NHTSA Complaint #10565078 — 2012 JEEP WRANGLER

AFTER COMMUTE OF 35 - 40 MINUTES FROM WORK I PULLED INTO MY GARAGE AND CLOSED THE DOOR DOWN FOR THE NIGHT AS USUAL AND WENT INSIDE . I DID SMELL A SLIGHT BURNING SMELL BUT THOUGHT IT WAS RELATED TO OUTSIDE FRIDGE THAT FAILED. AFTER BEING INSIDE A FEW MINUTES WE HEARD A NOISE COMING FROM THE GARAGE. I WENT TO CHECK IT OUT AND FOUND THE STARTER ON THE JEEP WAS SPINNING ON ITS OWN. MY WIFE NOTICED SMOKE AND THEN FLAMES UNDER JEEP. I MANAGED TO GET JEEP OUT OF GARAGE AND FIRE PUT OUT AND DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY. THE FIRE WAS BASICALLY CONTAINED TO THE AREA AROUND THE STARTER AND RELATED WIRING/HOSES. THE JEEP DEALER PICKED UP THE JEEP AND HAS IT NOW. I CONTACTED JEEP FACTORY CUSTOMER REPRESENTATIVE REP WITH THE SPECIFICS OF THE INCIDENT AND WAS TOLD MY FILE WOULD BE TURNED OVER TO THE "SPECIAL INVESTIGATIONS" DEPARTMENT. I CAN'T IMAGINE WHAT THE OUTCOME OF THIS INCIDENT WOULD BE HAD WE NOT HEARD THE NOISE COMING FROM THE GARAGE OR IF MY COMMUTE HAD BEEN AN ADDITIONAL 20 -30 MINUTES LONGER. *TR