10.0

really awful
Crashes / Fires:
1 / 5
Injuries / Deaths:
1 / 0
Average Mileage:
6,405 miles

About These NHTSA Complaints:

This data is from the NHTSA — the US gov't agency tasked with vehicle safety. Complaints are spread across multiple & redundant categories, & are not organized by problem.

So how do you find out what problems are occurring? For this NHTSA complaint data, the only way is to read through the comments below. Any duplicates or errors? It's not us.

2018 Jeep Wrangler electrical problems

electrical problem

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2018 Jeep Wrangler Owner Comments (Page 3 of 9)

« Read the previous 20 complaints

problem #123

Oct 012022

Wrangler

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

Displays, "Service Shifter". Often followed by many, mostly random warnings, gauges fluctuate wildly, and disabled stop/start, traction and stability control; and sometimes loses power steering, and stalls and won't restart. The stereo volume, wipers, and cabin fan speed also can fluctuate wildly; worst case. This issue first appeared after going through a puddle, and seems to be exacerbated by high EMF areas; this is only corollary. This vehicle has never been used roughly or off road. The obvious dangers are, spontaneous maniacal warnings are a significant distraction to driving; if stop/start is not disabled vehicle will not start after stop at intersection, causing disruption to traffic; if power steering randomly stops working, which occurs while stopped or driving, the vehicle is nearly impossible to drive, and can only practically be driven by a strongman athlete. The coup de grĂ¢ce where everything goes berserk, is usually when parked and attempting to reset the condition. The problem has not been reproduced by a dealer or service center; I have spent days inspecting grounds, harnesses, and inspecting, cleaning and replacing connectors. There's also a long list of mostly random codes for nearly everything, including the persistent lost communication with TCM. Up to October 2022 and 66,000 miles the only warnings or codes were for, wheel sensor (rep under warrantee), and "Small Leak In Vapor Recovery System" (leaky gas cap). A month+ after the warrantee expired, at about 66,000 mi, the vehicle began to generate random warnings and codes, and became unbearable (and dangerous) to drive. My observations and inspections and limited testing (haven't probed system circuits directly) lead to an assertion that the problem is system wide; many wildly various, mostly non repeatable, codes are recorded, systems that shut down are wildly various and not always repeatable; like there's nothing specifically or consistently wrong-but everything is failing. 5V reg in TCM?

- Patchogue, NY, USA

problem #122

Mar 102023

Wrangler

  • miles
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 reported so he gave me a form of the recall. Please help me, I-??m honestly scared to drive my car because I don-??t want this to happen while I-??m on a highway or cause me to be in an accident. I shouldn-??t be scared to drive my car.

- Oceanside, NY, USA

problem #121

Feb 202023

Wrangler

  • miles
Driving on highway at 75MPH, chime followed by all warning lights. Speedometer falls to zero and a series of system failures scrolls through on message board. While taking the exit ramp, power steering fails halfway through the loop. Speedometer returns to normal momentarily, then jumps back and forth until destination. Power steering does not return.

- Derby, KS, USA

problem #120

Nov 102022

Wrangler

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

For several months the vehicle will randomly throw of multiple warnings while driving such as, service gaer shifter, may not be able to shift until your destination, traction control not working, abs not working, high speed fan randomly turns, windshield wipers randomly come on. Several times I even lost power steering while driving. This was very scary and unsafe as I had a very hard time turning off the main road into a parking to wait it out. Tool vehicle to dealer with no results. This is not a new issue. There are various on-line forums with many many people having the same issue and same results from dealers- Nothing. The manufacture has to be put on notice and figure this out and issue a recall to fix.

- St. Augustine, FL, USA

problem #119

Jan 172023

Wrangler

  • miles
As I was driving, all my warning lights started going off. The dash said everything was unavailable (disconnect sway bar, traction control, shifter, etc). Power steering went out and the car was put into auto park while moving and the shifter wouldn-??t work. Windows wouldn-??t work, radio volume started changing, etc.

- Omaha, NE, USA

problem #118

Jun 092022

Wrangler

  • miles
As I was driving, the ABS failed then multiple warning lights displayed and the power steering failed completely. Initially, I could not get the car to turn off.

