Jeep recalls 63,000 Wrangler 4xe PHEVs due to engine shutdown problem

Jeep has issued a recall that applies to nearly 63,000 units of the plug-in hybrid Wrangler 4xe built between the 2021 and 2023 model years. The engine in SUVs included in the campaign can unexpectedly turn off due to what the manufacturer calls “a loss of communication.”

Assigned campaign number 22V865000 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the recall includes 62,909 units of the Wrangler 4xe built between September 2, 2020, and August 17, 2022. Jeep notes that only plug-in hybrid models are affected by this problem; the non-hybrid Wrangler isn’t part of the recall. The company says these SUVs can experience “an engine shutdown condition caused by diagnostic reactions to faults caused by loss of communication.” Losing power while driving increases the risk of a crash.

Jeep is aware of 196 warranty claims, 65 field reports, two accidents, and one injury potentially linked to this defect, according to documents published by the NHTSA. While the precise cause of the problem remains vague, the fix sounds relatively straightforward: Dealers will update the calibration software in the transmission control module, hybrid control processor, and auxiliary hybrid control processor.

Owners of affected cars will receive more details about the recall via mail starting on January 12, 2023, and those who have already paid to get the problem fixed will be eligible to claim a refund. In the meantime, Jeep has issued a nationwide stop-sale order for the Wrangler 4xe.