Jeep Recalls Cars

It seems that the folks at Jeep (Stellantis) can’t seem to catch a break when it comes to recalls. Just a month ago, the company announced a recall for the Grand Cherokee L due to an issue with its high beams, affecting a little over 7,000 units. This time around, the scale of the recall is much larger, and it involves nearly 100,000 vehicles.

Are you experiencing trouble with your Jeep Grand Cherokee L’s high beams? Fret not, because Chrysler (FCA US, LLC) has issued a recall to remedy this issue. This comes just after a month when the same vehicle was also recalled for issues surrounding its rearview camera.

It was just last April that we learned of a potential issue with the shifter used in the 2012 to 2013 Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger, and the 2014 to 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee. The problem with the shifter is that it is spring loaded, so it returns to a centered position after gear selection and according to the NHTSA, the “Monostable shifter is not intuitive and provides poor tactile and visual feedback to the driver, increasing the potential for unintended gear selection.” FCA issued a voluntary recall for some 1.1 million vehicles, and one of the Jeep Grand Cherokees recalled could have been owned by Anton Yelchin – a young actor who was just killed in a roll-away accident involving his 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee.

Preliminary reports from the Los Angeles Police Department claim that Yelchin exited his car outside of his home around 1:10 a.m. Pacific time, at which point the vehicle proceeded to roll backward and crushed him against a brick pillar and a security fence. His injuries were traumatic, and Yelchin died at the scene. He was found by friends who came looking for him when he failed to show up for rehearsal. He was 27 years old and has acted in movies such as Like Crazy and Alpha Dog, as well as recent Star Trek films.

This is an unfortunate occurrence, and it just goes to show how auto manufacturers need to take things a little more seriously when it comes to design and integration of controls. Sure, FCA voluntarily recalled the affected vehicles and sent out a recall notice along with a reprint of instructions for the shifter that can be found in the owner’s manual. Sources indicate that the recall itself would include adding a chime that will go off when the driver’s door is open and the transmission isn’t in park, and a software update that will prevent the vehicle from rolling under different circumstances.

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Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is recalling nearly 500,000 Jeep Wrangler JKs for an issue with its airbag deployment. According to the automaker, the clockspring wiring connector inside the steering column can become clogged with dirt, leading to the driver’s side airbag failing to deploy.

Thankfully no injuries or accidents have been reported.

FCA says the issue is especially prone to happen on Wrangler’s that see extended off-roading with their tops or doors removed. An illuminated airbag warning light is a telltale sign of an issue, though is not a definitive sign either way.

The recall specifically covers 392,464 U.S.-based Wranglers from the 2007-2010 model years and 7,435 right-hand-drive postal service Wranglers from 2011-2016. Outside the U.S., another 35,412 Wranglers in Canada, 8,529 Wranglers in Mexico, and 62,580 Wranglers outside North America are said to be affected.

The clockspring wiring connector allows for a continuously wired connection despite the turning of the steering wheel. The ribbon-style harness controls everything from the horn and steering wheel controls, to the airbag.

Like with any recall, Wrangler owners are strongly encouraged to have the problem fixed at their local dealership. Owners can search recalls.mopar.com or safercar.gov with their VIN to check whether their specific vehicle is involved in the recall. Of course, any repairs done under recall are free to the owner.

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In order to help boost the number of vehicles being brought in for recall services, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles is offering various incentives to customers who participate in mandated safety recalls.

In light of the recent hack demonstration on the 2014 Jeep Cherokee, Fiat Chrysler has issued a recall for nearly 1.4 million FCA vehicles in the U.S. The recall’s remedy is to install an update to the Uconnect infotainment software with the goal of stopping any such attacks from actually taking place.

The demonstration by Wired magazine showed how two hackers were able to wirelessly control the Cherokee via a laptop, over the Jeep’s Internet connection. The hackers were able to control small features like radio volume and HVAC fan speed, along with major systems like engine, transmission and even braking functions.

While it took these two hackers more than a year to write the code, FCA and government agencies like the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have not taken the threat lightly. The NHTSA in fact, is urging lawmakers to set new regulations to protect vehicles against outside hackings.

You can input your VIN on Chrysler’s website to see if your vehicle is under the recall. If so, you can download the software update onto a USB thumb drive and install it yourself, or elect to receive a USB in the mail. If you’re not into DIY fixes, you can take your car to your FCA dealership for the update as well. On top of updating individual vehicles, FCA and its cellular provider have taken measures to secure cell-to-vehicle communications.

Still, I encourage you to ensure your vehicle is up to date. The range of effected vehicles includes everything from the Dodge Viper all the way to the Ram 3500 Chassis cab.

Continue reading for a full list of affected vehicles.

Jeep may have another safety issue on its hands after the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received nine complaints of 2014-model-year Jeep Grand Cherokees suddenly braking with no warning and with no hazards in front of them. Causing this issue is the Grand Cherokee’s adaptive cruise control with automatic emergency braking.

In an effort to explore the issue, the NHTSA has posted notice of a probe, which covers roughly 20,000 Grand Cherokees from the 2014 model year. Thankfully, there are no reported injuries or wrecks associated with the issue.

According to a report by the Associated Press, several of the nine complaints logged with the NHTSA say the emergency braking system malfunctions multiple times during a drive.

One complaint reads, "I was driving on the freeway going 65 mph with no cars around me or in sight. All of the sudden the car dashboard said Brake! And the car applied the ABS brakes and abruptly slowed the car down to 40 mph! I was so scared at that point."

Other complaints state that dealerships have not been able to duplicate or fix the problem. One goes on to say the dealer found a whopping 57 diagnostic trouble codes in a particular Grand Cherokee’s computer.

FCA spokesman Eric Mayne told the AP that Grand Cherokee owners who have experienced the problem should take their vehicle to the dealership for evaluation. Mayne also said owners can opt to completely deactivate the automatic braking system should the desire.

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Jeep is again having transmission software woes related to the nine-speed automatic derived from the popular ZF eight-speed. This time, the issues surround the 2015 Renegade – Jeep’s version of the Fiat 500L and 500X. FCA had very similar problems with the Cherokee during its rollout back in 2013. And as before, the issues are keeping dealerships from receiving inventory.