Stellantis recalls nearly 220,000 Jeep Cherokee SUVs worldwide due to fire risk
ASSOCIATED PRESS
This is the Jeep logo on the front end of a Jeep Cherokee on display at the Pittsburgh International Auto Show in Pittsburgh, in February 2016. Stellantis is telling owners of nearly 220,000 Jeep Cherokee SUVs worldwide, today, to park them outdoors and away from other vehicles because the power liftgates can catch fire even when the engines are off.
DETROIT >> Stellantis is telling owners of nearly 220,000 Jeep Cherokee SUVs worldwide to park them outdoors and away from other vehicles because the power liftgates can catch fire even when the engines are off.
The company is recalling certain Cherokees from the 2014 through 2016 model years. Water can get into the liftgate control computer, causing an electrical short that can touch off a fire.
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.
It’s not clear how many of the small SUVs have caught fire. Stellantis says in documents posted today 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 power liftgates may stop working before the SUVs catch fire.
Stellantis recalled many of the same vehicles in 2015 to fix a similar problem.
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