Diagsheet

2018 Jeep Wrangler · symptom sheet

Battery dies or the car will not start

  • 46owner reports
  • 18,570median miles
  • 0involved a crash

Newest report Nov 11, 2025 · checked Sep 9, 2026

266 of the 1,814 complaints on this car are about the electrical system. 46 of those describe dead battery.

Tick what matches of 46 reports

5
2
13
29
2
6

What got replaced

Owners who name the part that was replaced mention the battery (37 reports), the module (6 reports), the alternator (4 reports) and the starter (3 reports).

Recalls and investigations

3 recalls on the electrical system cover the 2018 model year. A recall on the same system isn't always the same failure, so read the defect text.

24V-652Sep 5, 2024
Electrical System: Instrument Cluster/Panel

Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) is recalling certain 2020-2024 Jeep Gladiator and 2018-2024 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. The instrument panel cluster may experience an internal short circuit and fail. As such, these vehicles fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard number 101, "Controls and Displays."

Risk and remedy
Risk: An instrument panel that fails to display critical safety information, such as the speedometer or warning lights, can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Dealers will replace the instrument panel cluster, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed between October 3, 2024, and January 23, 2025. Owners may contact FCA customer service at 1-800-853-1403. FCA's number for this recall is 30B.
18V-524Aug 9, 2018
Electrical System:Wiring:Front Underhood

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2018 Jeep Renegade, Compass and Grand Cherokee, RAM 1500 and Promaster, Fiat 500x, Dodge Journey, Challenger, Charger and Durango and Chrysler 300x vehicles, 2017-2018 Jeep Wrangler, Dodge Grand Caravan and Chrysler Town and Country vehicles and 2018-2019 Jeep Cherokee and 2018 Chrysler Pacifica and Pacifica Hybrid vehicles. The powertrain control module may be equipped with a voltage regulator chip in the circuit board that may fail, causing a stall or a no start condition.

Risk and remedy
Risk: A vehicle stall can increase the risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will replace the powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began October 2, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Chrysler's number for this recall is U87.
18V-332May 17, 2018
Electrical System:Wiring

Chrysler (FCA US LLC) is recalling certain 2014-2018 Dodge Journey, Charger and Durango, RAM 2500, 3500, 3500 Cab Chassis (more than 10,000lb), 4500 Cab Chassis and 5500 Cab Chassis, Jeep Cherokee and Grand Cherokee and Chrysler 300, 2014-2019 RAM 1500, 2015-2018 Dodge Challenger, 2015-2017 Chrysler 200, 2016-2018 RAM 3500 Cab Chassis (less than 10,000 lb), 2017-2018 Chrysler Pacifica and 2018 Jeep Wrangler vehicles. These vehicles are being recalled to address a defect that could prevent the cruise control system from disengaging. If, when using cruise control, there is a short circuit within the vehicle's wiring, the driver may not be able to shut off the cruise control either by depressing the brake pedal or manually turning the system off once it has been engaged, resulting in either the vehicle maintaining its current speed or possibly accelerating.

Risk and remedy
Risk: If the vehicle maintains its speed or accelerates despite attempts to deactivate the cruise control, there would be an increased risk of a crash.
Remedy: Chrysler will notify owners, and dealers will inspect the software, and perform a software flash on the engine or powertrain control module, free of charge. The recall began June 4, 2018. Owners may contact Chrysler customer service at 1-800-853-1403. Note: Owners are advised to stop using cruise control until the software update has been performed. In the event that cruise control cannot be disengaged while driving, owners should firmly and steadily apply the brakes and shift the transmission to neutral, placing the vehicle in park once it has stopped.

NHTSA investigations into the electrical system on the Wrangler

PE25-014opened Oct 23, 2025
Electrical · model years 2020

Instrument panel cluster (ipc) failure. Open.

