Recall roundup: the manual Wrangler and Gladiator clutch campaigns explained

Manual-transmission Wranglers and Gladiators are a minority of what is sold, but they are heavily over-represented on trails, and their owners have been through a sequence of clutch recalls that is confusing to read in isolation. This week's roundup lays them out in order, because whether your vehicle is covered depends on which of the three you had done and when.

The first is NHTSA 20V-124, on 2018 through 2020 Wrangler JL and 2020 Gladiator JT. The remedy was for dealers to reroute a wire harness, inspect the clutch system and replace components as needed. The second, NHTSA 21V-028, extended the affected years to 2018 through 2021 on the Wrangler and 2020 through 2021 on the Gladiator, and the fix was software: dealers add code that reduces engine torque capability when clutch assembly temperatures rise to a level that may damage the assembly.

The third and most comprehensive is NHTSA 23V-116, covering 2018 through 2023 Wrangler JL and 2020 through 2023 Gladiator JT. Here dealers replace the clutch assembly and update the software, and owner letters were mailed over a long window from November 2023 into the following summer. If you own a manual from these years and have only had one of the earlier campaigns performed, the third may still be open against your VIN. The 23V-116 notice states that it expands and replaces 21V-028, and that vehicles already repaired under 21V-028 still need the new remedy, so having the earlier campaign done does not close this one.

What the software fix means in practice is that a hard-working clutch, say on a long hill climb in low range with a lot of slipping, may find the engine backing off on its own. That is the recall doing its job rather than a fault. Owners who have fitted larger tires without regearing will notice it more, because a taller overall ratio means more clutch slip to get moving. The site's position on regearing is a separate guide; the point here is that the recall changes how the truck behaves under load.

The fourth campaign is NHTSA 23V-641, on the gear position sensor of 2022 and 2023 manual Wrangler JL and Gladiator JT. Dealers replace the sensor free of charge, with letters mailed in November 2023. A gear position sensor fault on a manual can affect starting and the way the engine management behaves at rest, so if a 2022 or 2023 manual has been refusing to start intermittently, run the VIN before paying for diagnosis.

Late July is fire season across the Desert Southwest, the Sierra, the Rockies and the Pacific Northwest, and a slipping clutch is not the only hot thing under a Jeep. Exhaust systems, catalytic converters and brakes all get hot enough to ignite dry grass, and a vehicle parked over cured cheatgrass for ten minutes can start something that closes the trail for everyone. Park on bare ground or rock, and confirm current fire restrictions with the managing agency before you go; they change weekly and are not always posted at the trailhead.

Spark arrestors are a related point for UTV, ATV and dirt bike owners. Most managed public land requires one during fire season, and some closes to motorized use entirely once conditions cross a threshold. Again, confirm with the managing agency before you go rather than relying on last year's rules or a forum post.

While the Jeep is at the dealer, ask for the clutch hydraulic fluid to be checked as part of the visit. It is not part of any of these campaigns, but a manual that has done a summer of low-range work often has dark fluid, and the truck-class reminders on this site put brake inspection at ten thousand miles for the same reason: heat and moisture degrade hydraulic fluid faster off-road than on it. The capacity and specification are in your manual.

The clutch recalls are a reminder that a recall is not always a single visit. Owners of manual Jeeps should be checking their VIN against all four numbers listed here, not just the most recent letter. All of them are free, all appear on the NHTSA recall page, and a dealer can complete more than one in a single appointment if you ask.