NHTSA Complaint #11025476 — 2016 JEEP WRANGLER

MY 2016 JEEP WRANGLER RUBICON WAS ORDERED AND PURCHASED ON 8/18/2016 AND ORDERED STRAIGHT FROM THE CHRSYLER PLANT THROUGH LEITH JEEP DEALERSHIP IN RALEIGH, NC. WHILE TRANSPORTING MY DAUGHTER FROM A DR. APPOINTMENT THE JEEP CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE TRAVELING ON AVIATION PARKWAY IN RALEIGH, NC ON 9/8/2017 AT APPROXIMATELY 10:45AM. THE JEEP SUDDENLY HAD SMOKE COMING INTO THE MAIN CABIN FROM THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE UNDER THE GLOVE BOX AREA. I QUICKLY PULLED THE JEEP TO THE SIDE OF THE HIGHWAY AND REMOVED THE KEYS FROM THE IGNITION HOPING THE SMOKE WOULD STOP. AS I TOOK THE KEYS OUT OF THE IGNITION THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE DASH WAS MELTING AT MY DAUGTHERS FEET AND FLAMES WERE COMING INTO THE CAR AND UNDER THE HOOD FROM THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. WE QUICKJLY EXITED THE JEEP AND CALLED 911. BY THE TIME WE GOT 10 FEET AWAY THE CAR BECAME ENGULPED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE OCCURRED WHILE THE CAR WAS IN MOTION. WE KNOW THE FIRE STARTED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AROUND THE MAIN WIRING UNIT DUE TO WHERE THE SMOKE STARTED. THE FIRE DEPT ALSO STATED THAT THE ORIGIN WAS NOTED ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE VEHICLE DUE TO THE MORE SEVERE BURN PATTERN TO THE RIGHT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE JEEP COMPARED TO THE LEFT SIDE. ALL SERVICE WAS COMPLETED BY OUR CHRYSLER DEALERSHIP AND THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS NOTED. THERE WAS 1 RECALL (FRONT IMPACT SENSOR) ON MY VIN # AND THE DEALERSHIP COMPLETED THE REQUIRED WORK. PLEASE SEE ALL SERVICE RECORDS ATTACHED.