113,000 Jeeps Recalled After Sand Found Inside Engines
Nearly 113,000 Jeeps in the U.S. are being recalled after reports of debris found in engines. Not just any debris—sand. From the casting process. Sand that's now grinding away inside engines and potentially causing fires.
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration reported the recall affects 112,859 Wrangler and Grand Cherokee plug-in hybrids at risk of engine failure due to sand contamination.
This comes after Michigan-based Stellantis issued a separate Jeep recall earlier this month for high voltage batteries that could fail and spark fires. Different problem, same company, same month.
How Sand Gets in an Engine
An internal investigation determined affected SUVs "may have been built with 2.0L engines that could be contaminated with sand from the casting process," Stellantis spokesperson Frank Matyok told The Detroit Free Press.
Sand is used in the casting process for large metal pieces. Contamination means small grains of sand are still present in the engine after manufacturing. Those grains damage engine parts and cause excess wear and tear.
In some cases, Stellantis reported, a vehicle fire or unexpected loss of propulsion may occur. So either your engine tears itself apart, catches fire, or just stops working while you're driving. Great options.
Which Jeeps Are Affected
The contaminated engines were produced in Mexico from June 7, 2023, through March 4, 2025, according to NHTSA's review of engine and vehicle manufacturing records.
Specific models recalled:
Wrangler 4xe (2024-2025)
Grand Cherokee 4xe (2023-2025)
That's it. Just the plug-in hybrid versions of these models. Regular gas-powered Wranglers and Grand Cherokees aren't part of this recall.
Vehicle Identification Numbers involved in this recall became searchable on NHTSA.gov on Thursday, November 13.
Warning Signs
Customers might hear a knocking noise coming from the engine or see a malfunction indicator lamp "prior to catastrophic failure," the NHTSA wrote in its report.
Keyword there: "prior to catastrophic failure." Translation: you might get a warning before your engine destroys itself. Might.
Knocking noises from engines are never good. Knocking noises caused by sand grinding metal parts together? Definitely not good.
What Happens Next
A remedy is currently under development. Translation: Stellantis doesn't have a fix yet but promises they're working on one.
Affected Jeep owners will be notified by the company when service can be scheduled. Notification letters are expected to be mailed by December 29, 2025.
So if you own one of these Jeeps, check your VIN on NHTSA.gov now rather than waiting for a letter that might show up around the holidays.
The NHTSA recall number is 25V766. The manufacturer recall number is 78C. Owners with questions can contact the NHTSA Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 or visit www.nhtsa.gov.
The Bigger Problem
Quality control let sand from the casting process contaminate 113,000 engines. That's not a small batch. That's nearly two years of production from a Mexico facility building engines with leftover sand inside.
How does sand make it through manufacturing, assembly, quality testing, and delivery without anyone noticing? These engines went into vehicles, got sold to customers, and only now—after some presumably failed catastrophically—is Stellantis issuing a recall.
The company knew sand is used in casting. They knew leftover sand causes damage. Yet 113,000 engines shipped with contamination anyway.
What Owners Should Do
If you own a 2023-2025 Grand Cherokee 4xe or 2024-2025 Wrangler 4xe, check if your vehicle is affected. Go to NHTSA.gov, enter your VIN, and see if it's part of the recall.
If it is, you're stuck waiting for Stellantis to develop a remedy. In the meantime, watch for warning signs: knocking noises from the engine, check engine lights, anything unusual.
Don't ignore symptoms. "Catastrophic failure" means your engine could seize, catch fire, or stop working while you're driving. None of those scenarios end well.
Once a fix is available and you get notified, schedule service immediately. Don't put it off. Sand grinding away inside your engine doesn't get better with time—it gets worse.
The Pattern
This is Stellantis's second Jeep recall this month. Earlier in November, they recalled other SUVs for high voltage battery issues that could cause fires.
Two separate fire risks in one month from the same manufacturer doesn't inspire confidence. Quality control problems serious enough to prompt massive recalls suggest systemic issues, not isolated incidents.
For owners, the message is clear: check your VIN, watch for symptoms, and get the recall service done as soon as it's available. Your engine might have sand where sand should never be, and that's not a problem that fixes itself.
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