Jeep recalls nearly 63,000 Wrangler 4xe PHEVs owing to engine shutdown issue
Jeep has issued a recall programme affecting 62,909 units of the Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrid models in the US. The petrol engine onboard these affected PHEV SUVs is prone to turn off due to what the manufacturer calls a loss of communication. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has reported that the affected SUVs can experience an engine shutdown condition caused by the vehicle's software diagnostic reactions to faults due to loss of communication. Such incidents of losing power while driving can be a major risk. In the meantime, owing to this problem, Jeep has also issued a nationwide stop-sale order for the Wrangler 4xe.
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The affected Jeep Wrangler 4xe PHEV SUVs were built between 2nd September 2020 and 17th August 2022. However, the non-hybrid Jeep Wrangler is not part of this recall campaign, said the automaker. It also said that due to the problem, the company has already received 196 warranty claims and 65 field reports. Apart from that, two accidents and one injury have been reported, potentially linked to the defect in the Jeep Wrangler 4xe PHEVs.
While the precise reason behind the problem remains vague, the automaker's recall indicates that the fix would be relatively straightforward. Jeep has said that the dealers will update the calibration software in the transmission control module, hybrid control pressure and auxiliary hybrid control processor. Owners of the affected vehicles will receive an official email from the Stellantis-owned brand starting on January 12, 2023. Also, those who have already paid to fix the problem in their SUVs will be eligible to claim a refund.
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The Jeep Wrangler is one of the bestselling models from the brand, and the Wrangler 4xe comes as one of the key models under the automaker's electrification strategy. The Jeep Wrangler 4xe pairs a 2.0-litre turbocharged four-cylinder internal combustion engine with a 100 kW electric motor that draws energy from a 17 kWh battery pack. The petrol engine is mated to an eight-speed transmission. It is claimed to travel up to 35 km range on electric power alone. The PHEV powertrain can churn 375 hp of peak power and 637 Nm of peak torque. The electric motor alone can generate 134 hp of maximum power.
