Due to a fire risk, Stellantis will recall over 1.3 million Jeep SUVs and pickup trucks globally, and advises owners to park their vehicles outdoors, away from buildings and other vehicles, until the repair solution is implemented.
According to documents filed by Stellantis with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on June 9, the recall covers 2021 to 2025 model year Jeep Wrangler SUVs and Jeep Gladiator pickup trucks. The root cause is a defect in the electrical connector of the electro-hydraulic power steering pump circuit. Stellantis stated that in rare cases, this defect can cause flammable components to overheat, leading to vehicle fires. The company added that a loose electrical connector can cause the connector to melt, ultimately triggering a vehicle fire. Customer service records and field feedback reports indicate that at least 72 vehicle fire incidents are suspected to be related to this defect, resulting in one injury.
Stellantis’ global recall totals over 1.3 million vehicles, including approximately 1.08 million in the U.S. market, 106,000 in Canada, 23,000 in Mexico, and the remaining 125,000 in other global markets.
The NHTSA launched an investigation as early as September 2024 into nearly 800,000 2021 to 2023 model year Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles due to engine fire risks. The regulator noted that the power steering pump circuit in these vehicles could overheat and cause a fire even when the vehicle is turned off and parked.
Stellantis stated that from 2023 to early 2024, the company had investigated some fire cases involving Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles but suspended the investigation due to the low incidence rate. In August 2024, a surge in failure cases related to the electrical connector prompted the company to resume the investigation.
Over the past year, Stellantis has conducted extensive root cause analysis and testing, including repurchasing faulty vehicles, recovering and disassembling parts for analysis, performing CT and X-ray inspections, material testing, full vehicle design reviews, and various experiments, until now
Stellantis’ recall repair process includes circuit inspection, and repair or replacement of the wiring harness and electro-hydraulic power steering pump as necessary. The group is accelerating the production of repair parts and expects to provide a complete recall remedy plan by July of this year at the latest.
