NHTSA Complaint #11220480 — 2012 JEEP WRANGLER

THIS VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE BETWEEN THE REAR OF THE ENGINE AND THE FIREWALL ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. ALL FIRE SUPPRESSION EFFORTS FAILED AND THE VEHICLE BURNED TO THE GROUND. THIS VEHICLE HAD JUST RETURNED FROM THE DEALERSHIP AFTER BEING SERVICED FOR TRANSMISSION PROBLEMS. THIS VEHICLE A LONG HISTORY OF MECHANICAL DEFECTS REQUIRING SERVICE, ALL OF WHICH WAS DONE AT A JEEP DEALERSHIP. SHORTLY BEFORE THE FIRE BEGAN IT LOOKS LIKE THE VEHICLE STARTED LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID. IT WAS BEING OPERATED AT ABOUT 50MPH ON A PAVED ROADWAY JUST PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE FIRE WAS FIRST NOTICED WHEN PULLING TO A STOP AND PARKING AFTER LEAVING THE MAIN ROADWAY AND PULLING INTO A PRIVATE DRIVE OF A RESIDENCE. A TRAIL OF FLUID WAS FOUND ON THE MAIN ROADWAY BEGINNING JUST PRIOR TO THE TURN INTO THE DRIVEWAY AND ENDING AT THE JEEP. THIS JEEP HAD NO MODIFICATIONS TO THE SUSPENSION OR DRIVE TRAIN AND HAD STOCK SIZE TIRES. THE VEHICLE WAS UP TO DATE ON ALL RECALL SERVICE WORK. I DO NOT KNOW WHAT WAS THE INITIAL SOURCE OF IGNITION BUT I DID SEE TRANSMISSION FLUID FEEDING THE FIRE.