NHTSA summary
The Office of Defects Investigations (ODI) is opening a Preliminary Evaluation on 2020 Model Year Jeep Gladiators and Wranglers involving a malfunctioning Instrument Panel Clusters (IPC) resulting in the loss of important vehicle metrics and other status information. ODI has received 89 Vehicle Owner Questionnaires (VOQs) alleging a complete or partial loss of the IPC display while driving. The subject vehicles' IPC display includes the speedometer, fuel gauge, engine temperature, turn signal indicators, warning light, and other gauges that are normally illuminated while the vehicle is in operation. Loss of the fuel gauge while driving may lead to an inability to determine the fuel level and result in a loss of motive power, and the loss of other safety-related information may impede a driver’s ability to take action to prevent a safety risk. Furthermore, an IPC that is suddenly not visible to the driver may divert the driver’s attention from the driving task, potentially causing a vehicle crash. ODI is opening this Preliminary Evaluation to evaluate the scope, severity and frequency of the alleged IPC malfunctions and to assess potential safety-related consequences. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov
RQ24-012opened Jul 5, 2024
Electrical · model years 2021 to 2024

Loss of motive power. Open.

NHTSA summary
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has identified 68 Vehicle Owner Questionnaire (VOQ) reports for model years (MY) 2021 through 2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vehicles alleging a loss of motive power. Recall 22V-865 was issued by the manufacturer to address an engine shutdown condition in certain MY 2021-2023 Wrangler 4xe vehicles. The complaints noted here contain both post recall remedy failures and failures in vehicles not included within the scope of 22V-865. An analysis comparing complaints received before the issuance of recall 22V-865 and complaints outside the scope of the recall has been conducted. The results show the current complaint rate is higher in the out of scope vehicles than it was for vehicles that were later covered by the recall. ODI is opening this Recall Query (RQ) to assess the severity of the alleged defect in vehicles not included in recall 22V-865.ODI will also assess the scope and remedy effectiveness of the recall. To review the ODI reports cited in the Opening Resume ODI Report Identification Number document, go to NHTSA.gov.
DP22-005opened Jan 27, 2023
Electrical · model years 2022

Pedestrian alert sounds. Closed aug 7, 2023, led to recall 22V-063.

NHTSA summary
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
DP14-004opened Sep 25, 2014
Electrical · model years 2007 to 2014

Totally integrated power module failure. Closed jul 24, 2015.

NHTSA summary
In a letter dated August 21, 2014, the Center for Auto Safety (CAS) petitioned the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) to initiate a defect investigation of alleged failures associated with the Totally Integrated Power Module (TIPM) installed in Chrysler SUV?s, trucks, and vans beginning in the 2007 model year. The petitioner alleges that TIPM defects may result in engine stall, airbag non-deployment, failure of fuel pump shutoff resulting in unintended acceleration, fire, and other symptoms. On September 25, 2014, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened DP14-004 to evaluate the petition for a grant or deny decision. ODI analyzed complaint data provided by CAS as well as complaints submitted to ODI from consumers. In total, there were 296 complaints submitted by the petitioner in the original petition and five supplements, including 271 complaints related to the subject vehicles equipped with TIPM-7. Approximately 3 percent of CAS complaints are related to vehicles equipped with TIPM-6 and ODI?s review of these complaints did not identify any safety defect trends. ODI conducted a detailed review of complaints narratives submitted by CAS and consumers including careful analysis of vehicle repair histories, warranty claims obtained from the manufacturer and any available Customer Assistance Inquiry reports (CAIR). Analysis of the field data indicated that MY2011-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles exhibited significantly higher compla
PE07-027opened May 29, 2007
Electrical · model years 2007

Engine stalling & electric power loss. Closed aug 2, 2007, led to recall 07V-291.

