Gladiator 1 Year Review The Harsh Reality
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- Опубликовано: 10 окт 2021
- The first 3-4k miles were rough and I started to second guess my decision to buy a Jeep Gladiator but after the warranty visits corrected the issues I spent 23k miles putting it through the grinder. Here is my review after putting this Gladiator to the test.
Issues Videos:
• Issues Already with 20...
• Is it over for my 2020...
• 2020 Jeep Gladiator To...
Bumper:
www.quadratec.com/p/rugged-ri...
Bed cover:
Lyon cover 5'/60.3 Hard Tri Fold Truck Bed for 2020 2021 Gladiator JT Tonneau Cover | for Models with or Without The Deckrail System| 
Авто/Мото
Thanks for the great review.
Just got a 2023 Jeep Gladiator yesterday and coming from a 2022 Ram limited.
There is a few creatures comforts I miss and a little ruffer ride, but so far, loving it. Its so fun to drive.
JIM from Ontario Canada
Thanks Jim for watching. Yes, it's definitely a different experience but the Gladiators are fun! Enjoy the ride.
Dude…I can’t tell you what a great review this was. I just bought a 2022 Gladiator Willy’s today (Mar 3, 2022) and then found your video and thought oh god, I wish I’d seen this before I signed…lol…I also had a great dealer experience today and hope that relationship will carry on. Thanks for helping me get over my buyers remorse! I’m 68 years old and this is my first truck so I wanted something fun, unique and iconic that wasn’t a Tacoma like 10 million other people drive. I had my first Jeep back in 1974 (‘72 CJ5) so the Glad is my second Jeep. Good luck to you and I hope your ride stays solid.
Thank you David, great to hear the video was helpful and you will definitely enjoy your truck. Wranglers and now the Gladiator really are fun vehicles, I've always considered them toys we can play with everyday on our way to work and around town. I'm sure there's a huge upgrade in "comfort" compared to your old CJ. :)
I am so glad your dealer fixed your issues. I disarmed my motor stop start function like you I hated it. I own a 2022 Gladiator Rubicon and so far I love it. Thanks so much for your review.
Thank you RC Flyer, I really appreciate it.
Great honest review. Glad you got your Jeep fixed and it’s running well
Thank you!
Great review! Got my Gladiator a couple of months ago after driving half ton pickups for 25 years. Will never go back! I absolutely agree with all your comments regarding the truck.
Thank you for your honest review...
thank you for your video review and it is very helpful for people who make the decision for this vehicle 👍🏾👍🏾🍺
I agree that the Gladiator is a very decent mid-size truck...mine (2021 Gladiator Rubicon) is my Daily Driver as well, so it has to do pretty much everything I need it to. It does. :-)
Recently had my First Service (engine oil/filter change & tire-rotation) and have almost 6000 miles on it (since mid-April 2021). Only one issue so far (but nothing serious): My rear (backup) camera started looking less clear blurry (lower-resolution) than it was for the first few months but the front camera ("Trail Cam") was fine. Jeep said the backup cam looked to have some condensation in it (I couldn't see any myself though), so they ordered/installed a new camera -- it's fine now.
Otherwise, no issues at all in almost 6K miles. :-)
I HAVE "modded" (if you will) my Gladiator but not for "looks" (don't care about vanity/cosmetics stuff) and only did 4 things:
1. Rain-X Endura (silicone) windshield-wipers.
2. Redline Tuning gas struts for the hood.
3. Mopar locking gas cap (the one you key yourself to fit your OEM key-fob key).
4. A hard/tri-fold bed cover so I can carry stuff in the bed protected from the weather AND keep out of sight as well. ;-)
...that's it.
No lift, no bigger/different tires, no re-gearing -- none of that stuff done OR will be done. Nor do I ever plan on taking the top or doors off (that wasn't of any importance in my buying decision).
My ONLY dislike is the low MPG numbers, but none of the off-road focused serious 4x4 vehicles get great MPG, so it's an acceptable trade-off for everything ELSE I'm getting.
Glad your issues have been corrected (and under warranty!) even if it was a hassle/inconvenience dealing with them.
Perhaps mine hasn't had such issues due to it being a 2021 model, so perhaps Jeep "fixed stuff" seen in the 2020 models so the 2021s wouldn't have the same issues -- I know the "wandering steering" was one of the fixes as mine is fine!
Would I buy another Gladiator Rubicon?
Yes...in 3-4 years (after it's paid off!) IF I don't want to keep it longer, or the new (2024-25 models) Gladiator is incredibly "better" (but not incredibly higher-priced!)...but I don't see how a future Gladiator Rubicon would be THAT much more capable than what they are now, so I still may be keeping mine for quite a while.
