Jeep Grand Cherokee Investigations
NHTSA Office of Defects Investigation records
Vehicle rollaway, engine on
On April 22, 2016, Fiat Chrysler Automotive US LLC, (FCA) submitted a Defect Information Report (DIR) to NHTSA regarding a defect that could result in unattended vehicle rollaway with the engine running in approximately 811,586 model year (MY) 2012 to 2014 Dodge Charger and Chrysler 300 vehicles and MY 2014 to 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles equipped with 8-speed transmissions and a monostable gear selector (NHTSA Recall #16V-240, FCA Recall #S27). According to FCA's DIR, The existing strategies built into these vehicles to deter drivers from exiting the vehicle after failing to put the transmission into PARK have not stopped some from doing so. Drivers erroneously concluding that their vehicle's transmission is in the PARK position may be struck by the vehicle and injured if they attempt to get out of the vehicle while the engine is running and the parking brake is not engaged.The vehicles recalled by FCA are equipped with Monostable electronic (shift-by-wire) gearshift assemblies supplied by ZF Group (see Figure 1).The subject Monostable shifter has a single neutral position that it snaps back to when the driver releases the shift knob.Although the Monostable gearshift has the
Desiccated Air Bag Inflator Rupture
From 2000 through 2017, Takata produced millions of air bag inflators using two types of phase-stabilized ammonium nitrate ("PSAN") propellant -- propellant 2004 and propellant 2004L. After prolonged exposure to high temperature cycles and humidity, inflators using propellant 2004 can degrade, causing the propellant to burn too quickly when ignited. The rapid burning can cause the inflator to rupture during deployment, potentially causing serious or even fatal injury to vehicle occupants. See 2016 Blomquist Report at www.nhtsa.gov/sites/nhtsa.gov/files/documents/expert_report-hrblomquist.pdf.Consequently, all frontal inflators using propellant 2004 that do not contain a "desiccant" (a substance that traps and holds moisture) in US vehicles are under recall. These "non-desiccated" inflators either have been or are required to be replaced.In some cases, the remedy part for these recalled inflators was, or will be, an inflator using either propellant 2004 or 2004L that does contain a desiccant. None of these "desiccated" remedy parts (which were installed in older model year vehicles) are currently under recall for a degradation concern. Certain subsets of desiccated PSAN inflators us
High pressure fuel pump failure
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE21-021 on October 14, 2021, to investigate incidents alleging a stall/loss of motive power as a result of high-pressure fuel pump failures in certain model year (MY) 2019-2020 Ram 2500, 3500, 4500, and 5500 heavy duty trucks equipped with 6.7L Cummins turbodiesel engines. During the investigation, ODI sought to determine if the related defect allegation was limited in scope to the recalled population. After review of information request response materials from both FCA and BMW, NHTSA determined that sufficient information to identify a comprehensive recall population could not be produced by FCA and BMW.During the investigation FCA filed recalls 22V406, 22E048, 22V767, and 22E087 which include vehicles not identified in the initial subject population by ODI. ODI also received recall 21V586, involving loss of motive power due to failed CP4 fuel pumps on certain BMW manufactured vehicles. An information request letter response received from BMW indicated that failed pumps on their vehicles were caused by an interaction between pump internal components and US market diesel fuel, leading to increased slip and eventual particle-generati
False Positive Automated Braking
On June 1, 2015, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE15-021 to investigate 9 complaints alleging incidents of unintended braking in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles, including 2 alleging incidents of full ABS braking.ODI expanded the scope to include MY 2015 Grand Cherokee vehicles and identified a total of 176 incidents in complaints provided by FCA or submitted to ODI by consumers.ODI conducted the following work to assess the alleged defect in the subject vehicles:1) evaluated the design of the subject Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system, including the maximum braking authority during automated braking; 2) analyzed the frequency and severity of field incidents of unintended braking; 3) analyzed warranty data for evidence of system faults that may be related to the alleged defect; and 4) reviewed the performance of the subject system in testing conducted as part of NHTSA?s 2014 Automatic Emergency Braking (AEB) test program.ODI?s analysis found that the maximum brake activations that can be commanded by the subject system are limited in both braking force and duration.The system is not capable of achieving full ABS braking
Powered vehicle rollaway
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Preliminary Evaluation PE15-030 on August 20, 2015,to investigate 14 complaints alleging incidents of rollaway after intended shifts to Park in Model Year (MY) 2014 and 2015 Jeep Grand Cherokees vehicles. The MY 2014-2015 Grand Cherokee vehicles are equipped with Monostable electronic (E-shift) gearshift assemblies supplied by ZF Group (ZF). The E-shift system operates electronically and the gear requested by the driver is transmitted from the shifter via the CAN Bus to the Transmission Control Module which makes the requested shift. The Monostable gearshift does not move into a detent but springs back to a centered/neutral position after the driver selects a gear and releases the shifter. A button on the shift knob must be depressed to shift out of Park, shift out of Neutral, and to shift from Drive to Reverse or Park.The gear selected is shown on a display in the dash and illuminated letters on the shifter. If the driver's door is opened when the gearshift is not in Park, a chime sounds and a message is displayed on the instrument panel to warn the driver.In addition, the engine Start/Stop push-button control logic does not permit
Seat Belt Retraction
