Photo Courtesy: Jeep.Jeep has issued a major recall over faulty side airbags that could deploy late in the event of a collision. A total of 419,035 vehicles have been affected by the software glitch that allegedly causes the delay.Owners are advised to look out for a sign mentioned in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's (NHTSA) recall report, which would indicate if they have been affected by the issue.The issue first came to the attention of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA) US Engineering and Supplier Quality team in February 2023. Until it is fixed, there remains a threat of injury as the delay in airbag deployment could compromise occupant safety.AdvertisementAdvertisementFortunately, the remedy is a software update that brings airbag deployment timing back to recommended levels, rather than a costly parts replacement.Affected Jeep Grand Cherokee Models and Nature of DefectPhoto Courtesy: Jeep.The NHTSA reveals that 140,130 units of the 2022-2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 278,905 units of the Jeep Grand Cherokee L have been affected by the side airbag (SAB) issue. The vehicles in question "may have been built with ORC modules containing software which may cause transient door airbag pressure sensor faults to remain active for the lifetime of the sensor.""A faulted door airbag pressure sensor may result in delayed deployment of the SAB in certain types of crashes which may be noncompliant," the report stated.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe issue is quite serious because, according to the report, a delayed deployment of the SAB "may reduce occupant protection in the event of certain types of crashes, potentially resulting in an increased risk of injury to motor vehicle occupants."Jeep Grand Cherokee owners thus face an increased threat of injury from side impacts or rollover incidents that trigger the side airbags.Jeep Grand Cherokee Owners Must Look Out for an Airbag LightIf the side airbags are affected by the software issue, owners may notice a continuously illuminated airbag warning light on the instrument cluster. In addition, a chime will also sound at each ignition cycle. Notably, there will be no sign if the side airbags are not affected by the problem.An investigation that began in February 2023 took more than three years for the FCA US Technical Safety and Regulatory Compliance (TSRC) organization to arrive at a conclusion about the root cause of the problem.AdvertisementAdvertisementFrom June 2024 to March 2025, FCA US TSRC held regular meetings with FCA US Engineering, Supplier Quality, and Safety Performance "to understand all potential failure modes related to door environment affecting airbag pressure sensor performance and analyze incoming data."From January to July 2025, "FCA US Engineering, Manufacturing, Supplier Quality, and Supplier Engineering conducted a second enhanced problem-solving exercise to understand all potential failure modes of the door airbag pressure sensor related to the door environment and software strategy."The body analyzed a vast amount of data, looked into potential airbag failure modes, and then determined the suspect population. On April 22, 2026, "FCA US TSRC recognized that a vehicle build issue existed on certain vehicles related to SAB deployment potentially resulting in a noncompliance with FMVSS No. 571.214."It was only on May 14, 2026, that the "FCA US determined, through the Vehicle Regulations Committee, that a noncompliance to a Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard exists in certain vehicles."FCA's Remedy ProgramAccording to the NHTSA's recall report, FCA US will issue a recall to reprogram the ORC. AdvertisementAdvertisementThe updated ORC software will recalibrate the airbags to deploy at the right time. FCA US began notifying dealers about the recall on or about May 28, 2026.FCA will begin notifying affected owners on June 11, 2026.
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