A Michigan family is taking Stellantis to court after their 2023 Jeep® Grand Cherokee 4xe suddenly lost power on the highway — an issue that has since led to a massive recall of more than 91,000 plug-in hybrid (PHEV) SUVs.
According to a report from the Detroit Free Press and CBS News Detroit, PJ Phillips, 34, said his wife was driving their new Grand Cherokee 4xe on I-75 in May when the vehicle abruptly shut off in the passing lane. The frightening incident left her stranded, unable to restart the vehicle, and forced the family to rely on older backup cars while still paying more than $1,000 a month for the their new SUV.
The Phillips family bought their Grand Cherokee to support their growing family after the birth of their child — but instead, it’s been sitting at a dealership for months. Phillips said attempts to resolve the issue directly with Stellantis has gone nowhere.
“I’ve been trying since day one to do this in good faith, outside of the public legal system,” Phillips told the Free Press. “But Stellantis has been stonewalling me every single time.”
A Long Fight for Resolution –
After his wife’s incident, Phillips began arbitration with Stellantis under Michigan’s lemon law process, which allows customers to seek compensation for defective new vehicles outside of court. However, Phillips said the arbitrator’s decision — a buyback arrangement — was unfair.
In July, Phillips filed a lawsuit against Stellantis, claiming the company mishandled the process and acted in bad faith. A circuit court judge later agreed that the arbitrator had overstepped her authority, vacating the initial ruling.
In the meantime, Phillips continues to pay his monthly lease and insurance bills while his Grand Cherokee remains parked and inoperable. Missing payments would hurt his credit, and canceling insurance could expose him to liability if something happens to the SUV while it sits on the dealer’s lot.
“We’re paying $1,000 a month for a car that’s out of our possession,” Phillips said. “It’s a gut punch to a middle-class family.” The family is currently forced to drive their old 2012 Scion xB with 146,000 miles and a 2010 Ford Edge with over 200,000 miles.
Despite everything, Phillips told the Free Press that he still loves the Jeep brand and understands that recalls happen. But he says the lack of accountability and communication has shaken his confidence.
The Recall Behind the Issue –
Stellantis formally identified the power loss issue and filed a recall with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) on September 4, 2025. According to the recall documents, Grand Cherokee 4xe models from 2022 through 2026 may suffer from a software error in a component called the hybrid control processor (HCP), which can cause a sudden loss of driving power — just as the Phillips family experienced.
The recall has triggered a stop-sale order, meaning dealers cannot sell affected models until a fix is installed. Stellantis spokesperson Frank Matyok told the Free Press that remedies for 2022–2024 models are ready now, while fixes for newer 2025 and 2026 units should roll out “in the coming weeks.”
While the recall covers more than 91,000 vehicles, Stellantis and NHTSA estimate that only about 1% of them are actually affected by the defect.
Despite sharing a similar PHEV powertrain, Wrangler Unlimited 4xe models are not impacted, as the company says the problem stems from a unique software communication error specific to the Grand Cherokee (WL) lineup.
Stellantis Responds –
Stellantis maintains that it is working to resolve the issue for all affected owners.
“Stellantis is committed to providing a positive customer experience,” company spokesperson Frank Matyok said. “We remain engaged and committed to working toward a resolution that is acceptable to all parties.”
Technicians reportedly began work on Phillips’ Grand Cherokee on September 29, nearly five months after it broke down.
However, Phillips said communication broke down after he filed his lawsuit. Text messages reviewed by the Free Press show that a Stellantis customer service representative initially promised to “make it right” but stopped responding once the legal case was open.
Stellantis confirmed that once a customer files a lawsuit, all further communication must go through legal channels — standard procedure in such cases.
Source: Detroit Free Press
