2008 Jeep Wrangler 4-DR 4x4: fire, smoke or burning smell

Filed Jan 31, 2018 · Body, Engine · 130,000 miles · NJ · fire

Our 2008 jeep wrangler, while parked, with no outstanding issues, having come from the chrysler jeep dealership in freehold nj just 3 days prior, burst into flames while parked. No fumes, overheating or other problems occurred during the 1 hr trip to the parking spot. Car was engulfed in flames, all down to metal. Completely lost due to fire/heat. Firemen were on the scene to put out flames but all was lost. Fire is a mystery to us. Always serviced at jeep dealers, so all recalls should have been addressed when VIN input for servicing...*bf

Filed Nov 9, 2017 · Brakes, Driver assistance · 104,000 miles · NE

Totally integrated power module (tipm) item has failed , causing me to replace other parts diagnosed by PCM as being faulty, but replacing those parts resulted in same error codes. Actual fault found to be a failing tipm. I have constant error codes, random horn, or lack of horn, random actuating of stability control causing one corner of jeep to brake suddenly and giving the stability control warning light. Random power and fuel economy problems. Spent +$600 in parts that did not fix what jeep said was problem, when problem is tipm giving the problem. Just waiting to see if bursts into flames, as have smelled hot wires coming from it recently. This has occurred while stationary and in while motion.

Filed Feb 26, 2017 · Body, Engine · 100,000 miles · MI · fire

Vehicle caught fire while driving. Complete loss.

Filed Oct 18, 2016 · Engine · 150,000 miles · GA · fire

My 2008 jeep wrangler unlimited rubicon caught fire in the engine after driving about 20 minutes and parking. It appeared to originate near the bottom of the engine. Chrysler was out to inspect to determine cause only to tell me it was not a manufacturing defect. They refuse to give me a copy of the report. The repair shop where it was inspected overheard the inspector say something about oil leaking out of the engine onto the hot exhaust. The insurance company has now totaled my jeep.

Filed Feb 13, 2016 · 165,000 miles · AR · fire

I was driving home from work, had driven about 40 miles as I do every day. The person in front of me on the highway had stopped to turn and as I stopped to wait on then, I noticed smoke coming from under my hood. I immediately pulled to the side of the road in a safe place and opened the hood and noticed that my jeep was on fire behind the engine. I called my wife and then she called 911 while I grabbed my work stuff out of the back. Within minutes the jeep was engulfed in flames.

Filed Jan 5, 2016 · Transmission · 70,000 miles · VA · fire

At 35 MPH in city traffic, the vehicle slowed down and the tach rose as if I were in neutral, I let off accelerator and vehicle jumped forward as if it went back into gear. As vehicle started gaining speed I stepped on accelerator and it seemed to go into neutral again and the tach once again rose. I pulled over to curb in city and turned on my emergency flashers and exited vehicle. I noticed smoke coming out from under vehicle and reached back in and turned vehicle off. I opened hood and flames came up from the center of vehicle behind engine, I went to rear of vehicle and grabbed fire extinguisher and tried to put fire out but couldn't. No warning lights or gauges gave advance notice that there was a problem. There was a trail of fluid that started at least 300' down the middle of my lane behind my vehicle and ended under my transmission. The only photo is a video I posted on facebook, I took the video while waiting for firetrucks and police.

