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What’s happening over at Jeep? It just recalled 43,000 Wranglers last week over manual transmission clutches getting too hot with the potential for a fire. Now, another recall has been issued over a completely different problem, this time affecting almost 35,829 Wranglers.

Which Jeep Wrangler years are affected?

blue 2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 on rocks
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 392 | Stellantis

This recall is over an “unnecessary” frame stud that can puncture the gas tank. The recall takes in 2020 to 2023 Wranglers, plus 150 Wrangler frames built from January 2020 to May 2022. The concern is over the stud puncturing the fuel tank in the event of a crash, which could start a fire. Jeep is not aware of any accidents or injuries over this issue.  

Stellantis was first apprised of the potential for fuel tank puncturing last year. It began its investigation then. The fix is for dealers to remove the stud, then paint over the area to prevent rust. 

Has the Wrangler had a lot of recalls issued?

2023 Jeep Wrangler on a Rocky Trail
2023 Jeep Wrangler on a Rocky Trail | Jeep

The Jeep Wrangler has seen a series of safety recalls over the past two years. It is a worrying sign that quality is lapsing with the iconic brand. Jeep sells around 200,000 Wranglers a year for the past several years, so the issues needing a recall can take in fairly high numbers. 

Wrangler recalls have varied over several main issues. Toward the end of 2022, over 60,000 Wranglers and Gladiators with 3.0-liter diesel engines were recalled over high-pressure fuel pump failures. The failures could also lead to other fuel system repairs from debris caused by the failure.

Almost 14,000 Wrangler PHEV SUVs built in 2022 and 2023 were part of a recall over 200-amp fuses overheating. This could lead to failures, causing the Jeep to lose power. The high heat can also cause damage to surrounding areas, which is part of the recall. 

What can Wrangler owners do if they have concerns?

2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon by a river
2023 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon | Stellantis

Transmission control modules failing was, yet, another recall, affecting almost 63,000 Wranglers. The recall covers 2021 to 2023 4xe models and can cause the Jeep to shut down while driving. Owners were notified in mid-January. 

And finally, the aforementioned clutch defects caused them to heat and potentially led to a fire sparking a recall. Almost 70,000 Wrangler models are part of this recall, taking in  2018 to 2023 Wranglers, and 2020 to 2023 Gladiators. It is unclear if certain Wrangler SUVs had multiple recalls filed for them, which definitely throttles an owner’s pride of ownership. 

Owners will receive notices by May 12. Jeep says in a statement that it has corrected the issue and that frames made before 2020 were not made with the errant stud. Should you have concerns about your 2020 to 2023 Jeep Wrangler, you can contact the NHTSA or Jeep’s consumer site. Have your VIN number handy.

Editor’s Note: Recall number updated to 35,829

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