NHTSA Complaint #10734888 — 2008 JEEP WRANGLER 4-DR 4X4

I WAS ON 75 SOUTH BOUND GOING 70 MPH. I HAD JUST GOTTEN ON THE INTERSTATE FROM THE BRUCE B DOWNS ENTRANCE. AFTER THE RIGHT LANE ENDED I SWITCHED TO THE MIDDLE LANE. COMING UP TO FLETCHER EXIT, THE GEARS CHANGED. ALMOST LIKE THE CAR GAVE OUT. I LOOKED DOWN, I DIDN'T CHANGE ANYTHING. ON MY WAY TO LOOK BACK UP I SEE SMOKE FROM THE HOOD AND SMOKE THROUGH THE RARE VIEW MIRROR. GREY SMOKE IN THE FRONT AND BLACK IN THE BACK. I LOOKED DOWN AT THE GAGES AND IT WAS OVER HEATING. LOOKED TO MY LEFT, NO CARS, PULLED OVER TO THE LEFT EMERGENCY LANE. AS I OPENED MY DOOR, THE FIRE WAS ALREADY SPITTING OUT FROM THE FRONT LEFT TIRE. I GRABBED MY PHONE. AS I'M WALKING AWAY, THE FIRE WAS GROWING ENGULFING THE WHOLE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. WITHIN MINUTES, LAW ENFORCEMENT ARRIVED ON SCENE AND WE WATCHED THE WHOLE VEHICLE GO UP IN FLAMES. AT FIRST 2 FIRE TRUCKS PUT OUT THE FIRE. ONCE THEY LEFT AND WE WERE WAITING FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE, IT CAUGHT FIRE AGAIN. THE STATE TROOPER HAD TO CALL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT TO COME BACK OUT. BEFORE THE FIRE STARTED, THERE WASN'T A NOISE OR A LIGHT BLINKING TO INDICATE A PROBLEM. THE VEHICLE FELT THE SAME AS IT ALWAYS DID. EVERYTHING JUST HAPPENED FAST AND ALL AT ONCE. I NEVER GOT ANY RECALL NOTICES. I HAD THE JEEP FOR 2 MONTHS. INSURANCE COMPANY NEVER DID AN INVESTIGATION BECAUSE THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT TO INVESTIGATE. I NEVER CALLED CHRYSLER BECAUSE I DIDN'T HAVE PROOF WHO WAS AT FAULT. I HAVE NEVER HEARD OF THIS BEING AN ISSUE WITH JEEPS UNTIL I BOUGHT MY NEW CAR AND THE SALES REP LOOKED ME IN THE EYES TOLD ME IT WAS MANUFACTURER DEFECT. IT HAPPENED TO 2 OF HIS FORMER CLIENTS. TOLD ME CHRYSLER WON'T DO ANYTHING BECAUSE IT CAN'T BE PROVEN.