1. Why Wrangler and Gladiator Owners Benefit from Permanent Ceramic Protection

The Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator are the most off-road-capable vehicles sold by any major American manufacturer. Wrangler heritage runs back to the 1941 Willys MB military jeep, and the modern JL/JT generation continues that lineage with solid axles, removable doors and roof panels, water-fording capability, and trail-tuned suspension geometry. Owners drive these vehicles in conditions that typical road cars never see - and that environment is significantly harder on engines than highway commuting.

Most engine wear in a Wrangler or Gladiator is friction-driven, the same as any other vehicle. But off-road use accelerates that wear in specific ways:

• Extended high-load operation. Crawling up rocks at low speed under high throttle generates engine heat without highway airflow cooling. Cylinder walls and bearings see sustained pressure that a highway-driven Wrangler doesn't experience.
• Dust intrusion. Off-road air carries abrasive particulates that find their way into engines despite air filters. Even small amounts of dust accelerate cylinder wall wear.
• Water crossings. Wading through water introduces moisture into the air intake system. Even small amounts can affect lubrication and cause condensation in the crankcase during cooling.
• Extreme angles. Rock crawling at 30+ degree angles affects oil flow in the pan. Some engines experience momentary oil starvation during severe pitch changes - the bonded ceramic protection from Cerma continues protecting metal surfaces even during brief oil flow disruption.
• Sustained low-speed crawling. Hours of low-RPM operation at high load generates heat that the Wrangler's relatively small cooling system has to handle. Friction reduction directly reduces heat generation.

These conditions are exactly where Cerma's permanent ceramic protection has the most measurable benefit. Wranglers and Gladiators routinely run 200,000+ miles when properly maintained. The 3.6L Pentastar V6 in particular has a 13+ year track record of reliability across multiple Stellantis platforms. The Hurricane I4 is newer but follows the same engineering philosophy.

Cerma STM-3 is fundamentally different from any oil or additive. The active ingredient is Nano Silicon Carbide (SiC) - actual ceramic particles, Mohs 9.5 hardness, 2,730 degrees Celsius melting point. When you add Cerma to fresh engine oil, the ceramic particles bond mechanically to engine metal surfaces over the first 3,000 to 5,000 miles of driving. Once bonded, the ceramic creates a sacrificial wear layer between metal-on-metal contact points. Friction drops by up to 90 percent. Wear slows dramatically. And because the bond is mechanical, the ceramic survives every oil change.

To learn more about the underlying chemistry, see our complete guide to Nano Silicon Carbide. To understand the EPA ETV certification that backs Cerma's performance claims, see our complete guide to EPA Environmental Technology Verification.

2. Which Cerma Product for Your Wrangler or Gladiator Engine

The 2026 Wrangler offers four powertrains and the Gladiator offers two (with the 6.4L 392 HEMI confirmed for late 2026). Cerma sizing is straightforward - one bottle covers all gas engines, and a separately-sized small-diesel bottle covers the discontinued 3.0L EcoDiesel V6.

3. Special Note: 2.0L Hurricane Turbo I4 - Turbo Bearing Protection

The 2.0L Hurricane Turbo I4 (sometimes called the GME-T4 in technical documentation) is the modern Wrangler's smaller engine option, and it's a significantly more interesting powerplant than the displacement suggests. With 270 hp and 295 lb-ft of torque, the Hurricane I4 actually produces more torque than the larger 3.6L Pentastar V6 (260 lb-ft) - making it surprisingly capable for towing and rock crawling despite its smaller displacement. The torque is also delivered earlier in the RPM range, which is exactly where off-road driving needs it.

For Cerma application, the 2.0L Hurricane is straightforward: 2oz gas treatment ($105.60). But there are two Hurricane-specific reasons Cerma is particularly valuable on this engine:

Turbo bearings

Turbocharged engines have a turbocharger center shaft that spins at 50,000 to 200,000+ RPM under load. The shaft rides on bearings that are continuously lubricated by engine oil flowing through the turbo center section. At those rotational speeds, even microscopic friction at the bearing surface generates heat and wear over time. Cerma's permanent ceramic protection bonds to the bearing journal surfaces and provides exactly the kind of low-friction sacrificial wear layer these conditions need.

High cylinder pressures

The 2.0L Hurricane operates at significantly higher cylinder pressures than the naturally aspirated 3.6L Pentastar V6. Higher pressure means more thermal load, more cylinder wall stress, and more friction at every contact point. The hardness mismatch between Nano Silicon Carbide (Mohs 9.5) and engine steel (Mohs 5-7) provides exactly the kind of sacrificial wear protection these high-pressure conditions need - particularly during sustained off-road operation when the engine is held at high boost for extended periods.