- Columbus, OH, USA

problem #117

Jan 012022

Wrangler

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

2018 Jeep JLU Sahara 3.6 - Several weeks prior to January 2022 I noticed the Electronic Stop Start ESS feature was no longer working. There was also a message indicating the ESS was not working due to the battery charging. I took the Jeep to my mechanic (Not Jeep dealership mechanic) on January 14, 2022. The main battery voltage was checked and was above 12.7 volts. The auxiliary battery was checked and was approx 10.5 volts. I decided to replace the the auxiliary battery. Once replaced the ESS system started to work again and all electronic features returned to normal. Sometime in November 2022 the ESS stopped working. The ESS error message returned indicating the ESS was not working due to the battery charging. In late December 2022 the Jeep had a dead main (original) battery. The main battery was jumped and the vehicle started and ran normally for about a week. The voltage was checked several times using the voltage meter in the settings menu. Each time the voltage showed reading above 14 volts. One week after the first dead battery the battery went dead again. It was jumped again and started. The vehicle remained on and in park for one hour and was then driven. During the test drive I stopped the Jeep momentarily in the roadway to check the ignition. The Jeep did not start and could not be jumped. As a result of the battery failure my vehicle was blocking the roadway and could not be shifted out of park and into neutral. This was a dangerous situation. Later the voltage on both batteries was checked. The main batt voltage was 10.5 and the aux battery was 10.8 volts. This is a 2018 Jeep JLU. The first aux battery failed and was replaced in January 2022. The second aux battery has failed and will be replaced in January 2023 along with the main (original) battery. Three battery failures in one year is not acceptable.

- Monrovia, CA, USA

problem #116

Jun 222022

Wrangler 6-cyl

  • miles
Power steering and digital speedometer cut out without notice. Seems to be an electrical issue as it will throw a handful of lights at once and sometimes read "no bus". Has happened numerous times. Dealership replaced the aux battery. Did not resolve. Private dealerships are afraid to even touch it. Dealership I purchased it from "can't look at it until March" (5 months from now). There are reports of this all over forums and YouTube. Reached out to Chrysler directly and they basically just said "sorry your warranty is up".

- Edinboro, PA, USA

problem #115

Apr 012022

Wrangler

  • miles
When driving steering stops working transmission won-??t shift wipers come on speedometer stops working radio gets loud engine cooling fan turns on fast and loud warning lights come on in dash abs, trac control, air bag, and service shifter. Have to restart vehicle and tap on small electrical connector behind the glove box to return to normal. Sometimes the vehicle won-??t start or shift out of park. Problem is ongoing happens when idling sitting still or driving down the road

- Foley, MO, USA

problem #114

Nov 052022

Wrangler

  • miles
My jeeps backup camera randomly works. This is a huge safety issue. I-??ve taken it to Jeep who said there were no recalls and made me pay close to $300 out of pocket to -??update-?? my radio system. I am still having the issues and can-??t afford to keep taking the vehicle back to troubleshoot further. This is a major safety issue as it-??s not guaranteed my camera will work and if it does fail there is no telling when it will start working again. If you search forums you-??ll see this issue being present with jeeps since 2016 to now. All different years. Please let me know what can be done or if additional info is needed.

- Gray, GA, USA

problem #113

Oct 082022

Wrangler

  • miles

A D V E R T I S E M E N T S

I have had repeated issues attempting to start the vehicle and it will not turn over. This usually occurs after I have driven the vehicle for at least 45 min. All lights and components turn on but the engine will not turn over, no indication that the engine is engaging. I tried starting in neutral and it does not engage. Battery is new, terminals are clean and fit properly. Vehicle is grounded. Sometimes after a half hour or more it will start. This happens at least once a week. Taken to mechanic e times and cannot get it to repeat.

- Albuquerque, NM, USA

problem #112

Sep 192022

Wrangler

  • miles
All warning lights on the dash lit up. All gauges (tach, speed, fuel) fell to zero while I was traveling at 55 mph. Engine stayed running. Power steering failed but would engage intermittently causing over steering when it caught. Found a safe place to get off the road and turned vehicle off for 1/2 hour. The vehicle ran fine afterward. Limped it to the dealer a day later and they diagnosed it as a "star connector" problem. They said they've seen it before. There's much discussion on the internet about it occurring with the 2018 Wranglers. Jeep said that the replacement connector is just the same as the one which failed so this could happen again if the connector is not improved. Loss of steering is life threatening especially when it goes on and off intermittently.

- Loudon, NH, USA

problem #111

Aug 312022

Wrangler

  • miles
1. On numerous occasions my Jeep has suffered an electrical issue that renders the power steering, power brakes and other components in-operable. My dash goes blank, then restarts showing just about every system feature as needing serviced. The dealer has tried twice to fix it stating that a Star Connector has overheated and is the cause for the problem. This is a huge safety issue and I no longer feel I can trust it to not happen again. 2. The vehicle is impossible to drive without the power steering and brakes. The wipers stick on along with the electronic radiator fan. 3. Yes, The dealer has reproduced this and stated so on the repair invoice. Stating multiple codes in multiple modules for loss communication. 4. No, the vehicle or component has not been inspected by anyone other than the dealer. 5. No warning whatsoever! It has now happened for a fourth time and is back at the dealer.

