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Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors)Part report

2021 Jeep Gladiator Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors) Problems

Complaints
12about this part
Share
4%of 292 total for the year
Median mileage
4,100miles
Trend
Not enough dataFewer than 15 complaints, too few for a reliable trend.

NHTSA recorded 12 complaints about the visibility of the 2021 Jeep Gladiator, 4% of the 292 complaints for this model year. Where a mileage was given, the median is 4,100 miles.

Fewer than 15 complaints name this part, so treat the figures as a rough indication only.

Example complaints

Selected from NHTSA records; personal details are removed. They are consumer reports, not findings.

“Defrost only works for the center portion of the windshield. No air comes from the right or left sides of the defrost vents. The leads to loss of visibility for the driver especially in adverse conditions.”

NHTSA complaint #11395941, filed 2021-02, 700 miles

“I turned on my defroster and a 8 inch long crack happens from the middle bottom of the windshield. This is the second time in a year this has happened. There are numerous examples online of this happening. I live in Florida so it’s not because of the extreme temperature changes. It was only 50 deg F.”

NHTSA complaint #11497847, filed 2022-12

“The defroster only blows out of the center of the windshield. So the drivers side and passenger sides of the windshield do not clear up at all. This causes me to not being able to safely see where I am driving when my windshield is foggy or covered with snow and ice. This is not the only Jeep Gladiator or Wrangler JL/JLU that is affected. People are complaining all over forums on the internet and to their local dealerships. …”

NHTSA complaint #11544213, filed 2023-09

“I was driving on a highway and the sun visor suddenly fell down but was still suspended by a wire and therefore obstructed my view. Nearly caused an accident. The arm that supports the sun visor seems to have dislodged from its housing. A quick search revealed this is such a common problem, there are many aftermarket parts sold to fix this problem. My vehicle is outside warranty, but several Jeep forum posts indicate this issue was not covered by Jeep’s warranty. The Jeep dealer is charging $382 to fix what should be a recall.”

NHTSA complaint #11649133, filed 2025-03

“As I was driving, I reached out over the dashboard and accidentally lightly bumped the front windshield with my hand. Light enough that my middle knuckle barely tapped the glass, and the windshield spider cracked completely top to bottom, left to right, and every other angle. The force can be compared to wiping or cleaning your dashboard and bumping your finger tips into the glass. The windshield is broken all the way through. Im reporting this because Im fairly certain windshields are supposed to hold up to more than someone's knuckle lightly bumping them. …”

NHTSA complaint #11667862, filed 2025-06

Related service bulletins

Visibility (wipers, defrost, mirrors): other model years

YearComplaintsShare of year
202324%
202211%
2021124%
2020235%

Other parts of the 2021 Jeep Gladiator

Steering
94 complaints
Transmission and drivetrain
71 complaints
Engine
53 complaints
Electrical system
46 complaints
Suspension
41 complaints
Fuel system
33 complaints
Other or unknown
28 complaints
Brakes
17 complaints
Vehicle speed control
14 complaints
Exterior lighting
13 complaints
Wheels
8 complaints
Air bags
6 complaints

← All problems reported for the 2021 Jeep Gladiator

About this data. Data from NHTSA (ODI) complaints, recalls, TSBs and investigations, updated Oct 27, 2026. Complaints are unverified consumer reports and may be duplicated or inaccurate.

To check a specific vehicle for open recalls, use its VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls. Methodology