36,000 Jeep Wrangler SUVs recalled over fire risk from frame stud

Clarification: Jeep revised downward the original figure for the number of vehicles in this recall. from nearly 58,000 to nearly 36,000. Also, a headline previously used the term "fire-causing." Jeep points out it knows of no fires that have occurred as a result of the extra frame stud. The story has been changed to reflect this.

Jeep has issued a recall that applies to approximately 36,000 units of the Wrangler built between the 2020 and 2023 model years. The SUVs included in the campaign were manufactured with a frame stud that's described as "unnecessary" and that could create a fuel leak, potentially causing a fire in a crash.

Assigned recall number 23V-191 by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), the campaign includes 35,829 examples of the Wrangler, though Jeep notes that the defect is present in about 58% of those. The affected off-roaders were built between October 16, 2019, and May 14, 2022. The company explains that an "unnecessary and unused frame stud" can come in contact with the fuel tank in the event of an accident. In turn, the stud could puncture the tank, cause a fuel leak, and start a fire. Jeep isn't aware of any fires, accidents or injuries.

Jeep hasn't explained why these Wranglers were built with an extra frame stud, but the fix that it outlined in documents sent to NHTSA is fairly simple. Owners of affected cars will need to visit an authorized dealer so that a technician can remove the stud (if it's there) and apply paint over the part of the frame that it was mounted to. Drivers who have already paid to get this done will be eligible to claim a refund.

Owners and dealers will receive more details about the recall on May 12, 2023. Gladiator owners don't need to worry about the recall.

This is the second time that the Wrangler has been part of a recall campaign in 2023. Earlier in March, Jeep recalled over 69,000 units of the Wrangler and the Gladiator equipped with a six-speed manual transmission due to a clutch pressure plate-related problem that can cause a fire. The company is still developing a way to fix the issue, and it plans to notify owners of affected cars on April 14.