The Garage Danger: Why Your Jeep Needs to Stay Outdoors
Automotive giant Stellantis has issued an urgent safety warning that changes the daily parking routines of over a million drivers. Out of an abundance of caution, the automaker is telling specific vehicle owners that the safest spot for their vehicle is completely away from their homes.
According to data released by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), Stellantis is launching a massive worldwide safety recall impacting more than 1.3 million Jeep vehicles. The underlying safety issue involves a critical electrical hardware defect that can cause the vehicle to spontaneously catch fire—even when the ignition is turned off, the key is removed, and the vehicle is locked and sitting empty in a driveway.
Understanding the Recall Scope: Models and Global Dispersal
The safety campaign specifically focuses on highly popular off-road segments manufactured over a multi-year window. The affected vehicle group includes both standard utility models and open-bed midsize pickups:
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2021–2025 Jeep Wrangler SUVs
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2021–2025 Jeep Gladiator Trucks
The scale of the hardware defect requires a sweeping global distribution network to coordinate parts. Because the targeted manufacturing window spans nearly four full model years, the recall covers 1,076,999 units across the United States alone. The remaining volume of the 1.3 million total unit pull is segmented across international borders, including roughly 106,000 vehicles in Canada, 23,000 units in Mexico, and approximately 125,000 vehicles operating across other global markets.
The Engineering Flaw: Overheating Power Steering Pumps
The root cause of the structural hazard is a loose electrical connection within the vehicle’s electric hydraulic power steering pump (EHPS) wiring harness. Engineering teardowns conducted by the manufacturer revealed that the plug headers were originally built slightly out of specified factory tolerances.
Over time, daily road vibrations can cause this specialized wiring connection to degrade or shake loose. When the physical connection becomes unstable, it creates an area of high electrical resistance. In rare operational profiles, this resistance builds up extreme, concentrated heat energy. If the wire harness melts, the thermal energy can quickly compromise surrounding flammable fluids or engine bay insulation, ultimately sparking a structural engine fire.
| Total Global Recall Volume | Confirmed Incidents to Date | Official Safety Mandate for Owners |
| 1.3 Million+ Units (1.08M in the U.S.) | 72 Thermal Events / 1 Reported Injury | Park completely outdoors, away from structures and other vehicles |
The Regulatory U-Turn: How the Flaw Reopened
This safety action marks a major shift for federal regulators, who have been monitoring reports of engine bay fires for years. The NHTSA initially opened a preliminary safety evaluation focused on roughly 800,000 older 2021–2023 model-year Wranglers and Gladiators. However, because early incident rates remained statistically low, that initial inquiry was closed without requiring formal manufacturer action.
The regulatory stance flipped completely following a sudden uptick in validated field incidents tracking back to the exact same electrical plug. Confronted with a growing paper trail that reached 72 separate fire reports and at least one documented physical injury, federal inspectors reopened the case. By the close of May, safety investigators officially determined that the power steering defect posed an unreasonable risk to public safety, leaving Stellantis no choice but to initiate a formal recall.
Jeep owners should remain alert for early warning signs of the defect, such as an unprompted “Service Power Steering” warning notification popping up on their instrument cluster or a sudden, unexpected loss of power steering assist while driving.
Authorized dealership networks are prepared to inspect the steering pump sub-assemblies and completely replace the wiring harnesses or the entire electric hydraulic power steering pump assembly free of charge. Official owner notification letters are scheduled to land in mailboxes starting July 9, 2026, as remedy parts become widely available across local service centers.