Wrangler 2.0T owners often report that Cerma's friction reduction in the turbo bearings is one of the most measurable improvements - smoother turbo response, particularly noticeable at low RPMs during rock crawling.

4. Special Note: Wrangler 4xe Plug-in Hybrid

The Wrangler 4xe is one of the most interesting hybrid vehicles sold today. It combines the 2.0L Hurricane turbocharged gasoline engine with an electric motor and a 14.0 kWh lithium-ion battery, delivering 375 horsepower, 470 lb-ft of torque (more torque than the 392 HEMI), and 21 miles of all-electric driving range. In hybrid mode it returns 49 MPGe combined; on the gas engine alone it returns about 20 mpg combined. For Wrangler buyers who want the off-road capability with substantially better fuel economy and the ability to crawl trails in near-silent electric mode, the 4xe is the answer.

Cerma application for the 4xe:

Use the 2oz Cerma gas treatment ($105.60). The gas engine in the 4xe is the same 2.0L Hurricane Turbo I4 used in the standard Wrangler 2.0T - mechanically identical from a Cerma standpoint. Same application, same friction reduction, same permanent ceramic bond.

The hybrid system is unaffected:

• The 14.0 kWh lithium-ion battery is a sealed system that doesn't share oil with the gas engine. Cerma doesn't reach it.
• The electric motor uses its own bearings and lubrication system, separate from the engine oil. Cerma doesn't reach it.
• The regenerative braking and inverter electronics are sealed electronic systems. Cerma doesn't reach them.
• The high-voltage warranty is on a separate Stellantis warranty track from the powertrain warranty and is unaffected by Cerma application.

Why Cerma works particularly well on hybrid Wranglers:

Hybrid powertrains tend to do more start/stop operation than non-hybrid engines. The 2.0L Hurricane gas engine in the 4xe shuts down and restarts dozens or hundreds of times per drive as the system transitions between electric and hybrid modes. Each start is a brief moment of low oil pressure when bearing wear is concentrated. Cerma's bonded ceramic remains in place even when oil flow is interrupted - it's mechanically attached to the metal. This means restart protection continues even before the oil pump fully repressurizes, which is exactly when hybrid engines are most vulnerable to wear.

This is the same pattern as the F-150 PowerBoost and Tundra/Tacoma i-FORCE MAX hybrid systems - Cerma's gas-engine protection complements the hybrid efficiency, while the hybrid components ride along independently.

5. Special Note: 6.4L 392 HEMI V8 (Apache) and the MDS Issue

The Wrangler Rubicon 392 (now Wrangler 392 Moab) is the most powerful Wrangler ever produced. The 6.4L Apache HEMI V8 makes 470 hp and 470 lb-ft of torque - the same engine architecture used in the Dodge Charger SRT and Challenger Scat Pack. Stellantis has confirmed the 392 HEMI is coming to the Gladiator (late 2026 or 2027 model year) following customer demand at the Rubicon Trail. With a starting price approaching $80,000 for the Wrangler 392 Moab, this is a premium vehicle with a premium engine.

Cerma application for the 392 HEMI:

Use the 2oz Cerma gas treatment ($105.60). Same as any other gas Wrangler engine. Despite the larger displacement and higher output, the Cerma application is identical - the ceramic bonds where it encounters heat, pressure, and friction, and a 6.4L engine has the same fundamental wear surfaces as a 3.6L engine, just more of them.

MDS - Multi-Displacement System (honest disclosure):

The 6.4L 392 HEMI uses MDS (Multi-Displacement System) cylinder deactivation, the same system found on the 5.7L HEMI and other Stellantis V8 engines. MDS deactivates 4 cylinders under light load to save fuel using collapsing valve lifters. Some MDS lifters can fail - causing misfires, ticking, low oil pressure, and in worst cases catastrophic damage to the cam and lifter bores.

What Cerma can and cannot do for 392 owners:

• Cerma reduces friction throughout the valvetrain including at MDS lifter contact points. This is preventive friction reduction.
• Cerma cannot reverse existing HEMI tick or MDS lifter collapse. Those are mechanical failures requiring physical repair - typically lifter replacement, MDS delete, and sometimes camshaft replacement.
• Cerma cannot replace the MDS mechanism. It's an oil treatment, not a delete tune or hardware mod.
• The best timing for Cerma is at a fresh oil change on a healthy engine, before any tick or MDS symptoms develop. For owners considering Cerma after MDS-related repairs, applying it to the new lifters and refreshed valvetrain is excellent preventive maintenance.

