Jeep Hybrid SUVs Get Another Recall for Fire Risk

Some Jeep sport utility vehicles are being recalled for a fourth time--this time to address serious fire risks.

Stellantis, the global automaker that produces Jeep vehicles, recently said it was calling back certain Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe and Wrangler 4xe SUVs. Debris in the vehicles’ engines could cause them to stall or catch fire, the company told the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

“Sand from the casting process can contaminate internal engine components, leading to a catastrophic engine failure, which can result in a vehicle fire or an unexpected and unrecoverable loss of propulsion,” Stellantis said in a recall notice.

That is bad news for anyone in the vehicles or sharing the road with them. Stellantis said it is aware of at least 36 fires and three injuries related to the defect.

“A vehicle fire can result in increased risk of occupant injury and/or injury to persons outside the vehicle, as well as property damage,” the company said in the NHTSA notice. “A loss of propulsion may result in a vehicle crash without prior warning.”

The new recall covers certain 2023-2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe and 2024-2025 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid SUVs. A supplier neglected to properly clean the engine blocks, Stellantis said.

Consumer Reports points out that some of the vehicles have previously been recalled three different times. “Many of them already can’t be parked outside or charged due to an ongoing battery recall,” according to CR’s Keith Barry.

Here is more bad news: Stellantis does not yet have a plan for how to fix the latest problem. The company said it would alert owners of recalled cars by the end of December and follow up with them once the company figures out how to address the defect.

In the meantime, drivers should be on the lookout for signs of trouble. “Customers may experience a knocking noise from the engine compartment and/or a malfunction indicator lamp prior to catastrophic failure,” Stellantis said.

Jeep Safety Issues and Owners’ Rights

The latest recall may sound familiar to Jeep owners. Stellantis has issued a string of recalls over a wide range of defects and malfunctions in recent years.

The company in November said it was calling back some 320,000 plug-in Grand Cherokee and Wrangler sport utility vehicles over the battery issue. That recall came less than a month after Stellantis called back roughly 24,000 Jeep Wrangler 4XE plug-ins because of a software bug that the company said could cause the vehicles to lose power.

The good news for many Jeep drivers in California is that you do not need to wait for a recall to get a defective or malfunctioning vehicle repaired. The California lemon law generally requires carmakers to perform a wide range of repairs on vehicles while they are under warranty. It also forces manufacturers to buy back vehicles that they are unable or simply refuse to fix. 

Speak with an Orange County Lemon Law Attorney

If you have been stuck with a defective or malfunctioning vehicle, an Orange County lemon law attorney at Bickel Sannipoli APC can help you fight back.  

Call us at (888) 800-1983 or contact us online to speak with an Orange County lemon law attorney.