The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has opened an investigation into over 781,000 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator SUVs. The agency made this announcement on Monday, September 9, 2024, after several complaints and reports about engine compartment fires.
The agency cited nine complaints, multiple field reports, and one personal injury report. The NHTSA determined that several fires started at the power steering pump electrical connectors.
The investigation further determined that 2021 to 2023 Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator vehicles are at risk of underhood fires. The reports indicate that these fires started while the vehicles’ ignitions were off.
Investigations suggest that the fires most likely came from the front passenger side of the engine compartment, and that is where the electrical connectors are located.
The NHTSA office of defect investigation has opened a preliminary evaluation to determine the defect’s cause, frequency, and scope. The evaluation’s results will determine whether the affected models are recalled.
Stellantis, a Jeep manufacturer, has said it is cooperating with the NHTSA’s preliminary evaluation. Jeep Wranglers and Jeep Gladiators made the news not too long ago for multiple reasons.
Several models were recalled due to failing instrument panels, which caused the indicators and speedometers to go off. Multiple 2020 Jeep Wrangler models were recalled due to fire risks and fuel links. Afterward, the 2018 to 2021 Jeep Wranglers and 2020 to 2021 Jeep Gladiators were recalled because of a clutch-plate defect.
For this most recent series of events, some customers reported fires not long after they purchased their vehicles. An owner of a 2021 Jeep Wrangler in New Jersey reported that the car started smoking and went up in flames within ten minutes.
The owner mentioned that he could get his daughter and dogs out of the vehicle beforehand. Yet, it was a scary experience. An Arizona owner of a 2021 Jeep Wrangler said the car had 1900 miles on it when it caught fire.
According to the owner, they saw black smoke from the engine compartment. “By the time I pulled over and got out, the car was on fire. Within a few minutes, the entire vehicle was in flames.”
Another owner in Auburn, Washington, told the NHTSA that their 2022 Jeep Wrangler with 1,758 miles also caught fire. This happened while the car was parked next to their house.
Shockingly, the owner insists they had not driven it for a couple of weeks. “There were no warning signs, and our Jeep app showed that everything was normal the last time it was driven.”
Everything falls back to the NHTSA to determine whether to upgrade the issue to an engineering analysis. If that is the case, the next step is deciding whether to initiate a safety recall or close the investigation.
If there are pending lemon law cases regarding these Jeep models in different states in the U.S., recalls may affect their outcomes. Owners can proceed with their cases unless the defect is fixed and the car is properly maintained.If you’re a victim or a current owner, hire a Los Angeles Lemon Law Attorney to guide you through the claim. Until then, wait for the NHTSA to complete their investigation.
