ON COLD DAYS AFTER THE JEEP HAS BEEN SITTING OVERNIGHT, THE ENGINE WILL STALL WHEN THE TRANSMISSION IS SHIFTED INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. THIS HAPPENS WHEN THE JEEP IS STARTED AND IT MAKES NO DIFFERENCE IF THE CAR IS RUNNING FOR 30 SECONDS BEFORE IT IS SHIFTED OR RUNNING FOR 3 MINUTES, THE ENGINE WILL STALL WHEN SHIFTING INTO DRIVE OR REVERSE. THIS HAPPENED LAST WINTER AND HAS STARTED DOING IT AGAIN …
2016 jeep Wrangler powertrain problems
moderate 70 complaints filed with NHTSA · avg repair $2,500
Complaints
70
Recalls
0
Crashes
0
Avg fix
$2,500
What owners are reporting 5 most recent
VEHICLE STALLS WHEN PUT INTO REVERSE WHEN COLD. THIS DOES NOT MEAN ONLY FIRST START OF THE DAY. WHEN TRANSMISSION FLUID IS UNDER 120 DEGREES, IT WILL STALL IN REVERSE WITH BRAKE DEPRESSED. UPON RESTART, THE STARTER WILL ENGAGE FOR A PROLONGED PERIOD EVEN AFTER THE VEHICLE STARTS, THE STARTER WILL CONTINUE TO RUN TOO LONG. WHEN THE VEHICLE RESTARTS AFTER A STALL, IT WILL IDLE ROUGH WHEN SHIFTED BAC…
ON FIRST START OF THE DAY IN COLD WEATHER, AFTER STARTING ENGINE AND SHIFTING INTO R (WITH BRAKE PEDAL APPLIED), CAR WILL FREQUENTLY DROP INTO EXTREMELY LOW RPM RANGE (<= 500RPM) AND/OR STALL AND DIE COMPLETELY. THIS IS PRIMARILY ONLY ON THE FIRST START OF THE DAY AND IN COLDER WEATHER (SUB 40F DEGREE)
I WAS DRIVING ON THE INTERSTATE AND THE ENGINE JUST DIED. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND RESTARTED THE VEHICLE AND WHEN I PUT IT IN GEAR IT ACTED AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL. I THEN SHUT OFF THE VEHICLE AND RESTARTED IT AND IT DROVE FINE. THIS HAPPENS RANDOMLY (COULD OCCUR TWICE IN ONE DAY OR NOT FOR 2 WEEKS) AND AT DIFFERENT SPEEDS (CITY AND HIGHWAY). I ALSO HAVE HAD RANDOM MISFIRE CODES …
I HAVE GONE THROUGH OVER 4 SETS OF MUD TERRAIN TIRES OVER THE LAST TWO YEARS THAT ARE UNEVENLY WORN AND NO ONE KNEW WHY. MOST RECENTLY, THE REAR RIGHT TIRE HAD A SIDEWALL GASH AND HAD A FLAT TIRE, WE BEGAN SMELLING SMOKE AND ENDED UP TAKING THE JEEP INTO BRAKEMASTERS AND WAS TOLD THE ENTIRE REAR DIFFERENTIAL WAS FAILING AND FALLING APART. WE HAD THE REAR DIFF REPLACED, BRAKES, ROTORS AND PAID $…
Common questions
How serious is the powertrain problem on the 2016 jeep Wrangler?
It's a documented issue but not catastrophic. 70 complaints have been filed. Repairs average $2,500 and most owners catch it before it causes a breakdown.
At what mileage does the powertrain typically fail?
Mileage data is limited for this issue. Owners report failures across a wide range, suggesting cause is more about driving conditions and maintenance than mileage alone.
What does it cost to fix?
Independent shops typically charge around $2,500 for powertrain 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 powertrain?
No active recalls currently cover powertrain 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.
Other problem areas on this vehicle
Complaint and recall data sourced from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
public records database. 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.
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