time the jeep has shut all the way down. This is very dangerous. We had replaced the starter, and battery and spark plugs and box. The jeep worked for a day then the second starter burned up .

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated after parking and turning off the vehicle, she saw smoke exiting from the hood. The contact stated she removed her two infants from the vehicle before locating the fire extinguisher she had available in the vehicle. The contact stated the fire extinguisher was broken but was able to extinguish the fire with a fire extinguisher that was provided by a school bus driver that was in the area. The fire department did arrive at the location after the fire was extinguished and filed a fire report. The contact was not aware if the police deputy at the scene filed a police report. The contact stated she burned her right middle finder while extinguishing the fire but did not seek medical attention for her injury. The vehicle was not drivable. The contact towed to the local dealer and made them aware...

My wife was driving her Jeep to work this morning and a warning message came on the info screen stating the vehicle was shutting down soon and to safely pull over. She only had a two minute warning which was not enough time to pull over to a safe place without risking injury from being hit from another vehicle. The Jeep ended up and powered down within the two minutes of receiving the warning which caused loss of engine power, no power steering and no power brakes. This seems to be a pretty dangerous combination. It literally left her in the roadway. We had the batteries checked and they are ok. The vehicle did start back but the warning light came on again so it is parked until we can get it towed to the dealership. Researching it online it seems to be a common issue with the 2018 JLU....

All lights on dash light up while driving or in park, no power steering, all displays flickering, can not move vehicle. While in park, can not engage shifter, if I turn off vehicle while it’s on the “fritz”, vehicle might not start for some time (15-40 minutes), this has been on going since 11/22, three visits to dealership, two at an independent shop. Dealership claimed the couldn’t replicate issue/“concern” Vehicle is simply not safe. I’ve recorded many videos documenting these safety/vehicle issues. It’s been nearly 6 months of trying to get a reputable diagnosis, repair and answers. I hope this isn’t a scam? I truly need help.

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...

The Jeep was being driven to a dealership to get checked for recalls due to the engine stuttering and stalling, radio and navigation not working, and just not running right. All of the sudden the engine ‘blew up’ and it stopped running. The Jeep was rolled to the side of the road and oil was seen leaking out of a hole in the underside of the engine. Pics were taken. It was towed to a dealership. No inspection has been performed yet to determine what the cause of the catastrophic failure is.

OIl Cooler failure resulting in oil spill onto the transmission and motor housing. Per discussions of JK forums and other associated websites, this is a common issue with the 3.6 penstar motors. It was recalled on the Jeep Cherokees; however, failure to recall on the JK models were not available. Furthermore, most tech are stating when changing the oil filter, over torque can cause the seal to break or housing to crack resulting in leak. On manay forums, the JK ranging in years for the oil cooler issue is higher than normal.

The vehicle intermittently fails to shift into gear when started. This also happens intermittently while driving (when stopped the engine turns off while the brake pedal is depressed. When the engine restarts to go forward it behaves as if it is in neutral and won't engage.) Additionally, on occasion, the instrument panel fails to function while in operation. There is a blog thread on this issue as experienced by others: https://www.jlwranglerforums.com/forum/threads/service-shifter.24255/ ***Note, the date listed below is when we first began experiencing this issue. This is an ongoing issue which is experience 5 or more times per week. The vehicle has been in and out of the shop without resolution. The cost is out of pocket. The vehicle is currently sitting at the dealership shop considered "unsafe to operate" while we wait on a solution.

The contact owns a 2018 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated that while driving the display screen went blank. The contact stated that several unknown warning lights were illuminated. The vehicle lost power steering and was shaking. The vehicle was taken to the local dealer where it was diagnosed that the battery and sensors needed to be replaced. The vehicle was repaired; however, the failure recurred. The vehicle also failed to start. The vehicle was towed back to the local dealer but was not diagnosed or repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and referred the contact to the NHTSA. The failure mileage was approximately 61,000.