Chrysler recalls 320,000 SUVs, telling owners to park outside over battery fire risk

Chrysler is recalling 320,065 Jeep Wranglers and Grand Cherokees because the plug-in hybrid SUVs’ high-voltage batteries could fail, potentially causing a fire while a vehicle is parked or in motion, according to federal regulators. 

The affected vehicles include the Jeep Wrangler 4Xe for model years 2000-2025 and the Grand Cherokee 4Xe from 2022-2026. 

Owners should park the vehicles outside and away from structures, and not charge the cars until they are fixed, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) said in a recall notice. The agency said a fix for the issue is currently under development, but didn’t specify when it might be available to vehicle owners. 

The recall notice said that an estimated 5% of the recall cars may have the defect. Chrysler said it has received 19 reports of fires linked to the batteries and of one injury, although the documents didn’t disclose details about that incident.  

“Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures and not to charge their vehicles until the remedy is completed,” NHTSA said.

Chrysler, which is owned by automaker Stellantis, said that notification letters alerting owners to the risks will be mailed Dec. 2, while additional letters will be sent once a remedy is available. 

According to NHTSA, the recalled Jeep Wranglers and Grand Cherokees were built with a high-voltage battery pack manufactured with cells that could be susceptible to damage, which can lead to vehicle fires. 

For more information, owners can contact Chrysler customer service at 800-853-1403; the company’s number for the recall is 68C.