Federal Auto Safety Agency Closes Jeep Fire Probe; 1.08 Million Remain Recalled

Closing a federal investigation has not closed the safety campaign affecting 1,076,999 Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration ended its preliminary investigation on September 29, 2026, after determining that Stellantis recall 26V363 addresses the vehicles and power-steering electrical defect under review. The recall remains active, and affected vehicles still require checks and, where necessary, dealer repairs.

The distinction has an immediate safety consequence. NHTSA has advised owners covered by the campaign to park outside and away from buildings and other vehicles until repairs are completed. The agency said in a June announcement that it knew of 51 fires and one injury likely associated with the issue. Reports indicated that fires could occur while vehicles were parked with their engines off.

How a steering-system connection can create heat

The defect involves an electrical connection serving the electrohydraulic power-steering pump. In this type of steering system, an electrically driven pump supplies hydraulic pressure for steering assistance. That pump requires a substantial electrical connection even though the vehicle may otherwise resemble a conventional hydraulic-steering design from the driver’s perspective.

FCA US confirmed in April 2026 that a loose connection could produce excessive electrical resistance. Resistance at a poor contact concentrates heat in a small area rather than allowing current to pass efficiently through a secure interface. The resulting heat can melt the connector and, in severe cases, ignite nearby combustible material.

The parked-vehicle concern broadens the exposure beyond occupants traveling in the Jeep. A fire near another vehicle, a garage or a building can threaten surrounding property before anyone notices the initial electrical problem. The National Fire Protection Association’s vehicle-fire research identifies mechanical or electrical failures as a leading factor in highway-vehicle fires, although those national statistics cover many vehicle types, ages and failure mechanisms rather than this Jeep defect alone.

Which Jeeps are included

The U.S. recall covers certain Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles from the 2021 through 2025 model years. FCA US lists 787,887 Wranglers built from June 24, 2020, through December 2, 2024, and 289,112 Gladiators built from August 18, 2020, through December 2, 2024.

Model year alone cannot establish whether an individual vehicle is included because the campaign applies to specified production populations. Owners can check their vehicle identification number through NHTSA’s recall services or the Mopar recall portal. The relevant identifiers are NHTSA recall 26V363 and FCA US campaign code 21D.

Dealers will inspect the affected components and repair or replace them where necessary. That inspection step reflects an important feature of large recalls: every vehicle in the population may require action, but the exact work can depend on the condition found at the electrical connection and associated parts.

Why the investigation can end before repairs do

NHTSA opened the preliminary investigation on September 6, 2024, initially examining roughly 781,500 model-year 2021 through 2023 Wranglers and Gladiators. The subsequent recall expanded the covered population to nearly 1.08 million vehicles and included later model years.

A preliminary investigation evaluates the reported problem, the affected population and whether a manufacturer’s response addresses the safety issue. NHTSA closed this one because recall 26V363 directly covers the vehicles and defect it examined. Closure therefore marks the end of that investigative phase, not confirmation that every recalled Jeep has been inspected or repaired.

Recall execution now becomes the critical system-level task. Manufacturers and dealers must identify affected vehicles, notify owners, supply replacement parts or approved repairs and record completed work across a population spread throughout the country. Owners must still receive the notice, recognize its urgency and bring the vehicle to a dealer.

NHTSA plans to continue monitoring the campaign and can act again if new information warrants further review. Until an affected Wrangler or Gladiator receives its remedy, the agency’s park-outside guidance remains the practical boundary between a closed investigation and an unresolved risk at the individual vehicle.

By Thomas Caldwell — AMI’s senior editor for mechanical and mobility engineering, covering vehicle electronics, systems integration, electrification, chassis systems, propulsion, and safety policy.