Fire risk recall hits 1 million Jeeps, with some owners told to park outside

A new warning for certain Jeep owners was released this week, telling owners to park their vehicle outside because it could catch fire.

Jeep issued a recall notice for more than one million 2021-2025 Gladiator and Wrangler models. NBC 5 Responds has new details on a Jeep owner’s lawsuit over a similar recall—and what the limits of Illinois’ so-called “lemon law” mean for drivers here.

The latest recall involves anelectrical connection issue in the hydraulic power steering pump wiring, an issue which could cause the power steering unit to overheat and potentially catch fire.

According to a federal investigation, there have been at least 51 fires and at least one injury connected to the recall.

Jeep is just one of several automakers that has issued large scale recalls of their hybrid models over the past few months over similar risks. Many of those recalls involve vehicles unexpectedly losing drive power while in motion,damaged batteries that may catch fire, and even sand in the engine.

That was the case for Steve Shepley’s Jeep Wrangler Hybrid. In April, he told NBC 5 Responds he and his family didn’t feel safe driving their newly leased Jeep, with no fix for at least one-of-three recalls involving fire risk and loss of power.

But Shepley was still on the hook to pay nearly $1,000 a month towards his lease.

Shepley pursued legal action, but the narrow parameters of Illinois’ lemon law meant he couldn’t didn’t qualify for any help under state law. Instead, his attorney filed suit under a federal consumer protection law that governs warranties on products, including vehicles.

Shepley says his case was recently settled with Jeep for just over $12,000, but he’s still on the hook to pay his lease fee for the next 30 months. Even though fixes have been issued for all three recalls on Shepley’s vehicle, he says he still does not trust the Jeep and will be driving it as little as possible.

Regarding the latest recall, Jeep tells us it will notify owners when a recall fix is available and ‘anticipates a solution no later than July.’

To find out if your vehicle is impacted, go to NHTSA’s website and search for your VIN number.

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