FCA US LLC has identified a problem affecting a little over 200,000 examples of the WK2-series Jeep Grand Cherokee and WS-series Dodge Durango from the 2018 and 2019 model years. According to documents published on the NHTSA's website, the anti-lock braking system module may disable both ABS and electronic stability control.
The Auburn Hills-based manufacturer also reports that the driver may be able to start up and shift out of park without depressing the brake pedal. Unfortunately, the remedy for these problems has not been finalized. Be that as it may, affected owners will be informed by mail no later than December 12, 2024.
FCA US LLC estimates the recall to launch sometime in the first quarter of 2025. The company that used to be Fiat Chrysler started looking into this matter in October 2021 due to a rising number of warranty claims of customers experiencing the brake lights staying on. August 2024 is when the Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance organization determined that subject vehicles may lose their ABS and ESC functions.
Prior to filing the recall documentation with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the automaker was aware of 533 warranty claims, with receipt dates ranging from October 14, 2019 through August 26, 2024. Thankfully, there are zero reports of accidents related to said issue.
Although the remedy is under development as of this writing, FCA US LLC perfectly understands the root cause of this problem. Specifically, the hydraulic control unit may falsely read pressure in the primary circuit. The brake lights may illuminate at speeds up to 4.5 miles per hour (7.2 kilometers per hour).
Photo: Jeep
When the described malfunction occurs, the warning indicator lights for the ABS, ESC, and braking system will illuminate. Recalled sport utility vehicles were produced in the period from June 11, 2018 through July 12, 2019 for the Grand Cherokee and June 12, 2018 through July 12, 2019 for the Durango. It goes without saying that recalled WK2s outnumber the WDs, with FCA US LLC splitting the recall population between 48,448 examples of the WD and 158,054 examples of the WK2.
2018 was a big year for the WK2-series Grand Cherokee, for the mid-size utility vehicle gained Hellcat power to the tune of 707 horses and 645 pound-feet (875 Newton-meters) of twist. 2018 saw the Durango add the 6.4-liter HEMI V8, whereas the force-fed SRT Hellcat followed suit for the 2021 model year.
The WK2 ended production in 2022. Codenamed WL, the Giorgio-based successor hasn't received and will never receive the 6.2-liter supercharged V8 of the Trackhawk. Over at Dodge, the Hellcat soldiers on for 2025.
Going forward, the Durango is expected to be indirectly replaced by a two-row sport utility vehicle based on the STLA Large platform of the internal combustion Dodge Charger SIXPACK and zero-emission Charger Daytona. Considering that SIXPACK stands for twin-turbo I6, don't hold your breath for a V8 in the newcomer.
After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well. Full profile
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