Jeep Warns Certain Plug-in Hybrid Owners to Park Outside After 13 Fires

A safety issue has prompted Jeep to recall nearly 200,000 Wrangler 4xes and Grand Cherokee 4xes worldwide, over 14,000 of which are located in Canada. The issue relates to the high voltage system in these plug-in hybrid vehicles and could lead to a fire.

Transport Canada reports that certain Wrangler 4xes from the 2020-2024 model years and certain Grand Cherokee 4xes from the 2022-2024 model years might catch fire due to a problem in the battery. Unfortunately, a fire can ignite whether the vehicle is on or off.

Stellantis, Jeep’s parent company, estimates that five per cent of the above vehicles might be affected by the issue that leads to fires, and revealed that an internal investigation found 13 instances of fire related to this issue. According to Transport Canada even owners who previously received a fix under recall number 2023-627 should be aware of this latest recall, as the repair might not have been effective.

Stellantis notes that vehicles with a depleted battery are less likely to catch fire. As a result, it recommends that owners of affected vehicles do not charge their batteries. However, since a fire can occur even when the vehicle is parked, Jeep advises owners to park outside and away from any structures.

A remedy is imminent, according to the automaker, and it will involve an update to the high-voltage battery pack software that will be installed by a dealer technician. Where necessary, Stellantis will also replace the batteries on affected Jeep vehicles.

If you want to know if your vehicle is affected by this recall, you can check its VIN on Mopar’s website.