NHTSA Owner Complaint Log
This page lists owner-reported complaints filed with NHTSA for the 2021 Jeep Wrangler. Complaints are unverified consumer reports submitted to NHTSA and do not by themselves prove a defect or defect rate.
Data synced from NHTSA on May 4, 2026
This vehicle was purchased new. From day one there has been concern with the steering on the Wrangler. There is excessive play in the steering of about one inch. As a result the vehicle wanders making it difficult to control. This behavior is most notable at speeds between 40 to 70 mph. Complaint has been made to dealership two times. First visit they indicated no trouble found. Second visit they said the behavior is normal. Bottom line; driving this vehicle is a safety risk.
My 2021 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon (3.6L eTorque, automatic transmission) has had recurring drivetrain instability since about 2,000 miles while under factory warranty. It intermittently has high RPM flare during acceleration, delayed shifting, shuddering under load, and abrupt engagement. At low speeds (about 10–5 mph), it harshly downshifts, grabs suddenly, RPMs jump up and down, and it can feel like it will stall; it has stalled intermittently. Braking feels inconsistent, and at times it feels like the vehicle resists braking or surges before slowing. The forward collision warning/automatic emergency braking has activated with no obstacle present, and the power steering assist has been lost intermittently. There is also an engine tick and a high-pitched whining noise from the engine/drivetrain area. In January 2026, the transmission catastrophically failed and required replacement of the transmission, torque converter, cooler, and control module. The vehicle was out of service for over 24 days. After installation of a new Mopar remanufactured transmission and torque converter, the same symptoms returned. AAMCO has now found that the new torque converter failed, with metal shavings throughout the transmission, in the fluid, and at the bottom of the pan. I was advised that the vehicle should be sent to a Jeep dealership because no codes are currently present. I was also advised that the dealership may replace only the torque converter rather than the entire transmission, despite recurring failure and metal contamination. This presents a safety concern due to loss of acceleration, unpredictable torque engagement, stalling, unintended braking activation, power steering loss, engine/drivetrain noise, and repeated drivetrain failure. I have all the records if requested, file is too large to send in the upload area.