Jeep has announced a massive global recall of about 375,000 plug-in hybrid SUVs after uncovering a serious fire risk linked to Samsung-made batteries. The recall includes Wrangler 4xe models built between 2020 and 2025 and Grand Cherokee 4xe models from 2022 to 2026 — two of the brand’s most popular electrified vehicles.
According to Jeep’s parent company Stellantis, the move follows 19 confirmed fires and one reported injury tied to the issue. Until repairs are ready, owners are being urged to park their vehicles outdoors and avoid charging them as a precaution.
A Safety Alert on a Global Scale
Most of the affected SUVs — roughly 320,000 units — are in the United States, with another 20,000 or so in Canada and the rest scattered across other markets. Stellantis says a fix is in the works and should roll out in December 2025, once replacement parts and procedures are approved. Owners will be notified directly when their vehicles are eligible for repair.
In the meantime, the company is stressing that these are preventive measures meant to reduce any risk of fire while engineers complete testing on the long-term solution.
What Went Wrong
The issue comes down to a defect inside the Samsung-supplied battery packs — specifically, damage to the thin separator that keeps the cells from short-circuiting. When that barrier fails, the result can be an internal short and, in rare cases, a thermal event, or fire.
Investigators from Stellantis and Samsung SDI found that nine of the fires involved vehicles that had already been repaired during a 2024 recall, while ten others were from vehicles not covered in that campaign. Samsung SDI said the defect appears to stem from a combination of separator damage and complex chemical interactions within the battery cells, though the investigation is still ongoing.
A Pattern Jeep Needs to Break
This isn’t the first time Jeep’s plug-in hybrids have faced scrutiny. Just weeks earlier, the company recalled 25,000 Wrangler 4xe SUVs over a software update that could cause the system to lose power while driving. And vehicles from the 2023 and 2024 recalls will now need another inspection under the latest safety action.
Even though only about 5% of the recalled vehicles are believed to be at real risk, Stellantis says that’s still far too many when lives and property are involved.
The Bigger Picture
As the auto industry races toward electrification, battery reliability remains one of its toughest challenges. Each incident like this highlights the fine line automakers must walk between innovation and safety. For Jeep, this recall is a stark reminder that earning consumer trust in the EV era means getting every detail right — especially the ones you can’t see.
