NHTSA Complaint #10456498 — 2011 JEEP WRANGLER

POTENTIALLY A ROOT CAUSE OF THE RASH OF FIRES IN JEEP WRANGLERS THAT ARE SITTING PARKED: FAILURE OF THE TIPM (TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE). IN DEC 2011, MY DAUGHTER DROVE HER NEW (3000 MILES) 2011 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED TO CHURCH, PARKED IT, TURNED OFF THE KEY, TOOK THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION, EXITED THE VEHICLE AND LOCKED THE DOOR, AND WENT INTO THE CHURCH BUILDING - NEVER REALIZING THAT MOTOR WAS ACTUALLY STILL RUNNING!! (THEY'RE VERY QUIET WHEN IDLING AND SHE WAS TALKING TO A FRIEND.) ABOUT 20 TO 30 MINUTES LATER, A MAN CAME RUNNING INTO CHURCH THAT KNOWS OF HER VEHICLE AND SAID "YOUR JEEP IS RUNNING, THERE'S SMOKE OR STEAM COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THE DOOR IS LOCKED, AND I CAN'T GET IN TO TURN IT OFF! MY DAUGHTER CHECKED AND SHE INDEED HAD THE IGNITION KEY IN HER HAND. SHE RAN OUT OF CHURCH AND UNLOCKED THE DOOR, PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION BUT IT WOULD NOT KILL THE ENGINE! WE HAD TO ENGAGE THE CLUTCH IN A HIGH GEAR ON THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION TO KILL IT. RADIATOR COOLANT ALL OVER THE GROUND. WE FOUND THAT RADIATOR FLUID WAS JUST ABOUT ALL BOILED OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE TIPM WAS ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO CONTINUE TO RUN EVEN THOUGH THE IGNITION WAS OFF AND KEY REMOVED - BUT THE TIPM DID SHUT OFF THE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED COOLING FAN IN FRONT OF THE RADIATOR. THERE WAS ELECTRICAL POWER GOING TO THE MOTOR IGNITION SO THAT THE MOTOR CONTINUED TO RUN - BUT W/O A FAN. THE COOLANT BOILED OUT OF THE ENGINE AND HAD OUR FRIEND NOT INTERVENED OUR MOTOR DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE BOILED ITSELF DRY AND CONTINUED TO RUN UNTIL IT EITHER SEIZED UP DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT AND/OR IGNITED A FIRE DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE HEAT (POTENTIALLY BY IGNITING THE FUEL WITHIN THE FUEL SYSTEM?? ELECTRICAL WIRE INSULATION CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL FIRE?? BATTERY BOILING AND FIRE??). AS YOU'RE AWARE, THERE ARE SEVERAL POTENTIAL SECONDARY SOURCES FOR FIRE IGNITION UNDER THE VEHICLE HOOD. *TR