But who knows what the auto-industry situation will be then, and even IF Jeep will still be making Gladiators then. Or, Ford DOES finally make a Bronco TRUCK to compete with it.
But that's then...
NOW, I'm very pleased with mine.
Happy Gladiator-ing,
-- BR
Thanks BR, well put. Glad you’re enough your gladiator. Those rubicon’s at tough and should last quite a while. Enjoy it!👍
Nice honest review from someone who has driven the truck for a year and not just borrowed one from a dealership for a couple of hours. I had a 2021 Gladiator that I bought in December of '20. Same color, Sport S. Did the exact same thing you did, got some Rubicon wheels and tires from a Wrangler. I added a tonneau cover, Bedrug bedmat, etc. But what I hated was the steering. I wandered and drifted all over the road. It was literally very hard to keep the Gladiator between the lines. After a 4 or 5 hour trip to the lake or someplace, I was exhausted and nausea. I had a '17 JK Wrangler that gave me no problems in terms of the steering. I had the dealer replace the steering damper and the steering box on the Gladiator with no change. The steering on the Gladiator was so bad I finally sold it and bought a Colorado. Well now I miss having a jeep so I am looking to buy a '22 Gladiator. I am praying the steering on a '22 is better as I love everything else about the truck. I don't know if I just got a real bad lemon in terms of the Gladiator and it's steering, or as I've gotten older I'm less tolerate of all of the "It's a jeep" issues that I accepted back in the 80's when I had a jeep and with my 2017. Did you or do you have any steering issues? I look forward to hearing your comments about your Gladiator's steering. Thanks.
I haven't had any issues with steering whatsoever and two other relatives that have Gladiators haven't had any issues either. Maybe it was a Gladiator that had that specific issue like mine that had a few issues no one seems to have had. Thanks for the compliment. It is definitely a different review if you just drive it a few days/hours. Good luck with the new Gladiator when you get it. How did you like the Colorado?
Thanks for the video, It was very informative. I just bought a 21 Willy's Gladiator.
My pleasure Brad and thanks for watching. That’s a nice trim level you just got, congratulations and enjoy it!
@@sweetcamperlife8370 thanks man. Im coming out of a 17 Willy Wrangler. It has the poorest electronics w the cd player dash. Im really excited at the 9 speaker Alpine sound system & the 8.4 inch dash. Im also obviously excited to have a truck bed again too. 1 major thing that gave me confidence in the deal is the positive equity I got out of the Wrangler onbthe trade. Love Lil Willy & Im hoping Big Willy (the Gladiator) will exceed my expectations.
@@CaptainBadChad yeah, its incredible how well these Jeeps hold their value and there’s a big difference between a ‘17 and ‘21 Jeep. That bed makes it really versatile and useable.
I have a Jeep JL Rubicon with 23,000 miles and haven’t had a single issue. I’m getting 21.5 miles per gallon on average. I love it!
👋🏻
@@OdysseyOffroad 👀
Well, a little over one year later, I bought another 2024 Rubicon Extreme Recon and it is absolutely awesome!
Thanks for the review. Would you ever consider the eco diesel over the 3.6?
got my 1st truck in Gladiator , I'm very happy with my jeep. hands down
Coming from a 78 CJ to a 22 Gladiator. I find myself in awe.
The new Jeeps are definitely completely different animals and refined, I guess that's why they sell so many.
Great video. My Sting Grey 22 Rubicon diesel arriving Jan/Feb! Check out the available factory AUX switches (4) that mount in the lower right location on your center stack. Decided to include in my build.
Thanks Tony and thank you for the recommendation, I’ll check it out. Enjoy that beast you ordered!🔥
I’ve never owned a Jeep. I currently have a Ram 3500 I bought new and it has 230,000 miles on it. My next vehicle will be a Jeep. I’m planning on keeping my truck. However I’ve always bought trucks. I’m leaning on getting the Gladiator. Seems like it’s exactly what I want. I appreciate the review.
nice video! i am looking at getting my first jeep. going to be a gladiator. how does it drive in the interstate?
Start/Stop feature disengages early because battery voltage gets too low. Try turning off the headlamps when stopped and see if that makes a difference, it does in mine (~15s to 60s)
Good choice on your wheels 👌
Thank you!
Good video, thanks. I’m waiting on my 2022 Sport S, just ordered it. According to the owners manual, the Sport S with just the tow package is 6,000 lbs, not 6,300 or 6,400. Also, definitely should weigh your camper, you’d be surprised how quickly the weight adds up. Not sure how much you tow outside of flat Florida, but you definitely need to leave a good margin on towing weight when you starting towing in the mountains or at altitude. We will be upgrading our camper in a year or so to something in the 20 ft range like a Lance 1685 that maxes out at 5,500 lbs but I still went for the max tow package that gives me 7,650 lbs for towing. Thanks again for the review!
