Jeep Wrangler 4xe Recalled Due to Weird Engine Stalling Issue
The Jeep Wrangler 4xe has proven to be one of the most popular plug-in hybrid vehicles on the market since launching two years ago, but it’s far from perfect and trouble-free. A weird software issue now may cause the engine to stall suddenly and without warning.
Jeep confirms that this problem affects 2021-2023 Wrangler 4xe models built from September 2, 2020 to August 17, 2022. Nearly 63,000 units will be recalled in the U.S. and an additional 7,254 in Canada, which is the majority of the population currently on the road.
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The company started getting reports of Wrangler 4xes losing power in September 2021 and opened an investigation a few weeks later. According to Carscoops, there have been at least two accidents and one injury potentially related to the issue so far, not to mention 112 customer assistance records, 196 warranty claims and 65 field reports.
Official documents sent to the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reveal that the engine shutdown and resulting power loss are caused by diagnostic reactions to faults caused by a lack of communication.
The units being recalled will need an update to the calibration software in the Transmission Control Module, Hybrid Control Processor and Auxiliary Hybrid Control Processor. Those manufactured after August 17 of this year already have the new software.
Earlier this fall, Jeep announced a separate Wrangler 4xe recall affecting 1,885 vehicles in Canada. The high-voltage battery fuse can overheat and fail, also causing a loss of power. Following an inspection, dealers will replace the fuse assembly or the high-voltage battery pack altogether if necessary.
At the moment, it doesn’t appear that other Jeep models equipped with a plug-in hybrid system, such as the Grand Cherokee 4xe, are affected by either of these problems.
