NHTSA Complaint #11206803 — 2015 JEEP WRANGLER

MY JEEP CAUGHT FIRE FROM THE DASH, REASONS UNKNOWN. INSURANCE IS INVESTIGATING AND FIRE DEPT PUT CAUSE AS UNKNOWN. JEEP IS A TOTAL LOSS AND MY HUSBAND BARELY MADE IT OUT OF THE VEHICLE BEFORE IT WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. HE WAS DRIVING FROM SCHOOL TO HOME AND ABOUT A MILE FROM HOME ON THE HIGHWAY ABOUT TO EXIT.*DT CONSUMER STATED AS HE WAS TRYING TO SHIFT INTO NEUTRAL AND PULL THE E-BRAKE, HE WAS BURNT ON HIS HAND AND A LITTLE ON HIS LEGS BY THE TIME HE JUMPED OUT. ON THE DAY OF THE INCIDENT, MY HUSBAND DROVE APPROXIMATELY 5-6 MILES TO CLASS (AS HE IS IN A TECHNICAL SCHOOL RIGHT NOW) AROUND 6:30 AM. AS HE WAS COMING HOME, IT STARTED SMOKING ABOUT HALF WAY UP THE ON RAMP HEADING IN THE DIRECTION TO THE EXIT TO OUR HOME, MY HUSBAND SAID RIGHT BEFORE IT STARTED SMOKING IT ALMOST SOUND LIKE THAT BLOWER MOTOR WAS MAKING A STRANGE NOISE, AND HE WAS HEADED HOME TO LOOK AT IT, BUT THE NOISE QUIT RIGHT BEFORE IT STARTED SMOKING. HE DID HIS BEST TO GET IT OUT OF TRAFFIC, BUT AS I STATED, WITH IT BEING A SOFT TOP, IT WENT UP IN FLAMES RATHER QUICK. THE VEHICLE WAS SERVICED EVERY 4,000-5,000 MILES. MY HUSBAND HAS A MOTORCYCLE, SO THE TIME SPENT IN THE JEEP WAS MAINLY IN COOLER WEATHER OR WHEN IT WAS RAINING/OVERCAST. THERE WERE NOT ISSUE LEADING UP TO THE FIRE. WE HAD TAKEN IT ON SHORT TRIPS - LONGEST DISTANCE WAS LIKE 100 MILES ROUND TRIP, BUT HADN'T DONE THAT IN AWHILE. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS, STATE FARM TOTALED THE VEHICLE, WE HAVE NOT HAD POSSESSION OF THE JEEP SINCE IT WAS TOWED FROM THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BY WHOEVER THE FIRE DEPT CALLED (ALLIED TOWING). AFTER THAT INSURANCE HAD IT TOWED TO A LOCATION OF THEIR OWN. I BELIEVE MY HUSBAND ONLY HAD A SUB WOOFER IN THE JEEP, YOU CAN SEE IT IN THE BACK IN SOME OF THE PICTURES. I BELIEVE AT SOME POINT THE STEREO WAS CHANGED BUT THAT WAS BEFORE WE OWNED IT AND IT WAS IN OUR POSSESSION FOR ALMOST 1 YEAR PRIOR TO THE FIRE. I HAVE NO CONTACTED THE FCA, I WASN'T SURE WHO TO REACH OUT TO FOR THIS ISSUE.*JB