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Jeep Recalls 162,713 SUVs Over Software Issue Affecting Rearview Camera Functionality

Jeep Grand Wagoneer 12 photos
Photo: Jeep / edited
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The Jeep brand has – once again – been hit with quite a large safety recall. As per documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the safety boffins at FCA US LLC identified a software issue that prevents the rearview camera image from displaying when the vehicle's transmission is placed in reverse.
A grand total of 162,713 unibodies and body-on-frame utility vehicles are called back, starting with the 2021 to 2023 model year Jeep Grand Cherokee. As you're well aware, the midsize utility vehicle is Jeep's most popular nameplate in the US market. No fewer than 124,956 were delivered in the first half of 2023, whereas the 12-month total for 2022 is 223,345 units.

The 2022 to 2024 model year Wagoneer and more luxurious Grand Wagoneer are recalled as well, albeit in fewer numbers. More specifically, we're dealing with 43,041 units compared to 59,508 examples of the three-row Grand Cherokee L and 60,164 units of the two-row Grand Cherokee. Production dates for suspect vehicles range between December 3, 2020 and August 4, 2023.

Auburn Hills-based Chrysler became aware of the aforesaid problem last year, on October 7. The Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance organization within FCA US LLC was informed of a potential issue regarding rearview camera functionality, which resulted in an engineering review. For some reason or another, it took Chrysler until June 21 to acknowledge the issue's existence. FCA US LLC also identified a noncompliance with federal motor vehicle safety standard number 111.

Under specific conditions, the central vision processing and park assist module may not display the rearview camera image after placing the gear lever into reverse. A software update, however, will fix said condition. Dealers will be informed to perform the update on October 3, the day owner notifications will be sent via first-class mail. In the meantime, owners can easily find out whether their Jeeps are called back by running the VIN on the NHTSA's completely free VIN look-up tool.

Codenamed WL, the fifth-generation Grand Cherokee is the best-handling one yet due to the Giorgio platform, which Fiat Chrysler Automobiles premiered in the Alfa Romeo Giulia. Other applications of this vehicle architecture include the Alfa Romeo Stelvio and Maserati Grecale. The GranTurismo and GranCabrio use a derivative of the Giorgio, referred to as Giorgio Sport.

Available with four- and six-cylinder powertrains, the WL can also be specified with plug-in hybrid 2.0L turbo muscle as long as you're fine with two-row seating. The 2024 model year Grand Cherokee starts at $40,130 (excluding the destination freight charge), whereas the Grand Cherokee 4xe plug-in hybrid starts at $60,460.

The Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer aren't Jeep models per se, but "Wagoneer by Jeep" models. The apparent feeling of specialness will immediately go away once you find out these family-sized leviathans ride on the Ram 1500's platform. Customers are presented with either NA V8 or TT V6 muscle, with prices starting at $61,595 for the Wagoneer and a whopping $91,140 for the posher one.
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 Download: Jeep rearview camera software issue recall (PDF)

About the author: Mircea Panait
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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.
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