The US government’s automotive safety agency is investigating potential “power loss” issues in over 94,000 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vehicles, with complaints received involving cars within the previously recalled range.
According to the report by the Associated Press on July 9, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) stated that it initiated a recall query last Friday to “assess the severity of the alleged defect” and the effectiveness of the remedies provided in the earlier announced recall.
As early as November 2022, NHTSA announced a recall of nearly 63,000 2021-2023 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vehicles equipped with plug-in hybrid engines. At that time, NHTSA documents warned that these vehicles might experience engine shutdowns or sudden power loss while driving.
As a remedial measure for affected vehicle owners, they provided calibration software updates, but complaints have continued to increase since then. In a recall query summary released by NHTSA’s Defects Investigation Office this week, it was noted that 68 vehicle owners reported engine power loss issues in Jeep Wrangler 4xe vehicles from 2021 to 2024.
According to NHTSA, these malfunction complaints involve vehicles that have already received remedies after the 2022 recall and other vehicles as well. The regulatory agency also pointed out that the failure reporting rate of Wrangler vehicles outside the previous recall range is higher than that of the recalled vehicles.
NHTSA estimates that about 94,275 2021-2024 Jeep Wrangler 4xe vehicles may be affected. A spokesperson for the agency confirmed on Tuesday that all vehicles recalled in 2022 are within the scope of the investigation.
The Associated Press reached out to Stellantis, the owner of Jeep, and a spokesperson stated that the company is cooperating with NHTSA.
The engine shutdown issue is not the only recall problem Jeep Wrangler 4xe owners have faced in recent years. In November 2023, Stellantis announced a recall of over 32,000 such hybrid SUVs due to potential fire risks.