Jeep Recalls 194,000 Plug-In Hybrid SUVs Over Battery Fire Risk

Jeep is recalling over 150,000 plug-in hybrid Wrangler and Grand Cherokee SUVs in the United States. The affected vehicles' batteries can catch fire; 13 fires have been recorded. The cause is still unknown and the automaker advises owners to park outside and away from structures.

American automaker Jeep is recalling nearly 200,000 plug-in hybrid electric vehicles globally for a potential battery fire risk. In the United States, 154,032 cars are affected, with an additional 14,038 in Canada, 673 in Mexico and 25,502 outside North America.

Jeep said certain model-year 2020-2024 Wrangler 4xe and 2022-2024 Grand Cherokee 4xe are affected, but just 5% of them may have the defect. The company started the recall after a routine review of customer data led to an internal investigation that discovered 13 fires. All the cars were parked and turned off, but the cause of the fires is still unknown. The recall has not been published yet on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's website.

Stellantis, Jeep’s parent company, said that “a remedy is imminent” and that affected customers will be notified when they may schedule service. The automaker added that the risk of a fire is reduced when “the battery charge level is depleted” and advised owners to refrain from recharging and to park away from structures or other vehicles until a fix is found.

A similar recall was issued last year for 44,000 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrids worldwide. An internal investigation discovered eight fires–all cars were parked and turned off and six of them were connected to chargers when their batteries caught fire.

In this case, Jeep said the fix involves a software flash but if a certain undisclosed error code is observed, the whole battery pack will be replaced free of charge. The Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid, which is also built by Stellantis, was recalled earlier this year for a potential battery fire risk.

The latest generation Jeep Wrangler in plug-in hybrid guise was revealed at the end of 2020. It’s powered by a 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-four gasoline engine that sends power through all four wheels through an eight-speed automatic transmission. An electric motor generator unit is integrated into the gearbox and can power the car on its own for up to 22 miles thanks to a 17-kilowatt-hour battery pack.

The Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe was revealed a year later and features the same powertrain as the Wrangler. However, its all-electric range is rated by the EPA at 25 miles on a full charge.