The contact owns a 2016 Jeep Wrangler. The contact stated while driving at an undisclosed speed, she heard a tapping sound under the hood of the vehicle. No warning light was illuminated. The dealer was notified of the failure and indicated that the rocker arm and the camshaft needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not diagnosed. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the…
2016 Jeep Wrangler engine problems
moderate 54 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $3,100 · see engine across all vehicles →
Failure mileage
Complaints
54
Recalls
0
Avg fix
$3,100
1crash
1fire
When does it fail?
Of the 54 engine complaints filed for the 2016 Jeep Wrangler, here's the actual mileage breakdown — failures cluster heaviest at 50,000-75,000 mi.
0-25k
25-50k
50-75k
75-100k
100-125k
125-150k
150k+
Each bar shows the share of total complaints filed at that mileage range. Peak failure window highlighted. Some owners report problems earlier; some make it well past 150,000 miles symptom-free. Maintenance habits and driving conditions shift the curve as much as mileage alone.
What stands out
Owners have filed 54 engine complaints with NHTSA against this vehicle, but no formal recall covers the issue — the federal record reflects what manufacturers have admitted, not everything owners are reporting.
No new NHTSA engine complaint has been filed on this vehicle in over 3 years — the issue may be aging out of the active population.
The failure pattern owners describe
Buyer takeaway: The 2016 Jeep Wrangler 3.6 Pentastar engine has multiple documented failure patterns—cracked plastic oil coolers leaking fire-hazard oil, premature head gasket failure, rocker arm/camshaft problems causing persistent ticking, and stalling issues dealers cannot reliably diagnose. Costly repairs and extended backordering are common; be prepared for out-of-warranty expense.
The 2016 Jeep Wrangler's 3.6 Pentastar V6 engine shows clear patterns of defects. The plastic oil filter housing and oil cooler crack and leak oil onto the exhaust, creating a fire hazard. Owners report this happens across thousands of vehicles around 40,000–70,000 miles. Dealers confirm it's widespread but Chrysler has not issued a recall; replacement parts are on 45–60 day backordering, with dealers citing 40,000+ units waiting for parts.
Head gaskets fail early, often around 60,000 miles, causing coolant loss and overheating. One owner's gasket was failing over 10,000 miles before diagnosis. Even after replacement, coolant loss continues in some vehicles despite multiple dealership visits.
Rocker arms and camshafts degrade, producing loud ticking or knocking on cold start. This "Pentastar tick" affects both sides of the engine; fixing one side often reveals failure on the other. Repairs involve extended downtime, sometimes 9+ weeks.
Ignition coils and spark plugs fail prematurely, triggering check engine lights. Owners report these should be warranted to 100,000 miles but manufacturers refuse coverage.
Separate issues include unexplained engine stalling at highway and low speeds, with dealerships unable to diagnose despite multiple visits, and one case of unintended engine acceleration causing a collision. Engine seizure without warning has also been reported.
Repair costs run $1,100–$2,000 for oil cooler replacement and often exceed warranty coverage.
Same Jeep Wrangler engine reports on nearby years: 2013 · 2014 · 2015 · 2017 · 2018
Failure modes owners describe
Oil filter housing / oil cooler cracking and leaking
Plastic oil filter housing and oil cooler assembly cracks and leaks oil, often onto exhaust manifold creating fire hazard. Owners report this as a widespread, known defect affecting thousands of 2014-2017 vehicles. Replacement parts frequently on extended backorder (45-60+ days, with dealers citing 40,000+ units on backorder). Owners allege Chrysler has not issued a recall despite knowledge of the problem.
When: Typically 40,000–70,000 miles; some reports as early as 36,600 miles; failure may occur with cold weather or shortly after routine oil change
Symptoms owners cite: Oil leaking from undercarriage/underneath engine; Smoke coming from under hood or entering cabin via A/C vents; Burning oil smell inside vehicle; Oil pooling on driveway when parked; Oil gushing or streaming onto exhaust system
Repairs/costs cited: $1,100–$2,000 for replacement; dealers report parts on 45–60+ day backorder; some owners unable to drive vehicle while waiting for part
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: No recall issued; dealers confirm widespread problem; part design changed from plastic to presumably metal on newer production
Head gasket failure and related coolant loss
Head gaskets fail prematurely, often accompanied by coolant loss, overheating, and in some cases traced to intermittent cooling fan operation as root cause. One owner's failed gasket was determined to have been failing over 10,000 miles before diagnosis. Subsequent repairs reveal secondary failures (defective replacement gasket, clogged heater core, engine knock).
