European carmaker Stellantis has issued a recall for 91,787 Jeep Grand Cherokee plug-in hybrid SUVs across the United States due to a software malfunction that could result in sudden loss of drive power, affecting model years 2022 through 2026.
News of the fault comes as the embattled automaker faces mounting operational challenges under new CEO Antonio Filosa.
A software error can cause "a vehicle to crash without prior warning" due to an unexpected loss of propulsion, though as of 18th August, the company is not aware of any other crashes or injuries linked to the problem.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration states that “a Battery Pack Control Module reset which is incorrectly interpreted by the Hybrid Control Processor may cause a loss of propulsion”, stemming from an overloading of the battery pack control module microprocessor, causing it to reset.
When this occurs, the hybrid control processor can misinterpret signals from the battery pack control module, potentially resulting in complete power loss during driving.
“You bought a Jeep?” “We bought Jeep…”
The recall adds to a growing list of quality concerns for Stellantis vehicles.
In January 2025, the company recalled more than 63,000 Jeep Cherokees because of a defect that causes the vehicles to lose power and impede parking.
That earlier recall affected 2017-2019 Jeep Cherokee vehicles due to issues with power transfer units.
Again in July, Jeep issued a recall for 121,398 Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L SUVs from model years 2023-2024 because their second-row headrests weren't locking in place properly.
Jeep vehicles were also the subject of several recalls in 2024, including a recall of 338,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees in February 2024 that involved a ball joint issue that could result in a loss of control by the driver.
New leadership under pressure
The recall announcement comes as Antonio Filosa officially took over as Stellantis CEO on 23rd June, succeeding Carlos Tavares, who unexpectedly resigned in December after a sharp drop in profit.
Filosa announced his new Stellantis Leadership Team on his first day as CEO, drawing on the deep bench of industry expertise from Stellantis' teams around the world.
The leadership change highlights Filosa's effort to put his own team in place as Stellantis works to rebound in its most critical markets.
Filosa will continue to manage directly the automaker's North American operations and oversee its traditional U.S. brands - Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep and Ram from Auburn Hills - a significant shift from predecessor Tavares, who was based in Europe.
Stellantis continues to grapple with severe financial challenges beyond Jeep's ongoing recall issues.
The Franco-Italian conglomerate posted a devastating €2.3 billion net loss (US$2.5 billion) for the first half of 2025, marking a dramatic reversal from the €5.6 billion profit recorded in the same period last year.
U.S. tariffs have inflicted an additional €0.3 billion impact while forcing production adjustments that have reduced planned output.
In Q1 2025, Stellanti14% decline in revenues year-over-year, and also suspended its 2025 financial guidance, citing uncertainties surrounding tariffs.