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened this Preliminary Evaluation to investigate complaints alleging improper retraction of the front seat belts (driver or passenger) due to the plastic guide of the D-ring cracking in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicles. The purpose of the investigation was to understand the scope, frequency and safety related consequence of the alleged defect. The subject condition occurs when the plastic material encapsulating the metal substructure of the front seat belt, B-pillar mounted D-ring cracks. The structural integrity of the D-ring remains intact; however, cracking of the plastic material pinches the webbing at the D-ring, thereby preventing it from properly retracting, and leaving the belt loose on the occupant. In addition to the detectability of the loose belt, the cracks in the plastic guide are also apparent by visual inspection, and many reports indicate the webbing can be manually fed back into the B-pillar/retractor to improve seat belt fit. ODI review of the available data has not identified any injuries attributable to this failure.In its November 6, 2019 response to ODI's September 8, 2019 information request letter,
Active Head Rest Inadvertent Deployment
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened PE19014 on September 9, 2019, to investigate 128 consumer complaints alleging that the Active Head Rest (AHR) inadvertently deployed without the occurrence of a crash or other rear impact event in model year (MY) 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles.When ODI opened the investigation, ODI was aware of thirteen alleged injuries.A small number of Early Warning Reports identified driver and/or passenger front seat AHR inadvertent deployments without a rear impact event.Reported safety consequences resulting from the AHR deployments include concussions, headaches, soft tissue injuries, disorientation, nausea, vomiting and/or loss of vehicle control as a result of being surprised and distracted by being struck in the head by the inadvertent AHR deployment. On September 24, 2019, ODI sent an Information Request (IR) letter to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA).ODI requested certain detailed information from FCA related to the following subject vehicles: MY 2010-2014 Dodge Avenger 200, MY 2010-2014 Dodge Calber, MY 2010-2014 Chrysler Sebring, MY 2013-2015 Ram Tradesman, MY 2012 Ram Van, MY 2010-2019 Dodge Grand Caravan, MY 2010-2
Software security vulnerability
On July 23, 2015, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) launched Safety Recall 15V-461 to remedy security vulnerabilities in approximately 1.4 million model year (MY) 2013 through 2015 vehicles equipped with Uconnect head units (HU) 8.4A (RA3 radio) and 8.4AN (RA4 radio) manufactured by Harman International.On July 24, 2015, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened Recall Query, RQ 15-004, to investigate HU security vulnerabilities and remedy effectiveness in the recalled population and to determine whether similar units have been supplied for use in other FCA vehicles.In an August 11, 2015 letter, FCA submitted a second Part 573 safety recall report expanding the scope of the Uconnect RA4 model radio to include additional 7,810 MY 2015 Jeep Renegade vehicles manufactured from September 18, 2014 through June 25, 2015 (Recall 15V-508).Scope analysis indicated that Uconnect radios installed in FCA vehicles not included in recalls 15V-461 or 15V-508 (subject recalls) are not equipped with built-in cellular access or short range wireless communication features and, thus, do not contain the security vulnerabilities addressed by the subject recalls. SUBJECT VEHICLES: MY2014 through 201
Pedestrian alert sounds
NHTSA received a petition on or about July 18, 2022, requesting that Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard (FMVSS) 141 be applied to all electric and hybrid vehicles operating in the United States. The petition can be reviewed at NHTSA.gov under ODI Number 11486072. FMVSS 141 establishes performance requirements for pedestrian alert sounds for motor vehicles. The standard applies to hybrid and electric vehicles that have a gross vehicle weight rating of 4,536 KG or less or are defined as low-speed vehicles. The standard became fully applicable to all such vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021.On January 27, 2023, NHTSA opened Defect Petition (DP) 22-005 to evaluate the subject matter described in the petition. On June 24, 2023 and as supplemented on June 25, 2023, the petitioner notified NHTSA he was withdrawing his petition. The petitioner indicated that, based on his review of data, there is no justification for asserting potential benefits that could be derived from actions sought by my petition. Based on the petitioner's withdrawal, DP22-005 is closed. Closure of this DP does not represent a determination by NHTSA regarding the subject matter of the petition.
Recall 23V-413 Post Remedy Failures
On June 8, 2023, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles US, LLC (FCA) filed Safety Recall 23V-413 affecting certain 2022â2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee and2021â2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L vehicles to address rear coil springs that may not have been properly installed during vehicle production. An improperly installed rear coil spring may detach while the vehicle is in motion, creating a road hazard that can increase the risk of a crash for following motorists and may result in injury to other road users. Since the filing of Recall 23V-413, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has received twenty (20) unique consumer complaints alleging rear coil spring detachments occurring after the recall remedy was performed. These reports raise concerns regarding the effectiveness of the recall remedy and suggest the possibility of additional factors not addressed by the original recall campaign. Accordingly, the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) is opening this Recall Query (RQ) to assess the adequacy of FCAâs remedy procedure under Recall 23V-413 and to evaluate the root cause(s) of post-remedy coil spring detachments. ODI will review complaint data, field reports, and FCAâs tec
About NHTSA Investigations
NHTSA investigations include Preliminary Evaluations (PE), Engineering Analyses (EA), Defect Petitions (DP), and Audit Queries (AQ). Investigations may lead to recalls if defects are confirmed. An open investigation means NHTSA is actively examining the issue.