Driving the news: Stellantis $STLA ( ▲ 3.38% ) is recalling 24,238 Jeep Wrangler 4xe plug-in hybrids from model years 2023-2025 after a previous over-the-air software update caused some vehicles to lose power, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
The details: Per the recall notice on October 17, a software update on the week prior disrupted communication between the Telematics Box Module and the Hybrid Control Processor, essentially bricking the entire vehicle.
Stellantis estimates 100% of recalled vehicles have the defect.
The company has since pushed an interim backend policy update to prevent further power loss.
But a permanent fix is still in development. Dealer notifications went out October 23, with owner notification letters expected to start around November 25.
Big picture: As automakers add more technology for connectivity, diagnostics, remote updates, and user features, the potential points of failure increase, and a single system fault can sometimes trigger dramatic consequences.
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