NHTSA summary
ON JULY 3, 2007, DAIMLERCHRYSLER CORPORATION (DCC) SUBMITTED A DEFECT INFORMATION REPORT TO NHTSA DESCRIBING A DEFECT THAT COULD RESULT IN ENGINE STALL WHILE DRIVING IN APPROXIMATELY 80,894 MODEL YEAR (MY) 2007 JEEP WRANGLER AND DODGE NITRO VEHICLES MANUFACTURED BETWEEN JANUARY 30, 2006 AND JANUARY 22, 2007 (NHTSA RECALL 07V-291, DCC RECALL G25).ACCORDING TO DCC, THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE (TIPM) IN THESE VEHICLES WAS PROGRAMMED WITH SOFTWARE THAT MAY ALLOW THE ENGINE TO STALL UNDER CERTAIN CONDITIONS.DCC WILL REPROGRAM THE TIPM IN THE RECALLED VEHICLES WITH REVISED SOFTWARE. ODI OPENED PE07-027 ON MAY 29, 2007, BASED ON 53 COMPLAINTS ALLEGING ENGINE STALL AND/OR LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER IN MY 2007 JEEP WRANGLER VEHICLES.ODI WAS ALSO MONITORING SIMILAR COMPLAINTS IN MY 2007 DODGE NITRO VEHICLES.DCC'S ANALYSIS OF COMPLAINTS TO DCC AND NHTSA FOUND THAT MANY DESCRIBED EVENTS WITH A MOMENTARY LOSS OF ELECTRICAL POWER INSIDE THE VEHICLE AND A CORRESPONDING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.MANY OF THE REPORTS ALSO INDICATED THAT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER TELLTALE LAMPS MOMENTARILY ILLUMINATED DURING THE EVENT. DCC'S ENGINEERING ANALYSIS DETERMINED THAT THE TIPM COULD INITIATE AN INTERNAL RESET CYCLE LASTING APPROXIMATELY 75 MS IN RESPONSE TO ERROR MESSAGES ON THE COMMUNICATION BUS.THE KEY ON SIGNAL FROM THE TIPM TO THE POWERTRAIN CONTROL MODULE (PCM) IS LOST DURING A TIPM RESET.IF THE PCM LOSES THE KEY ON SIGNAL FOR LONGER THAN 40 MS, IT INTERPRETS IT AS THE VEHICLE IGNITION BEING TURNED
RQ99-011opened Jun 1, 1999
Electrical · model years 1999

Instrument panel ground screw. Closed may 30, 2000, led to recall 99V-117.

NHTSA summary
THE INSTRUMENT PANEL WIRING GROUND ATTACHMENT SCREWS CAN LOOSEN

None of these investigations covers the 2018 model year.

When it happens

The middle half of failures fell between 3,000 and 41,000 miles, from the 19 reports that gave a mileage.

818
619
420
721
522
423
724
525

What owners wrote

“We found cracks in the battery from swelling. We know for certain that the BPCM needs to be replaced. This issue is the same one the NRTA did a recall on for 2020+ Jeep Wrangler models. I had the issue fixed (was un-driveable) and it cost me over $4000. Looking for detail on why 2018 models weren’t considered in the latest recall.”

Filed Nov 5, 2025

“Every dash warning lights come on, radio cuts off, steering loss occurs, have to fight steering to get pulled over, turn it off and back on, sometimes resets but not always. Issue happens at random but the last time it occurred around a curve, nearly went off the road because of the steering loss. Had all the wires and grounds cleaned & checked, all batteries are good, alternator is good, all relays are good.”

Filed Apr 23, 2024

“All the lights on the Jeep came on. Locked up nearly had a wreck. Had to be towed. Now dealership is saying its the motor. Everything shut down. This is not the first time the jeep has shut all the way down. This is very dangerous. We had replaced the starter, and battery and spark plugs and box. The jeep worked for a day then the second starter burned up .”

Filed Jun 26, 2023

“My Jeep Stalled on me in the middle of the street at Night. All of the lights dimmed out including my Emergency lights, I couldn’t put into Neutral or turn it on I had to get it towed Home. Both batteries replaced it turns on but stalls. Could be the alternator?”

Filed Sep 4, 2021

Should you keep driving it?

This page can't tell you that. 0 of 46 reports involved a crash. Owners who file are the ones who had a bad experience, and nobody checks their reports. If the problem affects steering, braking, power or a fire risk, treat it as a safety fault and have it inspected before a long or high-speed drive.

File your own report with NHTSA. Complaint counts are how a problem gets an investigation.

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