Jaguar Land Rover has initiated a recall of more than 170,000 vehicles across the United States following concerns over a potential loss of drive power, the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) announced on Thursday.
A total of 170,169 vehicles will be recalled and will encompass a range of models, including the Range Rover, Discovery, Range Rover Sport and Defender.
According to NHTSA, a faulty DC-DC converter can prevent the vehicle’s 12-volt system from charging, leading to a complete loss of both drive power and exterior lighting.
A remedy for the issue is currently under development, the regulator added.
Earlier this month, it was reported that British owners of Jaguar’s I-PACE electric vehicles expressed significant concern, with many reportedly ‘scared to drive’ their cars following a warning from the manufacturer about a potential fire safety risk.
The British carmaker issued a notice to I-PACE customers, detailing that some of these electric vehicles had experienced battery thermal overload which “may present as smoke or fire”.
The Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency (DVSA) estimated over 26,000 vehicles in the UK, up to the 2021 model year, could have been affected.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) said the figure is closer to 16,300.
In the note to customers, JLR said: “A vehicle thermal overload condition, such as fire or smoke, can result in increased risk of occupant injury and/or injury to persons outside the vehicle, as well as property damage.”
Vehicles up to the 2018 model year have already undergone previous software updates, but JLR said “field evidence” showed there was still a risk.
The company urged people to park away from buildings and charge their cars outside until they get an interim repair, which restricts the maximum charge of the car to 90 per cent.
At the time drivers claimed they were given no indication as to when a permanent fix would be available and were demanding immediate action to resolve the issue.
