Key facts
- NHTSA campaign: 26V328000 (filed as "26V328"); FCA/Stellantis internal recall: 01D.
- Total recalled: 419,035 US vehicles.
- Models and years: 2022-2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee (two-row, platform WL74) = 140,130 units; 2023-2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee L (three-row, WL75) = 278,905 units.
- Build windows: Grand Cherokee built May 16, 2022 - Aug 19, 2025; Grand Cherokee L built May 16, 2022 - Oct 9, 2025.
- Defect: An Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) software error can let a transient door airbag pressure-sensor fault stay latched for the life of the sensor instead of clearing.
- Risk: A faulted door pressure sensor can delay side-airbag (SAB) deployment in certain side-impact crashes — a noncompliance with FMVSS No. 214 (Side Impact Protection).
- Warning sign: Once the fault sets, the airbag warning light stays on and a chime sounds at each ignition cycle (usually no warning before it sets).
- Remedy: Free dealer software reflash of the ORC — no hardware, no teardown.
- Owner notification: Letters expected to begin mailing June 11, 2026 (some sources cite a June 11-19 window). Chrysler customer service: 1-800-853-1403, reference recall 01D.
- Separate matter: A different Stellantis "do not drive" advisory (~225,000 older vehicles, unrepaired Takata inflators) was issued in February 2026 — it does not include the 2022-2026 Grand Cherokee.
What are the most common problems to check before buying a used 2022-2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee?
The single highest-priority item right now is the side-airbag software recall (NHTSA 26V328000). It affects both the two-row Grand Cherokee (2022-2026) and the three-row Grand Cherokee L (2023-2025) — together 419,035 US vehicles — and is unresolved on any unit where the free ORC reflash has not been completed. Beyond the recall, screen any used Grand Cherokee for prior accidents and airbag deployments, odometer rollback, salvage/auction history, and ownership and listing patterns before you commit. These checks matter for any used SUV, but the recall makes the airbag/crash record especially relevant on this nameplate.
Is my used Grand Cherokee part of the 419,035-unit airbag recall (NHTSA 26V328)?
Possibly — it depends on the exact model, year, and build date, which you confirm by VIN. The recall covers the 2022-2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee (two-row, WL74, built May 16, 2022 - Aug 19, 2025) and the 2023-2025 Jeep Grand Cherokee L (three-row, WL75, built May 16, 2022 - Oct 9, 2025). The definitive check is NHTSA's free VIN lookup at nhtsa.gov/recalls, which shows whether this campaign is open on a specific vehicle. A Zilocar VIN report can also flag that the recall is present on the unit as part of its recall-screening data.
| Model | Model years | Platform | Build window | US units | Recall / defect |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jeep Grand Cherokee (two-row) | 2022-2026 | WL74 | May 16, 2022 - Aug 19, 2025 | 140,130 | 26V328 / ORC software, delayed side-airbag deployment |
| Jeep Grand Cherokee L (three-row) | 2023-2025 | WL75 | May 16, 2022 - Oct 9, 2025 | 278,905 | 26V328 / ORC software, delayed side-airbag deployment |
| Total (recall 26V328) | — | — | — | 419,035 | NHTSA 26V328000 / FCA recall 01D |
What exactly is wrong — will the side airbags fail, or just deploy late?
The defect is about timing, not total failure. A software error in the Occupant Restraint Controller (ORC) can cause a transient (temporary) door airbag pressure-sensor fault to remain latched for the lifetime of the sensor instead of clearing as it should. With that sensor in a faulted state, deployment of the side airbag can be delayed in certain side-impact crashes, which reduces occupant protection and increases injury risk. This makes affected vehicles noncompliant with FMVSS No. 214. Stellantis identified the issue through warranty data beginning in early 2023 and ruled out unrelated causes such as door wiring-harness routing and the sensors themselves; the sources reviewed describe no confirmed field injuries tied specifically to this defect.
Is there a warning sign I can spot on a test drive?
Yes — if the fault has already set on a particular vehicle, it leaves visible and audible signs. Once latched, the airbag warning light stays illuminated in the instrument cluster and a chime sounds at each ignition cycle. On a test drive, watch the cluster at startup: a persistent airbag light plus a startup chime is a clear flag to investigate. Note the limitation, though — there is generally no warning before the fault sets, so a clean dashboard does not prove the software is up to date. The recall reflash is the fix regardless of whether the light is currently on.
