- Wrangler 4xes have been grinding to a halt while driving after the update.
- Stellantis quickly launched an investigation and announced a fix for the fault.
- Some owners are already considering taking legal action against Stellantis.
It’s not unusual for over-the-air software updates to have some niggels, but Jeep’s latest attempt over the weekend went well beyond the typical hiccup. The brand rolled out an OTA update for the Wrangler that, according to owners, didn’t just malfunction, it created a serious safety risk.
Some drivers report that their vehicles have been completely bricked after installing the update, while others claim their Wranglers shut down unexpectedly, even in motion.
How It Started
Reports of the dodgy update first started to emerge earlier this week. Writing on the 4xe Forums, one owner says he performed the update and the following morning, attempted to drive it around the block.
However, midway through, the engine shut off without warning, a check engine light appeared, and a “Shift to Park” message flashed across the gauge cluster.
Read: Thousands Of Wranglers Recalled Over An Assembly Issue
Over on Reddit, another owner experienced an even more concerning issue. They say they were driving on the highway at 65 mph when their Wrangler 4xe suddenly started slowing down with the same Shift to Park message on the dashboard.
The owner says they narrowly avoided causing a “huge accident” after suddenly needing to cross over four lanes to pull onto the shoulder. A YouTuber also replicated the issue being experienced by others, noting that at one stage, he was unable to shift out of drive.
Stellantis Responds and Warns
Jeep quickly caught wind of the issue with the over-the-air update, and a member of the Stellantis Social Engagement Team took to the 4xe Forums, warning owners against completing the update.
“Please exercise extreme caution this evening if you have completed the update. If you have NOT completed the update and see the pop-up, please continue deferring so that the update does not go through,” they wrote.
More: Jeep’s Pop-up Ads Are Driving People Mad At Every Stoplight
“For a telematics box module update, you can defer infinitely, and it will expire within 30 days.” At the time this initial post was made, Jeep recommended against driving in hybrid or electric modes, but some owners say issues were still being experienced in gas mode.
According to one forum member, it’s “super unacceptable” that Jeep introduced an update like this, seemingly without properly testing it.
“Almost died on the thruway today when it happened and I’m glad it didn’t cause a bigger accident with an 18-wheeler behind me being able at the last minute to shift lanes because my Jeep died, locked its hand brake and jolted so hard my face almost ended up in the steering wheel at 70mph,” they wrote.
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Jeep Issues Fix, But Proceed Carefully
Shortly after the carmaker acknowledged the issue, it announced a fix. Owners need to park in an area with good cellular coverage and keep the vehicle on for at least 10 minutes. After that, it can be turned off, turned back on, and the fault should be resolved.
The automaker also confirmed it’s assisting customers whose vehicles have been towed to dealerships and will reimburse related costs.
For now, Jeep’s official guidance is to let the over-the-air update complete while the vehicle is parked at home, then run the engine for about twenty minutes to ensure the corrective patch downloads properly. Owners are understandably wary, but the company insists the update is safe to install once the fix is in place.
