On Tuesday, September 29, 2026, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) told Reuters it had closed preliminary evaluation PE24-024, the long-running review of parked, ignition-off fires in more than one million Stellantis Jeep models. Closing an investigation is not the same as declaring every truck on the road fixed. For many owners, the closure simply confirms that federal regulators believe the June 2026 safety recall already covers the vehicles and conditions they were studying.
What NHTSA was investigating
NHTSA opened the probe in September 2024 after reports that 2021–2023 Jeep Wrangler SUVs and Gladiator pickups could catch fire in the engine compartment while parked with the key out. Several incidents pointed to the area around the electric hydraulic power steering (EHPS) pump. The scope grew as more complaints arrived, and Stellantis expanded its own engineering review beyond the first model years.
By the time regulators ended the evaluation, the underlying campaign was already on the books as NHTSA recall 26V363 (Mopar recall 21D). It covers an estimated 1,076,999 U.S. vehicles: 2021–2025 Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators built between June 24, 2020, and December 2, 2024. The defect description is blunt: wiring tied to the EHPS pump can overheat and start a fire even when the ignition is in the Off position.
Why the probe closed now
In its September 29 statement, NHTSA said the recall addressed the vehicles and circumstances examined during PE24-024. That is the standard reason an agency closes a preliminary evaluation once it sees a remedy in place. Stellantis filed the recall in early June 2026 after months of part analysis, CT scans, and coordination with NHTSA’s defect investigators.
The closure does not erase the “park outside” warning that shipped with the recall. NHTSA’s public record still classifies 26V363 as a fire-risk action, and owner letters continue to tell affected drivers to keep unrepaired Jeeps away from garages, carports, and other vehicles until a dealer completes the fix.
What the repair actually involves
Stellantis describes the failure mode as high electrical resistance at the EHPS connector—sometimes from tight terminal fit, sometimes from a pushed-out pin— that can melt plastic and ignite nearby material. The remedy is inspection-first, not a single blanket parts swap.
- Dealers inspect the pump harness and pump-side connector at no charge.
- Depending on what they find, they may repair the wiring harness, replace the EHPS pump, or do both.
- Gasoline, diesel, and 4xe plug-in hybrid Wranglers can all fall under the same campaign if the VIN is listed.
Owner notification letters for 26V363 were scheduled to mail starting July 9, 2026. If you bought a used Wrangler or Gladiator this summer, do not wait for mail—run the VIN today.
Steps every Wrangler and Gladiator owner should take
1. Confirm coverage. Enter your 17-character VIN at NHTSA.gov/recalls or Stellantis’ Mopar recall lookup for campaign 21D. A clean result one week does not guarantee the next; recalls can gain VINs as data updates.
2. Park outside until repaired. If your Jeep is on the list and has not been fixed, treat the “park away from structures” instruction as ongoing. That applies in driveways, apartment lots, and trailhead parking where a fire could spread to another car or a building.
3. Watch for early warnings. Burning smell, smoke from the engine bay, melted connector smell, or power-steering warnings while driving are reasons to stop, exit, and call for service—not to “finish the errand.”
4. Schedule the recall visit. Contact an authorized Jeep dealer and reference recall 26V363 / 21D. Stellantis customer service is available at 1-800-853-1403 if your VIN shows open recall work but the dealer cannot book you promptly.
5. Log the repair date. Once the harness or pump work is done, keep the dealer RO number and mileage. Future buyers—and your insurer—will ask whether the fire recall was completed.
Before you buy a private-party Wrangler or Gladiator, a quick VIN lookup in CarDiary can show whether recall 26V363 is still open on that truck so you are not surprised after money changes hands.
What changes for drivers going forward
NHTSA noted it will keep monitoring field reports and can reopen enforcement if new failures appear. For consumers, that means two parallel tracks: the formal probe is finished, but the safety story is not. Until your Jeep shows a closed 26V363 status, the parking guidance from June still applies.
If you are shopping the used market, prioritize sellers who can show proof the EHPS recall is complete. A spotless Carfax does not replace a same-day VIN pull on the federal recall site. With more than a million potentially affected trucks still rolling through daily commutes, trail runs, and dealership trade-in lanes, the September 29 headline is about paperwork at the agency—not a green light to ignore an open fire recall in your driveway.
