2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee recalls : ESC issue, safety tech problems for large SUV

The initial notice posted on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission's recalls website explains the current-generation Grand Cherokee is being recalled for an electrical interference issue with the steering column control unit that can affect the stability control system.

It states: "The steering column control module may experience electrical interference (static) in the SCCM printed circuit board communication circuit. This unintended electrical interference (static) can cause the electronic stability control (ESC) to become disabled and the ESC warning lamp to illuminate."

According to the notice: "A loss of ESC function during certain driving conditions could cause a crash without warning".

Fiat Chrysler Australia senior manager of corporate communications Andrew Chesterton said that 6476 examples of the Grand Cherokee are affected by the recall, with a simple software flash the only fix required. He suggested to CarAdvice that the latest recall is part of a prolonged effort to ensure all vehicles sold by the company are as safe as they can be.

“Out of an abundance of caution and our commitment to customer safety, we continually monitor the performance of all our vehicles and respond appropriately - often before a single complaint is registered," he said.

“FCA takes seriously its commitment to quality. Our American dealers accommodate well over 20 million service appointments each year - from inspections to routine maintenance to repairs," he said.

"Service records from each are automatically transmitted to Company headquarters in Auburn Hills, Michigan, where quality teams conduct daily reviews to precisely identify and properly correct issues as quickly as possible.

"That information is immediately passed on to international markets – including Australia – where teams act quickly to notify customers and rectify any potential issues," Chesterton said.

The other issue relates to the car's occupant resistant control module, which, according to the brand, may be affected by an improperly applied coating on the printed circuit boards. The US maker says that if lead salts form the circuit board may short, leading to the airbag warning lamp illuminating and potentially disabling the airbags and potentially causing "an increased risk of injury during certain crash conditions".

There are 11,673 vehicles affected by this recall, and Jeep says it will repair and/or replace circuit board, if necessary, and "will work with owners to get their cars inspected and back on the road as quickly as possible".

The latest recalls compound a tough year for the Grand Cherokee nameplate, with 12 recalls in the past 12 months including a large recall of more than 31,000 cars (and more than 850,000 worldwide) over a potential fire risk.

Since the start of 2014, there have been a dozen separate recalls for Grand Cherokee models - the vast majority of which concern the current model, but there have also been some affecting the previous-generation model announced during 2014.

The first affected 2011 model vehicles, with a potential problem caused by the fuel pump relay meaning the engine may not start or may stall, possibly posing an accident hazard.

The second was for 2008 model Grand Cherokees, and also affected Jeep Commander and Chrysler 300 models. That issue was for the push-button ignition, which can stick between the "start" and "run" position, possibly leading to a loss of electrical features. According to the recall notice, the fault may result in a loss of engine power, power steering assistance, and/or power brake booster assist. It may also disable safety features, including front airbag protection, the notice states.