Photo: Jeep / edited
The four-door body style of the JL – internally referred to as JLU – can be had with a plug-in hybrid powertrain that Jeep markets under the 4xe moniker. Introduced for the 2021 model year, the fuel-sipping utility vehicle is called back to fix an issue attributed by FCA US LLC to battery supplier Samsung SDI.
It all started with a report of a fuse melting in the high-voltage battery of a 2022 model. The Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance organization within FCA US LLC started investigating the matter in February 2023, after it had received a second report of a melted fuse. Together with Samsung SDI, the American manufacturer identified a rather inexcusable error.
As it happens, the South Korean battery supplier used the incorrect fasteners to secure the 200-amp fuse in the Wrangler 4xe's battery. The suspect period began on January 10, 2022, when the suspect fasteners were introduced into Wrangler 4xe production in Toledo.
According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the iffy fasteners were quietly discontinued on September 20, 2022. It's pretty weird that Samsung SDI didn't inform FCA US LLC of this change. Had it done the right thing, the recall population would have been smaller.
A grand total of 2,564 vehicles produced for the 2022 and 2023 model years are called back stateside. High resistance in combination with the 200-amp fuse interface generates heat, which causes the fuse in question to fail, therefore leading to a loss of motive power. A warning light, a change in drivability, and strange noises from the high-voltage battery assembly serve as indicators for the aforementioned condition.
Dealers will be instructed no later than June 16 to inspect the fasteners of the 200-amp fuse. In case of incorrect fasteners, dealer techs are required to replace the fuse assembly. If there's any bit of discoloration or charring on the bus bars, then the battery pack assembly will be replaced at no charge to the owner.
The only Jeep Wrangler available in Europe since 2022, the 4xe matches the 6.4-liter HEMI V8's peak torque. Jeep advertises the first – and thus far the only – Wrangler plug-in hybrid with 470 pound-feet (637 Nm) on deck. Peak horsepower is estimated at 375, which is 95 horsepower down on the Rubicon 392.
Torque, however, is more important for an off-road vehicle when venturing off the beaten path. Built around a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, the 4xe system also happens to be far more efficient than the naturally-aspirated V8 of the Rubicon 392. On gasoline alone, the 4xe drinks 5 gallons (18.9 liters) per 100 miles (160 kilometers) compared to 7.1 gallons (26.9 liters) for the better-sounding Rubicon 392.
As far as pricing is concerned, the difference couldn't be higher. As opposed to $82,495 sans taxes for the Rubicon 392, the Rubicon 4xe is $61,080 at press time. Lower down the spectrum, the most affordable specification available is the Willys 4xe at $54,735.
As it happens, the South Korean battery supplier used the incorrect fasteners to secure the 200-amp fuse in the Wrangler 4xe's battery. The suspect period began on January 10, 2022, when the suspect fasteners were introduced into Wrangler 4xe production in Toledo.
According to documents filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the iffy fasteners were quietly discontinued on September 20, 2022. It's pretty weird that Samsung SDI didn't inform FCA US LLC of this change. Had it done the right thing, the recall population would have been smaller.
A grand total of 2,564 vehicles produced for the 2022 and 2023 model years are called back stateside. High resistance in combination with the 200-amp fuse interface generates heat, which causes the fuse in question to fail, therefore leading to a loss of motive power. A warning light, a change in drivability, and strange noises from the high-voltage battery assembly serve as indicators for the aforementioned condition.
Dealers will be instructed no later than June 16 to inspect the fasteners of the 200-amp fuse. In case of incorrect fasteners, dealer techs are required to replace the fuse assembly. If there's any bit of discoloration or charring on the bus bars, then the battery pack assembly will be replaced at no charge to the owner.
The only Jeep Wrangler available in Europe since 2022, the 4xe matches the 6.4-liter HEMI V8's peak torque. Jeep advertises the first – and thus far the only – Wrangler plug-in hybrid with 470 pound-feet (637 Nm) on deck. Peak horsepower is estimated at 375, which is 95 horsepower down on the Rubicon 392.
Torque, however, is more important for an off-road vehicle when venturing off the beaten path. Built around a 2.0-liter turbo four-cylinder engine, the 4xe system also happens to be far more efficient than the naturally-aspirated V8 of the Rubicon 392. On gasoline alone, the 4xe drinks 5 gallons (18.9 liters) per 100 miles (160 kilometers) compared to 7.1 gallons (26.9 liters) for the better-sounding Rubicon 392.
As far as pricing is concerned, the difference couldn't be higher. As opposed to $82,495 sans taxes for the Rubicon 392, the Rubicon 4xe is $61,080 at press time. Lower down the spectrum, the most affordable specification available is the Willys 4xe at $54,735.
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