These instructions apply to the Jeep Gladiator Mk1 (JT) 2020-Present.
For other models, please choose your vehicle here.
The automatic stop/start on your Jeep Gladiator (2020–present) cuts the engine at junctions to save fuel. If you’d rather keep it running — towing, off-roading, or in heavy traffic — you can switch it off with a single button. The engine firing straight back up the moment you release the brake is normal, designed behaviour, and the ‘A’ light on the dash is just the system reporting its current state.
How Stop/Start Works on the Gladiator
Every time you stop, the truck checks a list of conditions and only shuts the engine off when they’re all satisfied. The 12 V battery is central to that decision: the Gladiator uses a heavier-duty absorbent-glass-mat (AGM) type sized for repeated restarts, and a sensor watches its charge and temperature continuously. On a cold morning, after a run of short trips, or as the battery ages, the truck will simply decline to stop the engine. That is the system protecting the battery, not a fault you can reset away.
Before You Start
- The button works with the engine running — there’s no menu involved.
- The setting isn’t carried over between drives, so expect to press it after each cold start if you want it off.
- Off-road, on a trail, or when towing, switch it off before you set off so a restart can’t interrupt a delicate manoeuvre.
- A cold engine won’t trigger stop/start until it’s warmed through anyway, so give it a minute.
Turning Stop/Start Off
- Find the stop/start button — marked with the ‘A’ with a circular arrow, on the dash near the gear selector.
- Press the button once.
- The warning light illuminates to confirm the system is off — the engine now idles normally at a stop.
Turning It Back On
Press the button again, or restart the truck — stop/start defaults to ON every time you start the engine, so press the button each drive if you want it off.
Why It Sometimes Keeps the Engine Running
Even with stop/start active, the Gladiator holds the engine on when conditions aren’t met, for example:
- The 12 V battery charge is low, or the battery sensor isn’t satisfied.
- The cabin is still heating or cooling to the set temperature.
- The engine is still cold, or you’re on a slope or towing.
- You’ve not come to a full stop, or the brake pedal isn’t pressed firmly enough.
- The steering is turned, or you’re only pausing briefly in stop-go traffic.
If Stop/Start Won’t Work at All
If the engine never shuts down at a stop and you haven’t pressed the button, run through these:
- A weak or ageing battery is the most common cause — the system disables itself to protect it.
- The battery hasn’t recharged after a series of short trips; a longer drive often revives it.
- It’s your first stop on a cold day — the engine needs to reach temperature first.
- After a battery change, fit the correct AGM type and let it learn over a few drives.
- Heavy climate demand is keeping the engine running to serve the cabin.
- A stored fault can disable it — look up the code on autodtcs.com.
What to Expect After
Once you press the button and the light appears, the engine idles normally at every stop for the rest of that drive. There’s nothing to save — cycle the ignition off and on and stop/start returns to its default active state, ready again on the next trip unless you press the button once more.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I turn off stop/start on a Jeep Gladiator?
Press the ‘A’ button with the circular arrow on the dash near the gear selector. The warning light comes on to confirm the system is off, and the engine will then idle normally at every stop for the rest of that drive.
Can I disable it permanently?
Not from the button — the Gladiator resets stop/start to ON each time you start the engine, so there is no permanent dashboard setting. The practical answer is to press the button once after each cold start whenever you want the engine to keep running at stops.
Why does the engine keep running with stop/start on?
The system only stops the engine when every condition is met. A low 12 V battery, a cabin still heating or cooling, a cold engine, a slope, a trailer, or a brake pedal not pressed firmly will all keep the engine running. This is normal, protective behaviour rather than a malfunction.
Why won’t stop/start work at all?
Usually a weak or ageing battery, which the Gladiator disables stop/start to protect. Short trips, cold mornings, and heavy heating or cooling demand can also hold it off. A longer drive to recharge the battery generally restores normal operation once the other conditions line up.
Does towing or off-roading affect stop/start?
It can. On a gradient, on the trail, or with a trailer connected, the truck often keeps the engine running rather than risk an unwanted restart. Many owners simply switch stop/start off with the button before setting out for towing or off-road work so the engine stays predictable.
Do I need a special battery for the Gladiator?
Yes — these trucks use a heavier-duty AGM-type 12 V battery built to handle frequent restarts. Fitting a standard or wrongly sized battery can leave stop/start permanently disabled and shorten battery life. If you replace it, match the correct AGM specification and let the vehicle relearn over a few drives.
If a warning light came on with the fault, decode it on autodtcs.com.
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