Stellantis is recalling more than one million Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator vehicles in the United States because they can catch fire even when parked and turned off, a defect tied to the trucks’ automatic transmissions. The company and federal safety regulators are warning owners to park the affected vehicles outside and away from buildings until repairs are completed. The recall adds fresh scrutiny to Stellantis’ safety record and raises new questions about how quickly automakers can respond when fire risks emerge in popular models.
What changed in Stellantis recalls more than a million Jeep Wranglers that can catch fire while parked
The latest action centers on Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator models equipped with 8-speed automatic transmissions, where a defect in the transmission oil pump can lead to overheating and fire. Federal filings describe how an internal failure can generate excessive heat, which may ignite transmission fluid and other components even when the vehicle is parked and the engine is off. In response, Stellantis has agreed to recall more than 1 million vehicles and to notify owners that their trucks should be kept outdoors until the fix is installed.
Safety documents state that the recall covers multiple model years of both Wrangler and Gladiator, underscoring how long the affected transmission design has been in use. Owners of recent trucks, including 2024 Gladiators, have reported being told by dealers that their vehicles are under a fire-related recall and that there is no permanent repair available yet. One detailed account from a family who purchased a 2024 Gladiator describes how they were instructed not to park in their garage because of the risk that the truck might ignite while stationary, and that they are still waiting for a remedy for their new Gladiator.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration filings attribute the fires to a mechanical failure inside the transmission oil pump that can lead to a rapid rise in temperature. When this happens, components in the transmission tunnel and underbody can ignite. Stellantis has told regulators that it is working on a software update and, in some cases, hardware changes to address the defect. Until those measures are ready, the company has opted for a broad recall and clear guidance to keep the vehicles away from enclosed structures.
The scale of the action has drawn attention because it follows earlier Stellantis recalls for fire risks in other product lines. The company has already recalled plug-in hybrid versions of the Chrysler Pacifica minivan and Jeep Wrangler 4xe because their high-voltage battery packs could overheat and burn while parked. In those cases, owners were also told to park outside while Stellantis developed and rolled out software updates to limit charging and reduce battery stress in the affected Chrysler and Jeep plug-in hybrids.
Why Stellantis recalls more than a million Jeep Wranglers that can catch fire while parked matters now
The Wrangler and Gladiator recalls matter because they touch some of Stellantis’ most visible and profitable nameplates, and because the risk exists even when vehicles are parked and unattended. Federal safety officials have emphasized that the affected Jeeps can ignite with the ignition off, which turns every garage, carport, and parking structure into a potential fire scene. According to recall documents, Stellantis has received multiple reports of fires, including incidents in parked vehicles, although the company has said it is not aware of deaths linked directly to this defect.
Regulators have pressed Stellantis to move quickly after receiving complaints and field reports that Wranglers and Gladiators were catching fire while parked. Federal summaries of the campaign explain that the company decided on a recall after internal analysis tied the incidents to a common transmission pump failure pattern. The recall notice instructs owners to follow the outside-parking guidance immediately and to schedule dealer visits as soon as remedy parts or software become available, a process that will likely unfold in phases because of the size of the Wrangler and Gladiator.
The guidance to park outside is not theoretical. Local news coverage has highlighted how more than one million Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators are now subject to a fire recall, and how owners are being urged to keep their vehicles away from homes and other buildings. In one widely shared report, officials stressed that even a vehicle that appears to drive normally can pose a hazard if the transmission pump fails when the truck is parked. That warning has been repeated in dealership communications and in coverage that explains why more than 1 million Wranglers and Gladiators are now under scrutiny.
The recall also fits into a broader pattern of Stellantis fire-related campaigns. Before this Wrangler and Gladiator action, the company recalled certain Chrysler Pacifica plug-in hybrids because their batteries could ignite while parked, and it has faced investigations into fires involving other models. In one earlier campaign, Stellantis recalled hundreds of thousands of vehicles after reports that some Jeeps could catch fire even when turned off, prompting federal warnings for owners not to park inside garages. Coverage of that earlier action described how the company had to notify owners that their Jeeps might burn, a message that now echoes in the Wrangler and Gladiator guidance.
For Jeep owners, the recall is more than a paperwork exercise. Drivers who depend on Wranglers and Gladiators as daily vehicles or work trucks are being asked to change long-standing habits, from where they park at home to how they use public garages. Some families now leave their trucks in driveways or on the street, which can raise concerns about theft, weather exposure, and neighborhood rules. The account from the 2024 Gladiator owner describes having to rework household logistics around a new truck that cannot be parked under the same roof, a vivid example of how a safety defect can ripple through daily life.
What comes next for Stellantis recalls more than a million Jeep Wranglers that can catch fire while parked
Stellantis now faces the complex task of engineering, validating, and deploying a fix across a vast fleet of Wranglers and Gladiators. For the plug-in hybrid recalls, the company relied heavily on software updates that adjusted battery management and charging behavior. Engineers are expected to pursue a similar combination of software and hardware checks for the transmission-related defect, though the mechanical nature of the oil pump failure may require replacement parts in some vehicles. Dealers will be on the front line, inspecting transmission components, installing updated software, and documenting repairs for each VIN that falls under the campaign.
Owners can expect a sequence of notifications. Initial letters and emails explain the fire risk and the instruction to park outside. Follow-up messages will outline when a remedy is ready and how to schedule an appointment. Some dealers have already begun telling customers that they are waiting on final repair procedures from Stellantis, a reality that has left certain Gladiator owners in limbo as they continue to drive trucks that carry an unresolved fire warning. Until a permanent fix is in place, the outside-parking guidance is likely to remain.
Regulators will monitor how quickly Stellantis completes the recall and how effectively the repairs address the underlying risk. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration can request additional data on field incidents, warranty claims, and dealer repair rates to ensure that the defect trend is reversing. If fires continue after the remedy is applied, the agency can push for expanded repairs or new technical solutions. For Stellantis, strong completion rates and a clear reduction in incidents will be essential to rebuilding confidence in the Wrangler and Gladiator lines.
The broader industry will also be watching. Fire-related recalls have affected many automakers in recent years, from battery issues in electric and plug-in hybrid models to fuel system and engine defects in gasoline vehicles. The Wrangler and Gladiator transmission problem shows that fire risks are not limited to advanced batteries or high-voltage systems. They can arise from conventional mechanical components that have been in use for years, which raises questions about testing, supplier oversight, and long-term durability across the sector.
