Chrysler is recalling more than 338,000 Jeep Grand Cherokees because they may have steering parts that can fail and lead to a crash.
The automaker said the affected vehicles’ upper control arm ball joints and steering knuckles may separate. As a result, the steering wheel could fall outwards and cause the driver to lose control of their SUV, according to a letter posted Tuesday (Feb. 27) on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.
The recall affects certain 2022-2023 model year Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs and the larger 2021-2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee L. According to a report filed with the NHTSA (pdf), just 1% of the affected models are expected to have defective parts.
As of Jan. 24, Chrysler said it is aware of 18 warranty claims, one customer assistance record, and one field report potentially related to the issue. The company adds that it is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to the defects.
Chrysler has also issued a separate recall for some 9,400 2023-2024 model year Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L SUVs over issues with activating high beam lights.
Consumers with models involved in either recall will be notified on April 12; they can also check if their vehicles are affected by visiting nhtsa.gov/recalls. Chrysler’s dealers will address the issues free of charge.