Can a vehicle history report tell me if the recall software was actually flashed?
No. This is the most important honest limit to understand. A VIN history report (Zilocar's included) draws from the same recall data class as NHTSA's free tool: it can confirm a recall is present/counted on a vehicle, but it does not report open-vs-closed remedy status or per-unit dealer firmware detail. To confirm the ORC software was actually reflashed, check the VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls (which reflects completion status) or ask a Jeep dealer to verify against the VIN. Never treat a seller's listing claim of "recall done" as proof.
What a VIN check can and can't tell you here
A Zilocar VIN check is most valuable on this story for screening and history, not for proving the repair. Use it to flag recall presence and to read the crash, airbag, salvage, odometer, ownership, and listing record; defer "was it actually fixed," investigation status, and firmware detail to NHTSA and the dealer.
| Question | VIN check (Zilocar) | Where to confirm |
|---|---|---|
| Is recall 26V328 present on this VIN? | Yes — flags recall presence/count | Also nhtsa.gov/recalls |
| Was the ORC software actually reflashed? | No — no open/closed remedy status | Jeep dealer or nhtsa.gov/recalls |
| Has this unit been in a side-impact (or any) crash? | Yes — accident/damage records: location, type, severity | — |
| Did its airbags already deploy? | Yes — airbag-deployment status in damage records | — |
| Odometer rollback? | Yes — odometer/rollback check | — |
| Salvage / junk / auction history? | Yes — junk & salvage auction records | — |
| Legal title brand (e.g., "salvage" stamp)? | No — shows auction records, not the title brand itself | State DMV/title |
| Sales-listing history (prices, mileage, days-on-market)? | Yes — strong differentiator (see below) | — |
| Theft / ownership / specs / safety ratings / valuation? | Yes — NICB theft, ownership, options, NHTSA+IIHS ratings, market value | — |
| Open NHTSA investigation (PE/EA)? | No — no investigation tracking (none associated with this recall) | nhtsa.gov |
Is a Grand Cherokee re-listed right after the recall news a red flag?
It can be, and listing history is where a VIN check adds something NHTSA's free tool does not. Zilocar surfaces past and current sales listings — prices, mileage, and days-on-market — so you can spot a unit dumped onto the market right after the late-May/early-June 2026 recall coverage. A quick re-list isn't proof of a problem (the fix is a free software flash), but combined with an active airbag light, a prior side-impact crash, or salvage-auction records, a sudden re-listing is worth a hard second look and a dealer remedy check.
Is the Grand Cherokee under a "do not drive" order?
No. The 2022-2026 Grand Cherokee and 2023-2025 Grand Cherokee L are part of the side-airbag software recall (26V328) — not a "do not drive" order. There is a separate Stellantis "do not drive" advisory, but it covers roughly 225,000 older vehicles with unrepaired Takata airbag inflators that can rupture and spray metal fragments — a different defect, different campaigns, and issued in February 2026, not as part of the June 2026 Grand Cherokee news. NHTSA links exploding Takata inflators to 28 US deaths and more than 400 injuries; Stellantis says it has already replaced 6.6 million-plus of its Takata inflators, with about 225,000 still unrepaired. Repairs are free.
The Takata "do not drive" population covers previously recalled 2003-2016-era models, including:
| Model | Model years | Defect |
|---|---|---|
| Dodge Ram 1500 / 2500 / 3500 | 2003-2010 | Unrepaired Takata inflator rupture |
| Dodge Durango | 2004-2009 | Unrepaired Takata inflator rupture |
| Dodge Dakota | 2005-2011 | Unrepaired Takata inflator rupture |
| Dodge Charger | 2006-2015 | Unrepaired Takata inflator rupture |
| Dodge Challenger | 2008-2014 | Unrepaired Takata inflator rupture |
| Dodge Magnum | 2005-2008 | Unrepaired Takata inflator rupture |
| Chrysler 300 | 2005-2015 | Unrepaired Takata inflator rupture |
| Chrysler Aspen | 2007-2009 | Unrepaired Takata inflator rupture |
| Jeep Wrangler (JK) | 2007-2016 | Unrepaired Takata inflator rupture |
| Mitsubishi Raider | 2006-2009 | Unrepaired Takata inflator rupture (Dodge Dakota twin) |
(Model-year cutoffs per nameplate come from CBS News reporting and may vary slightly by source.)
