Stellantis brand Chrysler recalled more than 300,000 plug-in hybrid Jeeps, warning owners to park them outside due to fire risk.
The automaker said it’s gotten 19 reports this year of fires and one injury potentially related to a battery issue in the vehicles, some of which an earlier recall failed to adequately repair. That software fix doesn’t detect some battery abnormalities, Chrysler said in documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
Cells in the high-voltage battery pack can develop separator damage, which can combine with other cell interactions to result in fire. The risk wanes when the battery charge is drained, so owners are also being advised against recharging the batteries.
Chrysler recalled certain 2020 to 2025 Jeep Wrangler 4Xes and 2022 to 2026 Grand Cherokee 4Xes as it develops a remedy for the issue. It estimated 5% of the vehicle population has the defect in question.
Owners will be warned to park the vehicles outside and away from structures and other vehicles in the meantime. Chrysler is scheduled to mail safety notices to owners on Dec. 2 and will send recall notices once the remedy is ready. Vehicle identification numbers will be searchable on NHTSA’s website starting on Nov. 6.
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