Over 190,000 hybrid Jeeps recalled due to dangerous battery fire risk—are you affected?

It’s not a good day for electric Jeep owners, as parent company Stellantis announced a recall for 194,000 plug-in hybrid Jeeps after 13 reported fires while the vehicles were parked and turned off.

Affected Jeep models and regions

The recall impacts 2020 through 2024 model-year Jeep Wrangler 4xe models and 2022 through 2024 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe models. Of the affected vehicles, 154,000 are located in the United States, 14,000 in Canada, 700 in Mexico, and nearly 26,000 outside of North America. Stellantis estimates that only 5% of the recalled vehicles—approximately 9,700 units—may have the defect, which involves damage to the battery cell separator.

Cause of the recall

The issue was discovered after a routine review of customer data led to an internal investigation into the reported fires. In response, the company has advised owners to avoid charging their Jeeps and to park away from structures or populated areas.

The remedy will involve updating the high-voltage battery pack software and replacing the battery pack assembly if necessary. Owners should expect to receive a notice in the mail on October 17, 2024.

History of Jeep hybrid recalls

This isn’t the first time a hybrid Jeep has faced fire risks. In November 2023, a recall was issued for 32,125 Jeep Wrangler hybrids from model years 2021 to 2023 due to potential internal failures in their high-voltage batteries. Around 1% of those vehicles—about 321 units—were suspected to have the defect. If your Jeep was also recalled at that time, you will need to bring it back to the dealership for this new recall.

Battery fires in electric and hybrid vehicles are a growing concern

Other car-related battery fires have made headlines recently. As Hurricane Helene devastates Florida and other parts of the East Coast, electric and hybrid cars have been exposed to saltwater. Saltwater and lithium-ion batteries mix poorly, leading to short-circuit fires that are difficult for firefighters to extinguish. The simpler solution is to wait until all of the flammable battery material burns out.

During Hurricane Idalia in 2023, a Tesla in Florida caught fire after being submerged in saltwater. Firefighters reported, “We sprayed about 200 gallons per minute at the car, and it took us about 45 minutes to extinguish.”

How to find out if your Jeep is affected

If you want to make sure your Jeep won’t catch your garage on fire, you can check if it’s part of the recall on the NHTSA website before Stellantis sends out the official letter.