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We Can Safely Charge Our 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Again!

jeep grand cherokee trailhawk 4xe 2023 01 exterior charging scaled jpg 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Trailhawk | Cars.com photo by Mike Hanley

Our long-term 2023 Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe Trailhawk has stuck around a bit longer than expected. We know, we know, we said its last job was to be sold, but that was before we learned of the remedy for our Jeep’s potential fire-risk recall. At the time, the recommendation was to keep the plug-in hybrid’s battery depleted and refrain from charging it or parking near structures or other vehicles.

Related: 154,000 Jeep Wrangler 4xe, Grand Cherokee 4xe SUVs Recalled for Fire Risk

Fortunately for us, we eventually received a followup notice with a fix. The fix involved a software update, but also some diagnostic work, so we would need to take it into a dealership to have the work completed. If the battery pack proved faulty, it would need to be replaced. We didn’t want to try to sell a vehicle with a serious open recall like that — and we also wanted to report on our experience if the battery pack did need to be replaced — so we moved to get the recall work done as soon as possible.

Managing Editor Joe Bruzek made the appointment at a dealership near his house and took the Jeep in. A service advisor told him that, once a software update was performed, the technicians would need to fully charge the battery pack then complete a number of drive cycles to determine the battery pack’s health. This meant leaving the car at the dealership overnight (or longer if a battery replacement was needed).

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Thankfully, the next day we got the all-clear from the dealership and picked up the Jeep. As this was a recall, we didn’t have to pay for the work done and now have a plug-in hybrid we can once again plug in. With a clean bill of health — for now, anyway — we can move forward with our plans to move on from the Jeep. Stay tuned for our wrap-up coverage on our long-term Grand Cherokee 4xe.

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Cars.com’s Editorial department is your source for automotive news and reviews. In line with Cars.com’s long-standing ethics policy, editors and reviewers don’t accept gifts or free trips from automakers. The Editorial department is independent of Cars.com’s advertising, sales and sponsored content departments.

Brian Normile
Road Test Editor Brian Normile joined the automotive industry and Cars.com in 2013, and he became part of the Editorial staff in 2014. Brian spent his childhood devouring every car magazine he got his hands on — not literally, eventually — and now reviews and tests vehicles to help consumers make informed choices. Someday, Brian hopes to learn what to do with his hands when he’s reviewing a car on camera. He would daily-drive an Alfa Romeo 4C if he could.
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