Jeep Wrangler Gladiator Recall: 1.3M Vehicles, Fire Risk

Jeep has issued one of its biggest recalls in years. More than 1.3 million Wrangler and Gladiator off-roaders worldwide are being called back because a wiring fault in the electric hydraulic power steering pump can overheat and, in rare cases, start a fire. Stellantis is telling owners in the US to park their vehicles away from buildings and other cars until the repair is done.

Australian impact is still officially unclear. Jeep Australia has been contacted and the company has confirmed an additional 124,297 vehicles are affected outside North America in unspecified markets. That's the bucket Australian-delivered cars would fall into, but no local recall notice has been issued yet. If you own a recent Wrangler or a Gladiator, this matters.

What's actually wrong

FCA US, the American Stellantis arm, has flagged an internal investigation that identified an electrical connection issue in the electric hydraulic power steering pump wiring on 2021 to 2025 model year Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles. The wiring fault can cause combustible materials nearby to overheat, which in rare circumstances can lead to a vehicle fire.

In plain language: the problem isn't a fault that triggers while you're driving. It can occur with the vehicle parked. That's why Stellantis is telling US owners to park away from structures and other cars, not just to bring them in for service. The recall remedy involves an authorised dealer inspecting the power steering pump and wiring harness, then repairing or replacing as needed.

The US population alone is 1,076,999 vehicles. Add Canada, Mexico and the 124,297 listed for markets outside North America, and the total runs to roughly 1.33 million vehicles. It is one of the larger Jeep recalls in recent memory and follows a pattern of fire-risk callbacks the brand has been managing for several years.

What Australian owners should do

There are roughly four practical steps right now:

First, check your build date and VIN. Affected vehicles are 2021 to 2025 model year Wranglers and Gladiators globally. If your car was delivered in Australia within that window, treat it as in-scope until Jeep Australia says otherwise.

Second, contact your local dealer. Service departments will have early visibility into whether the recall is being extended to Australia even before the formal notice goes out. A short phone call is worth more than waiting for a letter.

Third, park outdoors and away from other vehicles overnight, particularly if your Jeep is regularly garaged next to a house or in an apartment carpark. This is exactly what FCA US has recommended in the US market, and the same physics applies here. The risk is described as rare, but the consequence of ignoring it is severe.

Fourth, document. Keep any service records, recall correspondence and date-stamped photos of any unusual warning lights or smells. If the recall is extended to Australia and you've already had your car affected, that paper trail will matter.

Why Australian buyers should care beyond Wrangler owners

This is the second major fire-risk callback for Wrangler and related Jeep models in less than a year. Last November, Jeep recalled around 228,000 Wranglers and 91,000 Grand Cherokee PHEVs in the US over a different fault, this time in the battery pack of the 2.0-litre turbo plug-in hybrid powertrain. The Grand Cherokee 4xe was sold in Australia. Only 122 of those landed here between launch and the end of 2025, and Jeep Australia has still not issued a local recall on that model.

The broader pattern matters because it shapes resale, insurance and dealer attitude. A wave of fire-risk recalls puts pressure on insurers, who price risk into premiums. It puts pressure on used Wrangler and Gladiator values, particularly for the 2021 to 2025 model years now in scope. And it puts pressure on Jeep Australia, which is already managing a difficult retail position locally and has just exited the small SUV segment after winding down the Compass.

If you're shopping a used Wrangler or Gladiator from this generation, factor the recall into your negotiation. Ask the seller for evidence the repair has been completed, including the dealer invoice and the VIN-specific recall closure paperwork. If the work hasn't been done, the buyer should be inheriting that obligation at a meaningful discount.

Dealer behaviour to watch for

Major recalls expose how each dealer network actually treats customers. The pattern to watch:

Fast-responding dealers will proactively contact existing customers in the affected build window before any formal recall extension reaches Australia. They'll book service slots early, offer loan vehicles where appropriate and document the work clearly. That's the gold standard.

Slow-responding dealers will wait for the Australian recall notice, push back on loan cars, and try to book repairs around their existing service capacity, which can mean weeks of waiting. If you're parked in a garage attached to your home, that delay is not academic.

Used car dealers selling 2021 to 2025 Wranglers and Gladiators in the meantime will likely play down the recall risk, particularly if no Australian notice has been issued yet. Treat any vehicle in the affected build range as having a known wiring concern until proven otherwise. Walk if the seller refuses to put it in writing.

If you're considering a new Jeep instead, you can compare current Wrangler, Gladiator and Grand Cherokee pricing on Carseekers and see where dealer stock and discounts actually sit before making contact.

What we still don't know

The critical missing pieces are the Australian-delivered VIN count, the formal recall extension timing, and the parts supply pipeline for repairs in this market. Stellantis has only confirmed the global numbers and a vague 124,297 figure for markets outside North America. Whether that includes Australia, and how many local cars are involved, will determine how quickly Australian owners can actually get their vehicles repaired.

We'll update this story once Jeep Australia confirms the local position. In the meantime, owners of 2021 to 2025 Wranglers and Gladiators should treat the recall as live, park outdoors where they can, and get on the phone to their dealer rather than waiting for a letter.

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