Thank you for watching and the solid comment. Those Lance's are nice, enjoy it! I figure I'm at bout 4k lbs (more or less) but I forget I'm towing the camper sometimes. You'll love your Gladiator, I love mine.
I ordered my 2022 Gladiator Rubicon with the the LED light package and the aux switch group option for the same reason. It's due in January 2022
Congrats Ed, that's a beast you're getting! Enjoy it!!
On the right hand drive model the steering damper location is a major issue, for towing i put rear airbags to help with sea sickness issues, warn winch for just in case, front 75mm lift because it didnt look right, surprisingly steering improved
Check your caliper bolts. My rear caliper fell off with 31k miles, leaking oil pan and broken cooler.
Love my Nacho Gladiator. The recess and louver on the front fender is to let air out if engine to help eliminate hood flutter like the JK had. Great review.
I’d like to know how a gladiator would perform with the straight six that’s coming out next year. It should be interesting. Reliability? Time will tell.
We have the soft top on our 22. We don't mind the wind noise at all. Maybe someday we'll get the hardtop. These have a huge fun factor you can't get from any other truck.
My 21 Gladiator had a cylinder misfire which was a faulty spark plug. Otherwise I'm very pleased.
Glad to hear Peter. I suspect we'll enjoy these Gladiators for some time to come. I love mine.
Flip your camera!
That being said, my manual Rubicon Gladiator has 43000 miles in about 21 months. It’s been pretty trouble-free other than a radiator sensor that went out, and the serpentine belt started to squeak so they replaced it for free. I also drive 80 miles a day for work on back roads and I get 19+ mpg. I’ve also done a lot of hauling of wood and drywall for our barn build. It’s a work truck on the weekends.
Overall the ability to take off the tops and doors, manual transmission and off-road capability is awesome. I’m very happy with it.
With the wind noise do people have difficulty talking with you using the hands-free for phone calls?
Owned jeeps for 30+ years. Love my gladiator
Is your Jeep right hand drive ?? Kidding, thanks for the review. Got a 22 Willys and like it so far.
lol. Glad you’re enjoying your Willys!
Hi Michael, I'm actually very happy with the current 3.6 Pentastar and wouldn't switch over at this time. I've spoken with a couple of Jeep owners that have the eco diesel and they have been very happy with it but I can't justify the price difference, especially with the cost of diesel at the pump.
Diesel is $2 more per gallon, erases any savings in fuel economy when you figure in what the fuel costs. Add DEF, expensive oil changes, etc.
I've had 3 vehicles with the 3.6 and they have all been great
Oh nice ride by the way.
Thank you.
I could not stand the stop start feature so I bought an autostop eliminator. It was a simple plug and play upgrade, and was well worth the money to save my sanity.
I agree 100%, it is so annoying. Can you let me know where you got the autostop and what it's called? I would love to install it. A few weeks ago I got a warning light indicating y auto start/stop wasn't working. The dealer replaced the small battery that powers the auto start stop as well as the regular car battery. They told me this will keep happening very often, every year or two.
@@sweetcamperlife8370 I don't know if you ever got an answer on the start/stop eliminator. I bought one for my 2023 Jeep Wrangler Willys 3.6 out of WV. They have a web site for: the Auto Start/Stop Eliminator. I paid $100 and it was the best money I ever spent. It only took 20 minutes to install. It took more time to zip tie the new wires than install the Eliminator.
Holy crap i could literally hear the wind noise through my headset. That is way too loud for a daily driver imho.
I bought jeep gladiator 2021 last year 2022 I still haven't had any problems yet the only problems I have is just drinking a lot of petrol
I’ve had a Wrangler JL rubi for 3 years and recently traded it in for the 2021 Gladiator rubi. I’m loving the gladiator except the has is much worse. This mainly is due to the fact that I live in the city :/
Very true. I’ll get about 20-22 MPG on the highway but about 16 in the city.
I'm surprised you're OK with the steering. that's the #1 thing that bothers me of the Gladiator. the loose steering. It's almost a deal breaker for me.
If I could send you a pic there is a controller for lights and other things. Works off a remote.
Jeep Wranglers & Gladiators hold their value very well. There are quite a few lightly used ones near me & probably because folks don’t realize that these Jeeps are never going to ride as smooth as a IFS vehicle. The solid axle, aerodynamics (or lack thereof), and curb weight are things that many people don’t factor until they’re a few months into ownership.
Other than that; all my Jeeps have been very durable.
Very true. I hear some complaints that Wranglers/Gladiators are “rough” but in my view that’s part of the charm. I compare it to someone buying an older Land Rover defender and complaining because they thought it was going to be an upper tier luxury SUV because of the name brand.
