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Jeep Owners Face Growing Recall Reality: Park Outside, in Case of Vehicle Fires — WSJ
Jeep Owners Face Growing Recall Reality: Park Outside, in Case of Vehicle Fires — WSJ
About this update from Stellantis N.v.
By Ellie Davis and Ryan FeltonJoe Garza II finally fulfilled a dream in April when he acquired a Jeep Gladiator, a truck he has always wanted. Now, he is dealing with a concerning edict from the company that made it: keep the Jeep parked outside and away from his home, lest it burst into flames, even while turned off."The first payment is due in a couple days," said Garza, 42 years old, who lives on 3 1/2 acres of land in Victoria, Texas, and has also dealt with transmission problems with his Jeep. "And I don't want it."Garza's Gladiator is among one million other Jeeps recalled this week because they might catch fire. The Jeep recall applies to Wranglers and Gladiators manufactured between 2021 and 2025.It is the latest in a sharp uptick of safety campaigns in recent years by U.S. car companies that include a warning to drivers to park outside.Since 2020, more than 90 recalls have been issued by automakers for more than 11 million vehicles with such an alert, according to data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the top U.S. auto-safety regulator.Vehicles from Jeep's parent company Stellantis account for roughly 20% of these cars. They are eclipsed only by a recall campaign earlier this decade by Hyundai Motor over a similar fire risk. General Motors also conducted several rounds of recalls for its electric Chevrolet Bolt EV and EUV models over a fire risk.In the case of the latest Jeep recall, NHTSA said this week that it was aware of 51 fires and one injury that were likely tied to the issue. Stellantis said an internal investigation identified a connection issue in the wiring of the cars' electric hydraulic power steering pump.In rare cases, the wiring could overheat and cause a fire, even when the vehicle isn't running, the automaker said. In one complaint reported to NHTSA, a California resident said a 2022 Jeep Gladiator went up in flames while parked inside a garage.Stellantis said it anticipates a solution will be developed by next month.Last fall, Jeep recalled more than 300,000 plug-in hybrid Wrangler and Grand Cherokee vehicles with a similar park-outside order.But being ordered to "park away from structures or other vehicles," as the recall notice puts it, is easier said than done.Finding a parking spot away from other cars at work is impossible, Garza said. At home, when he leaves for work at 4 a.m., the 25-yard walk to ...