Jeep’s Gladiator pickup truck has been recalled for a serious issue per a report by Jalopnik. The truck has been a strong seller. The issues is with the driveshafts which were manufactured without the requisite grease to keep them lubricated and has resulted in a temporary stop-sale of affected Gladiator models. Sales have also been stopped at this time.
According to the recall report (PDF) issued by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the affected vehicles “may have a rear driveshaft that was assembled without grease in the monoblock joint portion of the driveshaft.”
The core for the recall is the driveshaft’s constant velocity joint, which, without the proper grease, might overheat, seize, and fracture.
“A fractured rear driveshaft could separate, which may result in loss of motive power, if the vehicle is in rear-wheel-drive mode, or potential road debris, if the driveshaft completely separates from the vehicle,” NHTSA’s report said. “Either condition can cause a vehicle crash without prior warning.”
3427 Gladiators are impacted by the recall – models built between December 15 and June 25 should enter their Jeep’s VIN into NHTSA’s recall website to see if it is one of them.
If your Gladiator is part of the recall, contact your local dealership for the repair,. The repair shop will be swapping the driveshaft and its CV joint out for one that has been verified to be assembled with the correct amount of grease.
