America’s most popular plug-in hybrid (PHEV) is facing another battery recall. Jeep recently announced recall “B9A” (also known as National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recall 23V-787) for the Wrangler 4xe. This recall is quite serious as it addresses a fire risk linked to the 4xe’s 17.3kWh battery. Until the issue is resolved, owners are advised to stop charging their vehicles and to park them outside, away from other cars.
If the high-voltage battery fails internally, it could lead to a vehicle fire, regardless of whether the ignition is on or off. Such a fire poses a risk of injury to occupants or people near the vehicle and could also cause property damage. Until the final repair is made, owners should avoid recharging their vehicles and not park them inside buildings or near other cars.
Stellantis, Jeep’s parent company, has reported eight cases of 4xe battery fires, with six occurring during charging. More than 42,000 Wranglers 4xes are being recalled, mainly in the U.S., although only about 1% are expected to have the potential fire-causing issue. The proposed solution involves installing new software, and if a specific problem is detected afterward, the entire battery will be replaced.
If you own a Wrangler 4xe, you can check if your car is affected by entering your VIN on the Jeep recall website. However, Jeep is still in the process of distributing the necessary software to dealers. You can sign up to be notified when the software becomes available, but this uncertainty may not provide much comfort to owners who now realize their car has a fire risk, no matter how small.
Even a minor fire risk can make owners anxious. Personally, my 2022 Wrangler 4xe is among those affected, and like many city dwellers, I don’t have the option to park it outside or away from buildings. Hopefully, the software update will be ready soon so I can get the necessary fix. Until then, I won’t be charging my car, which is unfortunate because the 4xe’s small battery significantly improves fuel economy for short city drives.
This is not the first recall for the 4xe’s battery system. Just over a year ago, Jeep issued recall “Z71” to replace incorrect fasteners on the hybrid battery that could have caused it to fail, resulting in a complete power loss while driving. That recall required a simple inspection and replacement of the fasteners, but it took more than a month from notification to resolution.
On the bright side, the previous recall appears to have been successfully resolved, including on my own car, and this latest recall only affects some 4xes. Jeep has been using this particular hybrid battery for the Wrangler 4xe for four model years now, so it’s a familiar system and presumably well-understood.
This situation highlights the challenges we face as we transition to PHEVs and EVs. Large batteries can be dangerous if not properly constructed and managed, and even the most experienced automakers can encounter problems.