- It’s unclear how many days the production of the two popular models was paused.
- Stellantis says it was taking “necessary actions” to improve operations in the U.S. market.
- The company’s sales plummeted 21% across the first half of 2024.
Jeep quietly halted production of the Wrangler and Grand Cherokee in the U.S. over the past week, although it hasn’t provided a specific reason for this action.
Sources revealed early this week that there had been downtime for two of the popular Jeep models at two assembly plants in Detroit which produce the Grand Cherokee, and a factory in Toledo, Ohio, that handles the production of the Wrangler. Stellantis confirmed the move and said production of the two would resume on Thursday.
Read: New Vehicle Inventory Swells With Stellantis Drowning In Unsold Cars
The Wall Street Journal says it’s unclear how many days manufacturing was idled. “Stellantis continues to take the necessary actions to improve operations in the U.S. market,” a company spokesperson said. “The company will continue to monitor the situation to assess whether further action is required.” Stellantis described the pause as simple “production adjustments.”
The move could be related to swelling inventory levels for the brand in the U.S. At the start of June, it was revealed that Jeep and Ram had at least twice the industry average of supplies which was sitting at 76 days at the time. Other Stellantis brands are also suffering from swelling inventories well above the average, including Alfa Romeo, Chrysler, and Dodge. Things weren’t much better at the start of August, with Jeep and Dodge both having a more than four-month supply of vehicles compared to the 68-day industry average.
Dealers and analysts blame the company’s burgeoning inventories on high prices and fewer promotions than its rivals.
The conglomerate’s sales have also dropped 21% across the United States through the first half of this year, despite a small increase across the industry as a whole. Its overall market share has slipped 2% as a result.
