Major recall as popular SUV's windscreen poses deadly risk
Jeep is recalling nearly 1,700 of its popular 2023 Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L SUVs after discovering a defect that could cause the vehicle's windshield defroster and defogger to stop working. The company said in federal filings that the defect risks reduced visibility and might lead to potential crashes.
Damaged connectors in the wiring can lead to an electrical failure, making the system inoperative, and risks fogging front windshields with no remedy, the automaker wrote in the filing. Highest risks of window defogging is during extreme high and low temperatures. 'Dealers will inspect and replace the blower motor, as necessary free of charge,' the carmaker wrote in a filing to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). 'Drivers may notice that the windshield defogging is not working, or that the air conditioning system is not working as intended.'
Last year, the Grand Cherokee was the 12th-best-selling consumer vehicle in the US market, with 216,148 units sold. But none of the Grand Cherokees that left American lots last year are impacted by the recall. All affected vehicles were built between November 2, 2022, and September 18, 2023. Similar vehicles manufactured before or after that window, or those equipped with undamaged connectors, are not included in the bulletin.
In total, 1,689 vehicles are impacted by the safety recall — including 422 Grand Cherokee L models and 1,267 Grand Cherokee units. The remedy for the problem is not currently available. Jeep estimates that it will have a fix for the airflow motors by the third quarter of this year. Stellantis didn't immediately respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment.
This is the 18th recall for the Detroit brand this year, according to the NHTSA's public dataset. That is the second-most for any consumer automotive brand in the US. However, Stellantis' issues are minor compared to Ford, one of its biggest American competitors. The blue oval is yet again leading the automaking pack with 82 recalls issued this year, more than Stellantis, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen, and General Motors combined.
Ford had the most US-based recalls for five years in a row until Stellantis and Tesla took its place atop the safety bulletin list in 2024. Now, it's back on top. This year's Ford recalls span a range of issues, including powertrain fixes, technical reboots, seatbelt realignments, and backup camera adjustments. A Ford representative previously told DailyMail.com that around half of its recalls included an over-the-air technical update and didn't require a trip to the dealership.
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