Stellantis Recalling Certain 2014-2016 Jeep Cherokee SUVs Over Fire Risks

Stellantis is recalling more than 200,000 2014-2016 Jeep Cherokees worldwide because of problems with the power liftgates. The recall only affects certain models and not all Jeep Cherokee SUVs. Jeep is also telling owners of those vehicles to park outside and away from other vehicles and structures because they can catch fire even if the engine isn’t running.

Electrical Problem Forcing Recall of Certain 2014-2016 Jeep Cherokee SUVs

Jeep and parent company Stellantis notified the National Highway Transportation and Safety Administration about the fire risk. According to the Associated Press, Jeep says water can get into the liftgate control computer, causing an electrical short that can touch off a fire.

It’s not clear how many of the small SUVs have caught fire. Stellantis says in documents posted Tuesday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration that it has 50 customer assistance records, 23 warranty claims and 21 field reports due to the issue. The company says it’s not aware of any injuries.

The company says it hasn’t developed a fix yet. Owners will get notification letters starting June 30. Stellantis says the problem was caught in a routine review of customer data.

The power liftgates may stop working before the SUVs catch fire.

How Stellantis and Jeep Will Fix the Problem

The issue has been frustrating for owners and the company. Stellantis recalled many of the same vehicles in 2015 to fix a similar problem. Evidentally, there is a larger issue. Owners will start getting notification letters after June 30th. After that, owners will be notified when the company has a way to fix the liftgate control computer. All repairs will be made free of charge.

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