- Stillwater, MN, USA

problem #110

Aug 312022

Wrangler

  • miles
Driving down the road wipers turned on and wouldn-??t go off, all warning lights started flashing, jeep started to slow down, not accelerate, wanted to stall. Radio turned up on its own. Another occurrence I stopped at a stop sign and the jeep wouldn-??t go, I tried to put it in park and it wouldn-??t go into park, had to turn the jeep off and back on. Safety issues!! There should be a recall on jeeps for these issues I have read so many problems like this and it is NOT SAFE

- Morrow , OH, USA

problem #109

Aug 292022

Wrangler

  • miles
Jeep JL shows various warnings about engine revs and sometimes loss of power steering while driving at all speeds. Sometimes the Jeep will not get out of park and this issue is intermittent. Have taken it to the dealership and they cannot find anything wrong. From reading forums it would appear there is a bad wiring harness that causes this but it is terrifying when it can happen randomly and then just goes away on its own like nothing happened. I have various videos of this happening while parked. This issue seems to affect many of the JLs and rubicons. It has been happening for about 3 weeks now. Jeep does not admit or see the issue and the error codes thrown would indicate literally everything is wrong with the jeep. Can provide videos of this parked but it can and does happen randomly while driving.

- Frederick, MD, USA

problem #108

Apr 162022

Wrangler

  • miles
April 2022 - Driving down US 30 in Ohio had the electronic stability control warning light come on. Took to dealership and was advised that no codes were stored therefore no work could be done on the Jeep. Next time the ESC warning came on it also gave service gear shifter, stop/start not available along with loss of traction control. Was told it was the wiring harness getting moisture and had been replaced. Drove Jeep maybe 100 miles and same codes came on with loss of power steering at a speed of 70 mph on I-75. This time Jeep was in the shop for 45 days with no luck of pinpointing the issue. Was told by the dealership to continue to drive the Jeep until the warning lights trigger more often. Had to put Jeep In the ditch due to losing power steering. Now Jeep is not wanting to turn over and when it does start not able to get the Jeep to go into ANY gear. I can not believe I traded in my husband's Hyundai in for this paperweight as I do not feel safe driving it.

- Leipsic, OH, USA

problem #107

Jan 012022

Wrangler

  • miles
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.

- Issaquah, WA, USA

problem #106

Aug 062022

Wrangler

  • miles
I have two issues to report. First issue was while driving on interstate the dash went completely out. Had no idea my speed, fuel level, navigation....nothing. I slowed down to get off the road. Stopped and turned off engine. Turned it back on and nothing. Then it just popped on. I was able to continue on my way. Then I started having the second issue. Second issue to report. The Uconnect display monitor touch screen system is delaminating and now it changes stations, systems (navigation, weather, etc) on its own. I checked the Jeep blogs and this is a consistent problem for the past 8 years. There is an adhesive problem that Jeep/Chrysler is well aware of. To stop this flickering of stations from happening, I have to drive with one hand and take my finger on the other hand keeping it constantly pressed against SXM button. Or turn off the radio. This is a 4 1/2 yr old jeep with 68,000 miles. Jeep will not do anything except replace it at retail cost. I am not alone with this issue. There are 100's of stories on the internet blogs. This should be a recall issue to protect the consumers from extremely poor quality from a company like Chrysler. They knew this was a quality issue jet continued producing a faulty product. They should be better than this and held accountable.

- Lawrenceville, GA, USA

problem #105

Jul 182022

Wrangler

  • miles
Several messages display simultaneously on and off as the vehicle is in motion which results in power being lost, then restored in a matter of minutes which are critical when traveling in traffic or on the interstate. Steering and brakes are the first to go, but the car remains operational. The gauges display as if the car is stationary with check engine, brake, start stop disabled, traction control and many other lights displaying in error as these things are happening.

- Bellevue, NE, USA

problem #104

May 062022

Wrangler

  • miles
Since May of this year I have been trying to get my vehicle diagnosed and repaired. Multiple warning lights and messages go off at various times. Vehicle loses power steering and speed detection at a minimum. I have been to 3 different dealers at 5 separate times. A STAR case was opened by Fiat/Chrysler but was closed despite lack of diagnosis by dealer and concerns that the vehicle was not safe to drive. I have spent thousands of dollars and communicated multiple times to Fiat with no resolution. I have noted on various forums people complaining of similar issues. The following warnings are noted at frequent intervals; ABS needs service, shift module needs service, do not shift, do not turn off power, traction control, battery warnings and many more. Every possible warning indicator is coding. At previous dealer visit to current, the dealer advised that they could not diagnose and told me to pick up the vehicle. I advised Fiat and they supported me getting my vehicle despite concerns that it was unsafe. All documented.

- Plum , PA, USA

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