When: 60,000 miles; as early as 25,712 miles; some vehicles continue losing coolant long after gasket replacement
Symptoms owners cite: Excessive vapor from exhaust; Low coolant levels; Overheating; Engine knocking noise; Continuous coolant loss even after repair
Repairs/costs cited: Head gasket replacement; radiator replacement sometimes recommended; engine replacement in worst cases due to secondary damage
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Chrysler initially approved warranty coverage in one case but later refused to cover agreed-upon work and reduced assistance to 50% of engine replacement cost; another case remains unresolved with ongoing coolant loss after four dealership visits
Intermittent engine stall and loss of power at highway speeds
Engine stalls randomly at various speeds (30–65+ mph) with check engine light, ABS light, or traction control light illuminating. Vehicle sometimes loses acceleration capability or passes power. System may reset after turning vehicle off and on multiple times. Dealerships unable to reproduce failure or identify root cause; problem persists after multiple visits and component replacements (computer parts, sensors).
When: Occurs randomly, not linked to specific mileage or driving condition; reported at 71,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden loss of acceleration or power; Check engine light illumination; ABS or traction control light illumination; Engine stall at low and highway speeds; Intermittent rough idle when shifting into reverse or forward; Low rough idle in reverse, almost stalling
Codes mentioned: U0127 (lost communication with tire pressure monitor module), B2305 (wiper park switch input circuit high/stuck high)
Repairs/costs cited: Multiple diagnostic attempts by different dealerships; various component replacements (TIPM, battery) without resolution; onboard computer indicates different fault codes on successive visits
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Referral to NHTSA Hotline; no systematic solution identified
Ignition coil and spark plug failure with persistent check engine light
Ignition coils and spark plugs fail prematurely, triggering check engine light and misfires. After replacement (sometimes twice), check engine light returns with same or similar misfire codes. Owners allege these components are warranted to 100,000 miles in California and under powertrain warranty but manufacturers refuse coverage. Problem is acknowledged as widespread among 2016 Jeeps.
When: Reported at various mileages; owners cite 80,000 mile and 100,000 mile warranty coverage expectations
Symptoms owners cite: Intermittent misfire; Blinking check engine light; Loss of power while driving; Smoke from engine bay
Codes mentioned: P0302 (cylinder 2 misfire), Generic misfire codes
Repairs/costs cited: Ignition coil and spark plug replacement; ~$2,000 repair cost cited in one case; repeated failures after replacement
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Warranty refusal on grounds that damage/failure is not covered under powertrain warranty; denial despite California emission control warranty claims; dealer acknowledges issue is widespread
Rocker arm and camshaft failure with engine knock/ticking
Rocker arms and camshafts fail, producing loud ticking or knocking noise under the hood. Problem affects one or both sides of engine; repair of one side often reveals need for replacement on opposite side. Known as 'Pentastar tick' among owners. Ticking persists or recurs after attempted repairs; one owner had rocker arm replaced early in 2019 and now faces second failure on same side.
When: 70,000–130,000 miles; one repair at 25,712 miles then continuing issues
Symptoms owners cite: Loud ticking or tapping noise under hood on cold start or during operation; Engine knock; Low acceleration; Check engine light for cylinder misfire (P0302); Engine chugging
Codes mentioned: P0302 (cylinder misfire associated with cracked cylinder head)
Repairs/costs cited: Rocker arm and/or camshaft replacement; in some cases, replacement required on both sides of engine; extended repair timelines (9+ weeks reported); engine disassembly or full engine replacement in severe cases
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Extended warranty covers some repairs; manufacturer aware of issue; one dealer stated 12,000 Jeeps worldwide have the same problem; however, some owners report manufacturer will not acknowledge or address systematically
Cracked cylinder head
Cylinder head develops cracks, confirmed by dealership inspection. May be related to rocker arm/camshaft issues or occur independently. Crack can lead to coolant loss and misfire codes.
When: 75,000 miles; timing variable
Symptoms owners cite: Check engine light (P0302 misfire code); Ticking on cold start; Engine chugging and low acceleration
Codes mentioned: P0302 (cylinder 2 misfire)
Repairs/costs cited: Confirmed defective cylinder head requiring replacement; class action lawsuit reportedly in progress among owners
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer aware but reportedly unwilling to publicly address or recall; owners advised to pursue independent legal action
Radiator leaking without warning
Radiator develops leaks without prior warning signs. No diagnostic codes illuminate before failure. In some cases, leak allows coolant to drain while engine overheats at highway speeds.
