Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has declared a significant safety recall of over 170,000 vehicles in the United States, after concerns of what could have been a potentially risky loss of drive power when driving.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) says the recall affects 170,169 vehicles of various popular models, such as Range Rover, Discovery, Range Rover Sport and Defender vehicles, and even some Jaguar models.
The problem has been identified as a fault in the vehicle DC-DC converter, which is an element that keeps the 12-volt electrical system. In case of converter failure, the battery might not charge correctly, and eventually, the entire drive power may go out, as well as interior lighting.
This fault is very dangerous to the safety of passengers, especially at high speeds or in low-visibility states, because drivers may simply lose propulsion and critical lighting systems.
According to regulators and reports, the fault could be caused by a failure inside the converter of the microchip that regulates the boost. This breakdown interferes with the charging system, leading to a progressive breakdown of electrical functions until finally the vehicle goes offline.
Drivers can be informed of a warning message before the complete failure, but in other instances, there is a possibility of the vehicle going into neutral and slowing down to a stop when the problem escalates.
The recall applies to a large variety of cars manufactured between 2019 and 2024, such as:
- Land Rover Range Rover and Range Rover Sport.
- Land Rover Discovery and Defender.
- Velar and Range Rover Evoque.
- Jaguar E-Pace and F-Pace.
Most of the affected cars are mild-hybrid models, as they are highly dependent on the electrical system to work. Currently, Jaguar Land Rover has not declared a definitive solution to the problem. The company is in the process of actively working on a solution, and owners of the affected vehicles should be informed when a solution is offered.
It is reported that the notification letters might be dispatched in the next few months, and they will provide the customers with what to do next, and what could be done, such as repairs or software changes.
Although it has been confirmed that there have been no reported crashes or injuries that directly relate to the defect, safety experts caution that unexpected loss of drive power poses a huge risk of accidents.
The recall is one of the most recent and biggest Jaguar Land Rover recalls in years and points to increasing questioning of the electrical systems of modern hybrids.
This is in the wake of growing regulatory interest in vehicle electronics and hybrid systems, as manufacturers proceed to incorporate more sophisticated electrical systems. The accident highlights the need to have solid testing and a quick reaction to possible safety defects.
In the meantime, it is recommended that the concerned owners keep vigilance towards any official communication of Jaguar Land Rover and report any suspicious car behaviour to the authorised dealers in real time.
