Stellantis is recalling 81 brand-new 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Grand Cherokee L SUVs because a software glitch can knock out the windshield wipers without warning, cutting a driver’s forward visibility in the middle of a storm. The recall, logged with NHTSA as campaign number 26V529, covers vehicles built during a narrow production window this year.

Key Points

• 81 vehicles are affected in the United States, according to NHTSA’s recall database.
• The problem traces to a body control module (BCM) software error that can sever communication with the wiper motor circuit.
• Stellantis filed the paperwork with regulators on Aug. 21, 2026, and VIN lookups went live on NHTSA.gov two days later, per autoevolution’s review of the filing.
• The fix is a free dealer software flash that takes technicians under 15 minutes.

NHTSA’s filing describes the defect bluntly: a manufacturing or flashing error during assembly can leave the BCM’s logic compromised, so the module intermittently loses its link to the wipers. When that happens, the blades simply stop clearing the glass, and there’s no dashboard warning to tell the driver it’s coming. Regulators note that “windshield wiper failure can reduce visibility, increasing the risk of a crash,” a concern that gets sharper in heavy rain or snow rather than a light drizzle where a driver might not immediately need the wipers at all.

What’s Affected

• 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee
• 2026 Jeep Grand Cherokee L
• Built during a limited assembly period tied to the software flash, per Mopar-focused outlet Stellpower, which confirmed the same 81-unit count independently of the federal filing.

The recall’s small scope, 81 units against annual Grand Cherokee sales in the tens of thousands, suggests the bad calibration file only reached a handful of vehicles before Stellantis caught it. That’s not much comfort to the owners involved, since a wiper failure is the kind of defect that shows up exactly when a driver needs it most.

What Owners Should Do

• Chrysler’s internal reference is recall number 77D. Owners can check their VIN through NHTSA’s recall lookup tool to confirm inclusion.
• Notification letters are scheduled to go out by Sept. 3, 2026.
• Dealers will upload an updated calibration file to the BCM through the OBD-II port at no charge, a repair also available through Chrysler Mobile Service.
• Owners with questions can call Chrysler customer care at 1-800-853-1403 and reference campaign 77D.

Because this is a safety recall, federal law also requires any affected Grand Cherokee or Grand Cherokee L still sitting on a dealer lot to receive the software update before it can be sold, so the fix should already be reaching new inventory even as customer letters go out.