Multinational automotive manufacturer Stellantis has issued a recall for more than 32,000 Jeep Wrangler hybrid SUVs over potential fire risk. During its routine review of customer information, the company ascertained that eight hybrid SUVs had caught fire when turned off and parked. Six of the vehicles caught fire while being charged, however, the company says no one got hurt in these incidents.
What’s the fix?
The recall covers Jeep Wrangler 4xe SUVs from 2021-2024 model years. All other Wrangler models have been deemed safe by Stellantis, which maintains its US headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan. The company will soon begin contacting the owners of the affected SUVs, asking them to bring the SUVs to the nearest dealerships for a fix. The technicians will either reset or update a software, or replacing the vehicle’s battery pack. The affected SUVs can still be driven until they are fixed, however, Stellantis is recommending they be parked away from buildings and not be charged until they can be repaired.
Jeep Wrangler 4xe hybrid SUV
The five-seater SUV comes equipped with a 2.0-liter I-4 engine which is capable of 270 horsepower and 375 pound-feet of torque on a four-wheel-drive powertrain. The plug-in hybrid gets a limited electric-only driving range of 370 miles on a full tank of gas and a fully charged battery. It takes only two hours to juice up the 400-volt lithium-ion battery pack fully when a 240-volt Level II charger is plugged in. A Level I 120-volt charger will charge the vehicle in 12 hours.