Some Jeep Cherokee Models Recalled Over Fire Risk, Owners Encouraged To Park Outside
According to the NHTSA (National Highway Traffic Safety Administration), upwards of 132,099 Jeep Cherokees from the 2014-2016 model years with a power liftgate are being recalled for a potential fire risk.
The power liftgate module, also called the PLGM, could potentially short out and cause a fire even if the vehicle is off. Jeep owners are encouraged to park their Cherokees outside until a fix has been found. Fortunately, no injuries have been reported to the NHTSA related to the potential fire risk.
NHTSA documentation states that reports of the power liftgate malfunction date back to July of 2017 and are as recent as January of this year. It has been under official investigation by the administration since January of last year. Earlier this month, FCA US (also known as Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep) decided it would issue a recall on all the Cherokees that potentially had the defect.
No fix has been developed yet for affected models
As of now, the fix for the issue is still being developed. At best, the power lift gate may just stop working if the module shorts, butat worst, it can catch on fire. Stellantis is being serious with the recommendations to park your Cherokee outside until the fix arrives. As with all recalls, the fix (when it becomes available) is on the automaker's dime. Stellantis will refund affected owners for the cost of getting the PLGM fixed, according to the NHTSA safety report.
Safety recalls are an unfortunate yet common part of vehicle ownership, and everything from Honda, to Porsche, and Tesla have been the subject of a recall. If you think that your vehicle may be affected by a recall, or you are just curious, you can always enter your VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) into the NHTSA's website to check. There are laws in place that protect you as a customer when a vehicle is recalled.