Stellantis recalling Jeep Wrangler 4xe PHEV over fire risk
After an internal review of customer data, Stellantis is issuing a recall of the 2021-2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe. The company said it “discovered eight vehicle fires” involving the plug-in hybrid that happened when each of the vehicles was parked and turned off. Six of the Jeeps caught figure while plugged into chargers, two were not charging at the time. The automaker appears to know the cause of the issue since it’s saying the fix is to have new software installed, and that “if a certain error code is observed, the battery pack will be replaced.” However, Stellantis hasn’t said what the issue is.
The total recall population is 32,125 units in the U.S., plus a little more than 10,000 additional units in Canada and overseas. Only 1% of that total figure is expected to be afflicted with whatever indignity is causing the fires.
Stellantis says it is not aware of any accidents or injuries resulting from the issue. Owners are being advised that it’s all right to drive the Jeeps, but also being advised not to charge the hybrid battery and not to park in or near structures or near other vehicles until the Jeep’s software has been flashed. We’d guess owners want this rectified ASAP, since it not only means inconvenience, it means losing out on 22 miles of all-electric driving and getting the same 20 miles per gallon combined as a regular and much less expensive Wrangler with the 3.6-liter Pentastar V6.
The automaker says it will notify customers when the window opens to schedule a service visit to the dealer, but did not say when those notifications will go out. Owners with questions in the meantime — which we expect will be quite a few — can visit Stellantis’s recall page, or can call the automaker’s customer service line at 800-853-1403 and mention internal recall number B9A.
Normally, we’d look to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) site for a Recall Report that details on an issue and how an automaker discovered it. Stellantis appears to be handling this on its own, so the NHTSA site doesn’t have additional information.