@ Krasnaludek:
For me, the heavier curb-weight (5200lbs?) of my Gladiator Rubicon is a positive -- at least when it comes to towing: It will outweigh the heaviest trailer I intend to tow (a U-Haul 6x12 cargo trailer, and probably a "tad" overloaded one at that!) so I have less chance of the tail wagging the dog. ;-)
Personally, I never want to be towing more than 4500-5000lbs maximum, so the 7000lbs towing-capacity of my Rubicon is nice because I'll have a 2000-2500lbs towing-capacity "cushion" (headroom) which will be easier to handle on the hwy and less wear & tear on the truck as well.
-- BR
@@billredding2000 I'm with you Bill, I wouldn't want to be towing close to the max tow rating either. I ran into a guy with the max tow package trailering a camper that had the Gladiator maxed out. It didn't look reassuring to me and he told me anything over 60 MPH would start to "wag". That's an adventure I don't want to be on.
@@sweetcamperlife8370 I'm wondering about that "wag" he said he got over 60mph...have you seen that Motor Trend review of the Gladiator and towing? They said towing that TT (Airstream travel-trailer) was scary and downright dangerous, due to it swaying.
MY conclusion was Motor Trend didn't balance the load in the trailer properly and/or had the tongue-weight wrong...so IMO it was not because the Gladiator was a "crappy/dangerous tow-vehicle" -- it was because of Motor trend's ignorance.
Of course, I don't know if they did or did not have the right (and not MORE) tongue-weight, -- so we'll never know for sure -- but it does seem a reasonable theory why their towing-test had those issues. To see the article I am referencing, Google these key-words and it should come up:
"2021 Jeep Gladiator Pros and Cons Review: One Huge Flaw"
(article dated 12-1-20)
he sub-title says:
"Excellent new engine, suspension options can’t overcome its terrifying towing characteristics."
I can't post the link here because IME, if a link is posted in a comment RUclips deletes the post (when I post links, my posts are there for only a few seconds, then disappear) so the key-words given here should be fine to look-up/find the article.
That Gladiator was a diesel, but it seems they're saying something's wrong with the Gladiator itself, so I'm guessing their negative reaction would apply to Pentastar V6 gas Gladiators also.
Haven't towed with MINE yet, but don't expect any issues like motor Trend had. And other people have addressed the Motor Trend article saying they had NO such "scary issues" towing trailers.
-- BR
@@billredding2000 Hey Bill I never did see that video but I did hear about it. I agree with you there must’ve been some thing wrong with the weight distribution on the trailer plus the way to fix the wag would be to use an anti sway bar that is an added part of a weight distribution hitch and it’s designed to eliminate much of the sway of a trailer. A guy I know has a new tundra and tows his camper with it yet tells me he experiences swaying with his trailer as well. So in my opinion any trailer that isn’t set up properly is going to potentially be a scary proposition to tow and definitely an anti-sway bar would be way to go to correct much of the issues.
I love my Gladiator but I will be the first to admit that it's not for everyone. It is something you need to want to have and be willing to deal with it's downsides.
You do know that you can get a better ride then what a solid axle gives you rite? A upgraded suspension will fix that rough ride. Also you can buy insulation for your top so the wind nose want be as bad. But yes no matter what you say about any jeep your going to have someone dislike what you say
Yes, you are absolutely correct but I suspect unless you are well versed/experienced in off road trucks the majority of people wouldn’t know that.
Pulled one off the sand the other day close to the beach.
Why were you driving around a parking lot ?
Right hand drive?
Mine is left hand drive.
front facing phone camera reverses the image.
get an s-pod for lighting🔥
I’ll check it out, thank you.
@@sweetcamperlife8370 pricey but great quality unlike other companies that have to keep getting replaced, from what I hear
@@Diamondblend yes, I agree. If you read some of the comments from my first videos on the Gladiator there are some out there that swear there favorite truck is bullet proof and then you find out all the issues with them. I’ll stuck with my Gladiator.
Love my 2020 Gladiator
I’m with you Tom!👍
Any problems with the steering?
@@bobbyfanman1734 had the steering gear box replaced per TSB and it’s a big improvement
@@bobbyfanman1734 Not for me. I've had zero issues with the steering.
Year? Model? Engine size? gas or diesel? Missing info here
Had to return the gladiator- was a complete and utter disappointment. The suspension used the latest shopping cart technology. Not for me.
I accidentally clicked dislike but changed to like. Sorry if that goofed your metrics.
Lol. No worries, it’s happened to me. 😀. Thank you for watching and liking!
lol opinions are like butt holes, everyone has one and generally it stinks....buy what you like and be happy. Live your life for you and your family, not morons who think they know better.
Always go with a used H2.
Overprice junk
Says the guy who can’t afford one.
@@chogg611 why would I want one. I stick to my TRX there driver 😂😂😂