Many people are looking for the best trucks to buy. For some, this means driving home with the Jeep Gladiator. Quite a few auto mechanics feel this Jeep pickup truck isn’t as reliable as some of its biggest rivals. Now, one of these industry professionals is blowing the whistle on why he thinks that is the case with this nameplate that has multiple car recalls. Notably, this is one of the most popular Stellantis cars.

Some auto mechanics say the Jeep Gladiator isn’t one of the best trucks to buy

Recently, a mechanic from Royalty Auto Service in Texas took to their TikTok account to discuss the Jeep Gladiator. He begins by saying that someone asked about the reliability of the Jeep pickup truck, and they just so happened to have one in the shop. He says, “We always have one in the shop, in one way or another.” From there, like many auto mechanics, this one says there are engine problems with the Gladiator. 

He went on, “They’re just not reliable, good engines.” Specifically, the model they had in the shop only had about 44,670 miles on the odometer, which is far too early for engine issues. They then started the Jeep up, and white smoke was clearly coming from the vehicle. Additionally, viewers can hear a strange engine noise. As other auto mechanics point out, this one highlights that these trucks have valve train issues. However, this is something else. Apparently, this vehicle has a problem with a piston. 

The video continues, and the auto mechanic makes a shocking claim. He compared the volume of issues the Jeep Gladiator tends to have with some of Kia’s worst vehicles. The man continues, “I think they have a nice-looking interior, they could be a good vehicle if they fixed the motors in them.” As mentioned, the Gladiator has had multiple car recalls over various issues, so auto mechanics aren’t wrong when they say this. 

Still, many people have positive experiences with these trucks and other Jeep/ Stellantis cars.