NHTSA Complaint #10924395 — 2013 JEEP WRANGLER

MY NEW TO ME, BUT STILL UNDER FACTORY WARRANTY, JEEP WRANGLER SAHARA 2DR, CAUGHT FIRE AND BURNED THE DAY I GOT IT. IT HAD BEEN DRIVEN 250KMS FROM THE JEEP DEALER TO ME, THEN PARKED UNTIL THE EVENING. I TOOK IT FOR A DRIVE FOR ABOUT 40KM WITHOUT INCIDENT, PARKED, AND HAD DINNER WITH A FRIEND. AFTER DINNER, I USED THE REMOTE START TO TEST IT, UNLOCKED IT, AND GOT IN AND DROVE OFF. I STOPPED AT A STORE A MINUTE UP THE ROAD, LEFT IT IDLING, AND CAME OUT TO FIND MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT FLASHING. I CYCLED THE IGNITION, AND THE LIGHT WENT OUT. I PROCEEDED TOWARDS HOME, BUT TWO MINUTES LATER THE LIGHT CAME BACK ON, FOLLOWED BY A VERY LOUD BANG, THEN THEN THE SMOKE FROM THE HOOD. I WAS TRAVELLING AT ABOUT 10KM/HR IN A NEIGHBOUTHOOD HAVING JUST TURNED FROM A STOP. MY VEHICLE CAME TO A STOP, MY PASSENGER AND I JUMPED OUT, CALLED 911, AND WATCHED AS A FIRE COMING FROM WHAT APPEARED TO BE THE PASSENGER SIDE, WITH SOMETHING DRIPPING AND BURNING AS WELL, CONSUMED THE FRONT OF THE JEEP. I NOTIFIED THE DEALERSHIP AND JEEP CANADA BUT HAVE YET TO RECEIVE RESPONSES. INSURANCE DEEMED IT A TOTAL LOSS. I'D OWNED THE VEHICLE FOR 8 HOURS. IT HAD 50,000KMS ON THE ODOMETER, AND ONE OUTSTANDING RECALL (14V-631) THAT WASN'T DONE PRIOR TO DELIVERY TO ME.