Filed Jul 17, 2015 · Body, Engine · 57,000 miles · FL · fire

I was on 75 south bound going 70 MPH. I had just gotten on the interstate from the bruce b downs entrance. After the right lane ended I switched to the middle lane. Coming up to fletcher exit, the gears changed. Almost like the car gave out. I looked down, I didn't change anything. On my way to look back up I see smoke from the hood and smoke through the rare view mirror. Grey smoke in the front and black in the back. I looked down at the gages and it was over heating. Looked to my left, no cars, pulled over to the left emergency lane. As I opened my door, the fire was already spitting out from the front left tire. I grabbed my phone. As I'm walking away, the fire was growing engulfing the whole front of the vehicle. Within minutes, law enforcement arrived on scene and we watched the whole vehicle go up in flames. At first 2 fire trucks put out the fire. Once they left and we were waiting for the tow truck to arrive, it caught fire again. The state trooper had to call the fire department to come back out. Before the fire started, there wasn't a noise or a light blinking to indicate a problem. The vehicle felt the same as it always did. Everything just happened fast and all at once. I never got any recall notices. I had the jeep for 2 months. Insurance company never did an investigation because there was nothing left to investigate. I never called chrysler because I didn't have proof who was at fault. I have never heard of this being an issue with jeeps until I bought my new car and the sales rep looked me in the eyes told me it was manufacturer defect. It happened to 2 of his former clients. Told me chrysler won't do anything because it can't be proven.

Filed Apr 6, 2015 · Brakes, Electrical · 67,000 miles · IN · fire

As I was stopping at local arby's restaurant for lunch, my 2008 jeep wrangler sahara unlimited started smoking from under the hood. It smelled like electrical wires burning. It ignited before I could exit the vehicle and within a couple of minutes it was totally engulfed in flames. There were several witnesses who saw the fire. I immediately called 911 and within minutes the fire department arrived and put out the fire. The jeep is a total loss.

Filed Jul 23, 2014 · Engine, Transmission · 116,000 miles · IL · fire

I had a lifetime warranty package on my 2008 jeep wrangler. I also keep great records of my maintained and did most of it at the dealership. I was driving 65mph on the highway and the transmission / engine area started smoking. When I pulled over group llc and lames were dripping from the transmission / engine area. Smoke quickly filled the vehicle and with-in 2 minutes the jeep wrangler was up in flames. I contact chrysler group llc and they sent an inspector out. They were very hard to work with and mailed me letter saying, "the inspector found no indication of a manufacturing defect that caused or contributed to the incident on 1 jul 14. No help at all! I want to look into this more. It seems the transmission / engine defect cost me a one jeep wrangler and they accepted no responsibility.

Filed Oct 23, 2012 · Electrical, Engine · 58,000 miles · WA · fire

Driving in beach dune area in oregon (had arrived maybe 10 minutes earlier). Smelled something burning and car burned to the ground. No overheating of engine coolant but hot oil and other lights flickered before shutting engine off. Got out of vehicle, looked under hood and wire harness along firewall was on fire and flames coming from that and between engine and firewall. Tried to suppress fire but was unsuccessful. Car a total loss - burned to the ground.

Filed Apr 12, 2012 · Acceleration, Engine · 28,500 miles · OH · fire

I was driving my 2008 jeep wrangler unlimited on state route 23 northbound just outside of milan michigan when I began to notice a sputtering of the engine. I started to slow down to pull over and it stopped. As I accelerated back to speed I could feel it again. I pulled off the interstate onto the cone azail road exit as I slowed down the engine started to run fine again. I entered back onto the highway and as pick up speed it started sputtering I finally pulled over and as I was reaching to open the hood a flame shot out. With in minutes my vehicle was completely engulfed in flames. It happened so fast I was unable to recover anything out of the vehicle safely. When contacting chrysler regarding this incident they told me to take it up with my insurance company and that they would not cover any damages.

Filed Apr 12, 2012 · Transmission · 30,000 miles · KS · fire

Tl* the contact owns a 2008 jeep wrangler 4dr 4x4. While driving approximately 20 MPH, smoke began to emit from under the hood. The contact maneuvered to the side of the road and immediately exited the vehicle. The vehicle began to ignite into extensive flames. The fire department extinguished the fire and informed the malfunction originated within the transmission. The vehicle was completely destroyed and towed to the dealer. The failure occurred twenty minutes after the recall repair was performed. The recall was associated with the federal safety agency campaign id number was 09v436000 (power train: automatic transmission). The approximate failure mileage was 30,000.