More Than 132K Jeep Cherokee SUVs Recalled Again for Fire Risk
Jeep says owners should park outside until a fix is ready.
Stellantis is recalling more than 132,000 Jeep Cherokees at risk of catching fire due to an electrical problem that a previous recall failed to fix. The company instructs owners to park their vehicles outdoors until the problem can be addressed, though no repair is available yet.
Issued last Thursday, the recall concerns the power liftgate module used in some 2014-2016 Jeep Cherokees. As originally built, water could find its way into the power liftgate module and cause an electrical short. A recall in 2015 attempted to fix that issue by replacing the module's organic resin cover with a waterproof one, as well as any corroded connectors.
That repair may not have fixed the problem, as the new recall warns that the short could cause a fire in the power liftgate module when the ignition is on or off. Owners are advised that a nonfunctional power liftgate could be a sign of fire risk, and Jeep instructs owners to park their vehicles away from structures or other vehicles until they can be repaired.
According to the NHTSA recall documents, 132,099 vehicles may be affected. No fix is available yet, but one is in development. Letters informing owners are expected to be mailed starting June 30.
The outgoing model of Jeep Cherokee was discontinued in March, seemingly ending the nameplate's 49-year history. Jeep emphasized that it will remain involved in the segment the Cherokee occupied, but whether the future model will carry forward the name is unknown. Jeep's immediate future will be focused on bringing about a quartet of EVs for the U.S. market, though no obvious replacement for the compact Cherokee has been announced. With battery prices still high, an affordable electric equivalent may be further out than you think.
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