Jeep, Ford, Audi PHEV recalls: Battery replacement the next step? - Related to step?, phev, ford,, new, dot

Jeep, Ford, Audi PHEV recalls: Battery replacement the next step?

Damage to the batteries' separator could lead to shorts and/or fires.

Recall campaigns from Stellantis, Ford, and Audi allow replacement of battery packs.

New paperwork filed by battery supplier Samsung SDI says the issue remains under investigation.

Plug-in hybrids from multiple automakers have been recalled due a potential issue with vehicles' Samsung SDI-supplied battery cells that could cause loss of power or fires. And new paperwork filed with the federal government this week hints at that the issue has not yet been fully resolved.

A total of 180,196 vehicles are affected in the [website], including 155,096 from Stellantis, 20,484 from Ford, and 4,616 from Audi. Each automaker, in recent months, already introduced an individual recall for its respective vehicles.

Stellantis issued a battery-related recall for the Jeep Wrangler 4xe and Jeep Grand Cherokee 4xe SUVs last October. Audi then recalled its Q5 and A7 plug-in hybrids in December, and Ford then issued a recall for plug-in hybrid versions of the Ford Escape and Lincoln Corsair SUVs in January.

All of these vehicles have Samsung SDI cells that are broadly similar, , which emphasizing that exact specifications are still unique to each automaker. Each automaker told the safety agency that defects in these cells could lead to internal short circuits or fires. Ford and Stellantis also reported damage in the separator layer between the cathode and anode in some cells, which could lead to short circuits and fires. Ford and Audi both mentioned internal analysis pointed to manufacturing defects, and both mentioned they would install new software as a temporary remedy.

These new documents filed by Samsung SDI don't expand the list of vehicles recalled, but they underscore that the issue lacks a clear resolution, as of yet. In paperwork filed February 5, Samsung SDI calls the issue "still under investigation" for both Ford and Audi. A letter from the NHTSA, reacting to the Samsing SDI filing and dated February 6, asks the battery supplier for a "summary of all warranty states, field or service reports, and other information."

In a statement provided to Green Car Reports Friday, Jeep parent Stellantis underscored that for its vehicles, the issue has been remedied. "The remedy includes a software modification and, if necessary, replacement of the high-voltage battery, both provided at no cost to owners," it stated, pointing to notification letters sent out in December. "Customer safety is our highest priority, and we appreciate the patience of our clients as we worked to resolve this matter and implement a solution for all affected vehicles."

For now, owners of affected vehicles can call the respective automakers' customer service departments for more information. Stellantis can be reached at 800-853-1403, Audi at 800-253-2834, and Ford at 866-436-7332.

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Nissan e-Power technology a hit with Aussie car buyers

Australians are warming to Nissan’s unique take on hybrid powertrain technology, and the Japanese auto brand is looking to further expand its e-Power range as sales increase.

The e-Power hybrid system employs the engine under the bonnet solely as a generator for the car’s electric motor/s, providing an EV driving experience without the petrol engine directly powering the wheels.

For context, Toyota hybrid systems allow the electric motor/s and petrol engine to drive the wheels at the same time, or individually. So, you can run on EV power, or petrol power, or a combination of the two.

While the majority of Toyota Australia models are now hybrid-only, e-Power variants accounted for 26 per cent of Nissan X-Trail mid-sized SUV sales Down Under in 2024, while e-Power versions accounted for 15 per cent of Qashqai small SUV sales last year, despite only being available from March.

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Nissan Australia is ‘ecstatic’ with those figures, and managing director Andrew Humberstone anticipates ongoing growth of its unique hybrid brand.

“There are many variants and opportunities open to us… e-Power technology is really critical for that migration from ICE [internal combustion engines], to hybrid reinvented, to full electric,” Mr Humberstone told CarExpert.

Nissan Australia has admitted that it initially struggled to communicate the benefits of e-Power with potential buyers, even as the market for hybrid SUVs surged, led mostly by Australia’s top-selling SUV, the Toyota RAV4 Hybrid.

Mr Humberstone is confident that local clients finally understand the technology, paving the way for a further expansion of the lineup and increased sales.

“We were not successful in how we communicated it originally, and people didn’t understand that it was a hybrid technology.

“What we know is that when people drive the car, they buy, and that’s once they understand the technology.

“This has been a learning curve in terms of coaching the network, the dealers, the salesmen, but also communicating with clients and changing the global brand strategy from just ‘e-Power’ to ‘e-Power, hybrid reinvented’.

“I think it’d be interesting to have this conversation in 12 months’ time, because we’ve really worked on our brand manifesto, really worked on brand positioning by model.”.

Nissan’s innovative e-Power technology was first made available in Australia in the flagship X-Trail Ti-L variant, before being expanded to other five-seat, all-wheel drive versions of its popular mid-sized SUV, including the ST-L and Ti, before the flagship Qashqai Ti e-Power arrived.

Nissan currently only offers e-Power versions of the X-Trail and Qashqai in Australia, however, the technology powers a vast array of models overseas.

Hybrid vehicle sales are up [website] per cent so far this year in Australia, while EV sales are down [website] per cent. Last year, hybrid sales rose by 76 per cent compared to 2023.

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Trump DOT freezes EV charger funding, demands new state plans

DOT to review $[website] federal EV charging program, funded with 2021 Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.

Keeps funding projects in progress but rescinds guidance for continued buildout.

Means new state proposals for rules not yet released, months of delay for states' funding.

Tesla has captured more than $41 million in government money for the buildout.

The Trump Administration is stalling on dispersing more funds to [website] states for the Biden Administration's electric vehicle charging infrastructure program—one that Tesla has profited from handily.

The National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (NEVI) Formula Program calls for 500,000 charging stations nationwide, and was funded with $[website] billion under the 2021 infrastructure law to make that happen. That total was split into $5 billion for a highway-based program, and $[website] billion for rural and underserved communities, with states submitting proposals for use of the available funds.

But on Thursday the Department of Transportation (DOT) expressed it had "decided to review the policies underlying the implementation" of the NEVI program, and was rescinding all previous guidance. That's being used as an excuse to stop the funding of new projects.

Redirect of FHWA webpage that previously contained NEVI documents from Feb. 6, 2025.

The DOT stated that "effective immediately, no new obligations may occur under the NEVI Formula Program until the updated final NEVI Formula Program Guidance is issued and new state plans are submitted and approved." Payments will still be made for projects already in progress, though.

"Until new guidance is issued, reimbursement of existing obligations will be allowed in order to not disrupt current financial commitments," the DOT noted.

Lawsuits will likely follow to free up the rest of the money, which the DOT is legally obligated to release to projects that meet requirements set out in the infrastructure law. While the DOT can issue guidance to clarify specifics, it can't contradict the law itself or withhold funds in perpetuity.

As of late Thursday evening, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) had also removed NEVI documents from its website. This follows a reported pattern of information being removed from federal websites since Trump's return to office.

As Elon Musk continues to exert influence on the federal government as a private citizen, it's worth noting that Tesla ended up winning many NEVI contracts, so this will have a serious financial affect on the EV organization—and a growing conflict of interest. As of January 18, Tesla had captured more than $41 million in federal funding covering 99 different NEVI sites, .

The Ionna charging network—funded by eight full-line automakers and the most likely rival to Tesla's Supercharger network in North America—has also suggested it will look to take advantage of the NEVI program.

Although it picked up speed last spring, NEVI-funded project rollout has been slow because states submitting plans must also deal with individual regulators, utilities, and other bureaucracies. Now that they have to submit new plans, all over again, it's a major setback for the buildout—many months, if not years—even if the money isn't actually taken away.

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