When: 36,600–40,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Radiator fan runs at full speed; Engine running hot; Unknown liquid leaking from front of engine compartment
Repairs/costs cited: Radiator replacement required; not covered under factory warranty at 40,000 miles in at least one case
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: One dealership suggested heat usage caused crack (not supported by evidence); manufacturer referred contact to NHTSA
Unintended engine acceleration / stuck throttle
Engine revs without driver input while vehicle is being braked. Vehicle lunges forward despite brake pedal pressed to floor. Occurs on approach to traffic light or stop sign, creating collision hazard.
When: 71,000 miles
Symptoms owners cite: Sudden engine rev without throttle input; Vehicle lurches forward despite full brake pressure; Vehicle collision resulting from loss of braking control
Repairs/costs cited: Vehicle not yet repaired at time of report
Recalls/TSBs owners mention: Manufacturer assigned callback but no follow-up completed; dealership diagnostic appointment scheduled but no resolution provided
Internal coolant contamination (casting sand/sludge)
Manufacturing debris (casting sand or factory sludge) found in cooling system, damaging heater core and potentially other cooling components.
When: Timing not specified
Symptoms owners cite: Heater core failure; Loss of cabin heat
Repairs/costs cited: Heater core replacement
Engine seizure without warning
Engine seizes completely and becomes inoperable. No warning light illuminated before failure. Oil and fluids were recently serviced.
When: Timing not specified; fresh oil/fluid service week prior
Symptoms owners cite: Vehicle will not start; Engine seized
Repairs/costs cited: Engine replacement required
Synthesized from 54 NHTSA owner complaints — unverified consumer allegations, summarized for patterns. The verbatim filings appear below.
What owners are reporting 6 most recent
Oil Housing Unit crack. Just bought vehicle used. Weather dropped to 28 degrees and oil housing unit cracked. All oil poured out of vehicle and would not hold any oil when more was added. Took vehicle to Jeep dealer and they confirmed that the PLASTIC piece that was the original part cracked and that this is a very common problem for 2014-2017 Jeeps due to the part being plastic. Part is not…
Engine oil cooler fail, extreme fire hazard. Small amount of oil found on driveway while parked, attempted to locate source by starting engine. Oil flooded out of the engine, streaming down the engine to the frame. Had my wife driven the Jeep to work it would've probably caught fire once the oil reached the exhaust.
I noticed an oil burning smell and upon further inspection saw oil all over the undercarriage of my vehicle including the transmission and exhaust . Looked under the hood and noticed oil underneath my engine cover by the oil filter housing. So now every time I drive it smells like it's on fire. So I guess they are not worried about the people who buy their vehicles burning up.
Tl* the contact owns a 2016 Jeep wrangler. When the vehicle was started, the contact heard an abnormal knocking noise coming from the engine. The vehicle was taken to woodhouse Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram Fiat (2101 6th st, sioux city, ia 51101, (712) 277-3221) where it was diagnosed that there was damage to the passenger side camshaft caused by rocker arm failure. The vehicle was repaired, but the…
Engine clicking sound !!
Had engine trouble with your 2016 Jeep Wrangler?
File a complaint with NHTSA → It's free, official, and how every report above got here — owner filings are the federal safety record this page is built on.
Common questions
How serious is the engine problem on the 2016 Jeep Wrangler?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 54 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $3,100 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the engine typically fail?
Across the 31 complaints that reported odometer mileage, most engine failures cluster between 40,000 and 77,000 miles, with the median around 66,000. A quarter of owners report trouble before 40,000; a quarter make it past 77,000. Maintenance history matters more than the odometer alone — this is the reported failure window, not a guarantee.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $3,100 for engine repairs on this vehicle. Dealer pricing tends to run 20-40% higher. The exact figure depends on the specific failure mode, parts availability, and your local labor rates. If you're outside factory warranty, an extended service contract often covers this category.
Are there any recalls related to engine?
No active recalls currently cover engine issues on this vehicle. The complaints filed represent owner-reported failures that haven't risen to the level of a manufacturer-issued recall — but they're still worth knowing about before you buy or budget for repairs.
Related
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. Verify the raw federal record at
nhtsa.gov/vehicle/2016/Jeep/Wrangler.
Severity ratings are derived from reported crashes, fires, injuries, and fatalities. Repair cost estimates are
independent-shop national averages and may differ in your area. Some links on this page are affiliate links.