The 392 is a high-performance engine that responds particularly well to friction reduction. The combination of high output, high heat, and the harsh duty cycle that Wrangler 392 owners actually run (off-road plus highway plus the occasional autocross) makes Cerma's permanent ceramic protection a logical investment in an engine that's expensive to replace.

6. Special Note: 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 (Discontinued)

The 3.0L EcoDiesel V6 was offered in the Wrangler from 2020-2023 and the Gladiator from 2021-2023. It produced 260 hp and 442 lb-ft of torque - more torque than even the 392 HEMI, and the highest fuel economy of any gas-or-diesel Wrangler at the time. It was officially discontinued for 2024+ model years as Stellantis pivoted away from light-duty diesels.

For owners of an EcoDiesel-equipped Wrangler or Gladiator, Cerma is particularly valuable because the engine is no longer in production. Parts and rebuild costs are climbing, and finding a knowledgeable technician familiar with EcoDiesel-specific issues is increasingly difficult outside specialized diesel shops.

Cerma application for EcoDiesel:

Use the 2oz Cerma diesel treatment ($105.60). Same sizing as the discontinued Ram 1500 EcoDiesel - same engine, same Cerma application. The diesel formula uses the same Nano Silicon Carbide ceramic technology as the gas treatment but is optimized for the higher operating pressures and combustion conditions found in diesel engines.

EcoDiesel-specific issues - honest disclosure:

The EcoDiesel had its share of well-documented problems. Cerma protects engine internals but does not address several known EcoDiesel issues:

• EGR cooler failures - emissions hardware issue, requires replacement
• Oil cooler failures - separate component issue, requires replacement
• DEF system problems - emissions software/hardware issue
• Recall-related repairs - several EcoDiesel-specific recalls were issued; check your VIN at NHTSA.gov

What Cerma does protect on every EcoDiesel: cylinder walls and piston rings, main bearings and rod bearings, camshaft lobes and lifters, valvetrain components, timing chain and tensioner, oil pump internals, and turbocharger center-section bearings. For owners running a healthy EcoDiesel that's been properly maintained for known issues, Cerma is excellent investment maintenance for an engine that will be increasingly difficult and expensive to replace.

7. Off-Road Use: Why Cerma Matters More Here

This is the section that distinguishes a Wrangler/Gladiator post from a typical pickup truck post. Most truck owners commute on highways. Wrangler owners take their trucks off-road - and that changes the engine wear math significantly.

The off-road wear stack-up:

A Wrangler crawling the Rubicon Trail, the Hammers, or any sustained technical trail experiences engine conditions that highway-driven trucks never see. Consider what's happening in the engine over a single 4-hour off-road session:

• Sustained high-load operation at low RPM - the engine is under heavy throttle for hours but with limited airflow cooling because the truck is moving at 5-15 mph
• Heat builds in the cylinder walls and bearings faster than the cooling system can remove it during low-speed operation
• Oil temperature climbs well beyond highway-driving baseline, reducing oil viscosity and the protective oil film thickness
• Dust and fine sand work past air filters in trace amounts, creating microscopic abrasive particles in the combustion chamber and oil
• Water crossings and creek beds introduce moisture into the air intake
• Extreme angles (30+ degrees of pitch on rock obstacles) shift oil away from the pickup tube briefly, causing momentary low oil pressure events
• Repeated low-RPM lugging against the load creates piston ring wear that highway driving doesn't produce

Why Cerma's permanent ceramic protection helps:

Most engine treatments are oil-based. They protect only when oil is flowing. In sustained off-road conditions, oil flow becomes intermittent and temperatures climb beyond the design range of conventional additives. Cerma is mechanically different - the ceramic is bonded to the metal itself, not suspended in the oil.

• The ceramic remains in place when oil flow is briefly interrupted (extreme angles, hot oil, low oil pressure events). Bonded to bearing surfaces, it doesn't drain away with the oil.
• The ceramic's heat tolerance (2,730 degrees Celsius melting point) far exceeds anything an off-road engine will produce. The protection doesn't degrade at trail temperatures.
• The ceramic's hardness (Mohs 9.5) protects against abrasive dust particles that have made it past the air filter. The sacrificial wear layer takes the dust hit instead of the underlying metal.
• Friction reduction directly reduces heat generation at the source. Less friction means less heat means cooler engine temperatures means more sustained capability before thermal protection kicks in.

For owners who actually use their Wrangler off-road - not just buy it for the look - this is one of the highest-leverage maintenance decisions available. The one-time $105.60 application is small relative to the protection it provides over thousands of miles of trail use.

8. How to Install Cerma in Your Wrangler or Gladiator

Installation is the same simple oil-fill procedure for all five Wrangler/Gladiator engines - you just choose between the gas or diesel formula based on your engine.

