NHTSA Advises Parking Precautions for 154,000 Jeep Plug-in Hybrids in U.S.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration warned owners of 154,000 Jeep plug-in hybrid electric SUVs to park them outside and away from buildings due to fire risks. Stellantis is recalling 194,000 Jeep Wranglers and Grand Cherokees globally, including 154,000 in the U.S., after reports of 13 fires linked to high voltage battery issues.

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has alerted owners of 154,000 Jeep plug-in hybrid electric SUVs to park their vehicles outside and away from buildings or other cars until recall repairs are completed. This follows Stellantis' decision to recall 194,000 Jeep Wranglers and Grand Cherokees worldwide, citing 13 reported fires.

NHTSA identified the issue as internal failures within the high-voltage battery, which was produced by Samsung SDI. Stellantis revealed that the most probable cause is 'separator damage combined with other complex interactions within the cell.' The recall comes after a similar callback in 2023 for software updates addressing the same issues.

Stellantis acknowledged that the 2023 remedy was 'ineffective at detecting certain abnormalities,' which could lead to a fire. They plan to reflash the software and replace the battery if needed and will notify owners by mid-October. The company recommends depleting battery charge levels and avoiding recharging in the meantime. The recall involves specific models from 2020 through 2024.