NHTSA Complaint #11375815 — 2016 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE

WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE AND TOWING MY BOAT (APPROX 4500LBS) FOR THE PREVIOUS HOUR OR SO ON STATE HIGHWAY BETWEEN 50-65 MPH WITH SOME STOPLIGHTS (NOT INTERSTATE), THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (CEL) CAME ON AND THE DRIVER INTERFACE ON THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER CAME ON DISPLAYING SOMETHING TO THE EFFECT OF "SERVICE ELECTRONIC THROTTLE CONTROL SYSTEM". CONTINUED DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 2 MILES TO GET TO AN INTERSECTION TO TURN OFF THE MAIN ROAD. ONCE STOPPED AT THE STOPLIGHT I NOTICED SLIGHT SMOKE COMING FROM THE LEFT FRONT CORNER OF THE HOOD BY THE HEADLIGHT. I PLACED THE VEHICLE IN PARK, PUT THE HAZARDS ON AND PULLED THE HOOD RELEASE. BY THE TIME I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND MADE MY WAY AROUND THE DOOR TO THE HOOD, THICK BLACK SMOKE WAS BILLOWING FROM ALL AROUND THE HOOD AND FLAMES WERE NOTICED COMING THROUGH BODY GAPS AND THE GRILL. WITHIN 30 SECONDS THE ENTIRE ENGINE BAY AND HOOD WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. I DID MANAGE TO GET THE BOAT UNHOOKED AND PUSHED BACK AND DOCUMENTED WITH PHOTOS. THIS IS THE THIRD TIME THESE INDICATIONS (CEL) AND DRIVER INTERFACE DISPLAYED THE EXACT SAME INDICATIONS. THE FIRST TIME IT RESOLVED UPON SHUTTING DOWN THE VEHICLE. THE SECOND TIME, IT WAS BROUGHT TO THE DEALER. APPROX 1 MONTH PRIOR TO THE FIRE THE DEALER FOUND NOTHING ON INSPECTION AND RESET THE CODE. THE CODE WAS FOR EXCESSIVE EGR FLOW. ADDITIONALLY THE DEALER PERFORMED ANY OUTSTANDING RECALLS ON THE VEHICLE. THIS VEHICLE WAS EQUIPPED WITH THE 3.0 ECO DIESEL ENGINE AND WAS BOUGHT NEW, DEALER, SERVICED ITS ENTIRE TIME AND HAD APPROXIMATELY 70K MILES ON IT. I HAVE NO DOUBT THIS WAS DIRECTLY RATED TO AN EGR PROBLEM THAT THESE PARTICULAR ENGINES HAVE HAD ISSUES WITH DIRECTLY RESULTING IN THE FIRE.