1. Complete a normal oil change. Drain old oil, replace filter (Mopar, Mobil 1, Pennzoil, or any quality filter meeting Jeep specs), and add fresh oil to your specified weight - typically 0W-20 for the Pentastar V6 and 2.0L Hurricane I4, 5W-40 or 0W-40 for the 6.4L 392 HEMI, and 5W-30 for the EcoDiesel V6 (verify your owner's manual for specifics). Cerma is compatible with any oil brand and any weight Jeep specifies.
2. Pour the Cerma 2oz bottle into your oil fill port. Gas treatment for all gas engines (including the 4xe), diesel treatment for the EcoDiesel V6.
3. Replace the oil cap and start the engine. No warm-up procedure required. Drive normally - including off-road if you want. The ceramic begins bonding from the first drive.
4. Drive 3,000 to 5,000 miles on the treated oil. The ceramic particles bond to engine metal during this break-in window. 2.0L Hurricane owners often notice smoother turbo response within the first 1,000 miles. 392 HEMI owners often notice quieter valvetrain. EcoDiesel owners typically notice quieter cold starts.
5. Continue normal oil changes at Jeep's recommended intervals (typically 8,000-10,000 miles depending on use pattern - off-road use may shorten this; check your owner's manual). The bonded ceramic stays - it doesn't drain out with the oil.

For complete step-by-step installation details with photos and FAQs, see our full installation guide.

9. What to Expect: First 3,000 to 5,000 Miles

First 500 miles:

Engine sound and idle quality often smooth out within the first few hundred miles. 2.0L Hurricane owners may notice particularly smooth turbo response since the turbo bearings benefit immediately from reduced friction. 6.4L 392 HEMI owners often report quieter valvetrain operation. EcoDiesel owners typically notice quieter cold starts. 4xe owners may notice smoother gas-electric transitions.

500 to 2,000 miles:

Throttle response feels more linear, particularly when towing or rock crawling. 2.0L Hurricane turbo response improves noticeably under load. The 392 HEMI's MDS cylinder deactivation transitions feel slightly more refined as friction drops in the lifter mechanism. EcoDiesel turbo lag reduces. 4xe gas-engine restart events feel smoother.

2,000 to 5,000 miles:

The ceramic bond is largely complete. Friction reduction is at full effect. Many Wrangler and Gladiator owners report measurable fuel economy improvements during this window - Cerma's customer-reported range is 4-21%* depending on use patterns. For a daily-driver Wrangler putting 12,000-15,000 miles per year, even a small percentage improvement adds up. For a 4xe owner running primarily on electric mode, the improvement compounds with the existing hybrid efficiency.

5,000+ miles (permanent):

The ceramic matrix is fully bonded. From here on, your Wrangler or Gladiator has the friction reduction benefit for the life of the engine. Through every future oil change. Every cold start. Every off-road trail. Every water crossing. Every rocky obstacle. No reapplication, no maintenance, no recurring cost.

10. Complete Wrangler / Gladiator Drivetrain Protection

The engine treatment handles the engine. For full Wrangler or Gladiator protection, three additional Cerma products extend the same ceramic technology to your transmission, axles, and motor oil.

11. Will Cerma Affect My Wrangler or Gladiator Warranty?

No. The federal Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act prohibits manufacturers from voiding your warranty simply because you used an aftermarket engine treatment. Stellantis (Jeep's parent company) cannot deny a specific warranty claim unless they can prove the aftermarket product directly caused the failure they're refusing to cover.

Cerma STM-3 sits in a strong position relative to warranty disputes:

• EPA ETV certified - independent third-party verification of performance under controlled conditions. Almost no other engine treatment carries this credential.
• Inert ceramic chemistry - Cerma doesn't change oil viscosity, additive package, or filtration. Your Wrangler continues running on Stellantis-spec lubrication.
• Compatible with all dealer-recommended maintenance - every oil change at Jeep's recommended interval, every Mopar service visit, no changes to your routine.

4xe-specific warranty notes:

The Wrangler 4xe carries Stellantis's standard powertrain warranty plus a separate hybrid component warranty (typically 8 years/100,000 miles for the high-voltage battery and electric motor components). Cerma does not interact with the hybrid components in any way - it's added to the gas engine oil only. The hybrid warranty is unaffected.

For a complete breakdown of your aftermarket rights under federal law, see our complete guide to engine treatments and the Magnuson-Moss Warranty Act. Keep your purchase receipt, oil change records, and Cerma's EPA ETV documentation on file as smart practice.

Why Wrangler and Gladiator Owners Trust Cerma

Frequently Asked Questions