Over 69K Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators Being Recalled Due to Overheating and Fracturing Clutch Plates
Clutch plates are exploding in 2018 to 2023 Wranglers and 2020 to 2023 Gladiators and Jeep has no solution.
A lot of folks rally for automakers to keep the manual transmission. And for good reason. The involvement you get driving a manual can’t be matched by even the best automatic. But sometimes choosing the fun and involving manual has a downside. For example, when clutch plates explode and set your Jeep on fire. That possibility is what has led Jeep to issue a recall of 69,201 Wranglers and Gladiators. That is obviously not good news. Worse news is that Jeep currently has no remedy for the issue. The recall was issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). It is NHTSA recall number 23V-116.
The investigation began back in December 2022 and it was found that clutch plates were failing. In January 2023 the investigation expanded to include 2018 to 2023 Wranglers and 2020 to 2023 Gladiators. By February 9, 2023, there were 26 customer assistance records, 36 warranty claims, and six field reports potentially related to this issue. No accidents have been reported due to this failure but there is a report of one injury that may be related. That spawned the recall to be opened on February 16, 2023.
Description of Defect
According to the NHTSA recall the issue is described as such: “In some circumstances, the clutch pressure plate may become overheated through friction, which may lead the pressure plate to rapidly fracture. When a pressure plate fractures, it may result in cracks or holes in the transmission case, allowing heated debris to be expelled from the transmission case.
Heated debris expelled from the transmission bellhousing may come in contact with an ignition source in the vehicle or surrounding area, potentially leading to a fire. A fire can result in increased risk of occupant injury and injury to persons outside the vehicle.” This is obviously a rather serious failure. And it can happen without warning. Although you may smell the clutch burning or feel it slipping and get a message on the dash.
Remedy of Defect
To be determined. Jeep does not yet have a fix for this problem. They are working on it but there is no timeline yet for the fix. Dealers and owners of any vehicles under the recall can expect to be notified on or around April 14, 2023. If you have already experienced this issue Jeep will reimburse you for the cost of the repair. Just be sure to hold on to your receipt for proof.
Vehicle Details
55,082 model year 2018 to 2023 Jeep Wranglers equipped with a manual transmission are under this recall. These vehicles were built between August 23, 2017, and February 16, 2023. 14,119 model year 2020 to 2023 Jeep Gladiators equipped with a manual transmission are also included in this recall. These were built between December 21, 2018, and February 16, 2023. On February 16, 2023 Jeep suspended shipments of Wranglers and Gladiators with manual transmissions. No word yet on when those shipments will resume. But it is safe to assume that won’t happen until the remedy is identified and put in place.
Images: Jeep
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