Jeep is warning owners to park outdoors after recalling more than 194,000 plug-in hybrid SUVs worldwide because they can catch on fire, even when the ignition is turned off.
There were reports of 13 fires and two injuries that may be linked to the problem, according to the U.S. federal safety officials.
Jeep is warning owners not to charge the SUVs because there is less of a fire hazard when the battery is depleted.
Owners should also park the recalled vehicles outdoors and away from structures or other vehicles until they are fixed.
The recall includes certain 2020-2024 model-year Jeep Wranglers and 2022-2024 model-year Jeep Grand Cherokee plug-in hybrids, which includes about 154,000 vehicles in the United States.
The recall also involves about 32,000 Jeep Wrangler plug-in hybrid vehicles that were previously recalled in 2023 for a software update.
Those vehicles have been recalled again because Stellantis determined that the software update “is ineffective at detecting certain abnormalities” in the battery that could lead to a fire.
Stellantis explained that the defect involves damage to the battery cell separator. About 5% of the recalled vehicles may have the defect.
The repair will involve a software update and replacing the battery pack assembly, if necessary. Owners should expect to receive a recall notice in the mail on October 17, 2024.
Source: Jeep owners should park outside pending recall fix, US agency says