A recent Jeep recall is instructing owners of 2020–2024 Wrangler and 2022–2024 Grand Cherokee vehicles to park these vehicles outside and away from structures due to faulty high voltage batteries that may cause vehicle fires while parked or driving.
Approximately 154,032 Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator plug-in hybrid electric vehicles (PHEVs) are covered by the recall and urgent Jeep fire risk warning. So far, Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator PHEV owners have been advised to avoid recharging the vehicles.
Some 2020–2024 Jeep Wrangler PHEVs and 2022–2024 Jeep Gladiator PHEVs may have battery packs that contain cells susceptible to separator damage, according to recall documents. Separator damage and other complex interactions within the cells may lead to vehicle fires. Risk of PHEV fires is reduced when the battery charge level is depleted.
In June 2024, Fiat Chrysler (now Stellantis) launched an investigation after receiving two reports of fires in the Jeep Wrangler PHEVs’ high voltage batteries. The Jeep vehicles in question were outside the scope of an earlier Jeep recall, which covered 2021–2023 Jeep Wrangler Plug-In Hybrid Electric (PHEV) vehicles with largely the same fire risk issue.
From April through July 2024, Fiat Chrysler received more reports of battery fires in Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Grand Cherokee PHEVs. Three of these reports pertained to Jeep Wrangler high voltage batteries that received the remedy software from the earlier recall. Fiat Chrysler learned that this remedy software could not detect certain abnormalities inside the high voltage battery that may cause vehicle fires.
By August 2024, Fiat Chrysler determined that the cause of the battery fires was separator damage. As of September 2024, Fiat Chrysler is aware of 12 customer assistance records, one warranty claim and 13 field reports related to the Jeep PHEV battery fire issue, which is linked to two injuries thus far.
Any Jeep owner covered by the previous PHEV recall will need to go to the dealership for recall repairs again.
The Jeep PHEV recall is not yet available, but Jeep owners were sent interim notification letters beginning October 11, 2024. The remedy is a software flash for the high voltage battery pack and, if needed, a replacement battery pack assembly. Once the remedy is available, a second notice will be sent to affected Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator owners.
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