The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is launching an investigation into reports of Jeep SUVs catching on fire—the majority of which were parked and turned off, reports Reuters.
Over 781,000 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles are included in the preliminary evaluation, which was announced yesterday. NHTSA has received nine reports of fires and one injury occurring in vehicles from model years 2021 through 2023.
Additionally, most of the reports detail the ignition being off when the vehicles caught fire. The owner of a 2022 Gladiator in Auburn, Washington, experienced their vehicle bursting into flames outside their house after not being driven for two weeks.
“There were no warnings of symptoms and our Jeep app showed everything was normal when last driven,” said the owner.
Stellantis has said it is cooperating with NHTSA, and shared that most of the fires were coming from the front passenger side of the engine compartment, in the power steering pump electrical connector.
A preliminary investigation is the first step NHTSA must take before it can determine the need for a recall. In the meantime, it’s a safety concern that not just owners of affected vehicles, but any business housing them, should be aware of to avoid unforeseen accidents.
“If I owned one of these vehicles, I certainly wouldn't want to park it in a garage,” Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, told CBS News.
