Photo: Jeep
FCA US LLC is currently investigated by the Office of Defects Investigation following no fewer than 80 complaints for the model year 2014 through 2020 Jeep Cherokee. Filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, these owner-submitted complaints allege that the electronic parking brake invertedly activates with the car in motion.
Based on repair invoices, it appears the electronic parking brake module is damaged by water leaking into the compact-sized crossover. In case of inadvertent activation, the EPB causes a stalling condition, bringing the subject vehicles to a stop. The first model year of the KL-generation Cherokee was recalled a whopping 12 times already, but campaign 15V-393 is of utmost importance for the investigation carried out by the ODI.
Back in June 2015, the third-largest automaker in the United States called back nearly 100,000 examples of the 2014 and 2015 model year Cherokee due to water entering the power liftgate control module. That may seem unrelated to the problem at hand, but it’s not. The power liftgate control module and electronic parking brake module are located in the same area.
TSB 10191415 followed in May 2016, instructing dealers on replacing the subject module and inspecting the electrical connector for corrosion. The technical service bulletin states “the electronic parking brake module is located in the back left side of the cargo area interior, near the spare tire.”
As if that wasn’t bad enough, the liftgate module can catch fire as a result of the water damage. Given this worrying information, the federal watchdog has opened a preliminary evaluation to assess the scope, frequency, and safety-related consequences of water leak damage to the subject module.
At press time, the first model year of the KL-generation Cherokee has accumulated a whopping 2,187 complaints on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website. 11 of those complaints are filed under parking brake issues, of which complaint number 11471099 stands out.
“The contact stated that, upon placing her vehicle into park, the parking brake independently engaged while attempting to shift to drive. The contact was able to disengage the parking brake by holding down the parking brake button. While the contact attempted to make a left turn at 30 mph, the contact released the parking brake button, and the parking brake immediately engaged as the service parking brake message displayed.”
It gets worse, though…
“The contact was unable to move the vehicle, and the vehicle was towed to a dealer. The mechanic discovered that six inches of water had been retained in the spare tire compartment. The mechanic believed that water had entered the vehicle through the rear corner seams of the vehicle. The mechanic believed that the water had led to an electrical short [of the EPB module], which caused the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.”
The attached document lists 1,341,055 potentially affected vehicles.
Back in June 2015, the third-largest automaker in the United States called back nearly 100,000 examples of the 2014 and 2015 model year Cherokee due to water entering the power liftgate control module. That may seem unrelated to the problem at hand, but it’s not. The power liftgate control module and electronic parking brake module are located in the same area.
TSB 10191415 followed in May 2016, instructing dealers on replacing the subject module and inspecting the electrical connector for corrosion. The technical service bulletin states “the electronic parking brake module is located in the back left side of the cargo area interior, near the spare tire.”
As if that wasn’t bad enough, the liftgate module can catch fire as a result of the water damage. Given this worrying information, the federal watchdog has opened a preliminary evaluation to assess the scope, frequency, and safety-related consequences of water leak damage to the subject module.
At press time, the first model year of the KL-generation Cherokee has accumulated a whopping 2,187 complaints on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website. 11 of those complaints are filed under parking brake issues, of which complaint number 11471099 stands out.
“The contact stated that, upon placing her vehicle into park, the parking brake independently engaged while attempting to shift to drive. The contact was able to disengage the parking brake by holding down the parking brake button. While the contact attempted to make a left turn at 30 mph, the contact released the parking brake button, and the parking brake immediately engaged as the service parking brake message displayed.”
It gets worse, though…
“The contact was unable to move the vehicle, and the vehicle was towed to a dealer. The mechanic discovered that six inches of water had been retained in the spare tire compartment. The mechanic believed that water had entered the vehicle through the rear corner seams of the vehicle. The mechanic believed that the water had led to an electrical short [of the EPB module], which caused the failure. The manufacturer was notified of the failure but offered no assistance. The vehicle was not repaired and remained in the possession of the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 55,000.”
The attached document lists 1,341,055 potentially affected vehicles.
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