My wife called me from work saying her jeep was smoking after parking the vehicle. I rushed to her job and found smoke coming from under the jeep. What I found was debris was stuck between the frame and the exhaust pipe in the center of the jeep. Pinestraw been collecting there and was smoldering. I thought that was a fluke but much to my surprise my wife pulled into the garage 2 days ago and the car smelled like it was burning and I removed about 10 handfuls of pinestraw that was smoldering. We do not park the car in the garage anymore for fear of a fire. What makes no sense is the debris not collecting behind the tires but in the middle of the car. It is my opinion that jeep should follow up with a recall or at least tell me how to rectify the problem.
Jeep Wrangler 4-DR 4x4 fire or smoke problems
32 of the 1,366 owner complaints about the Jeep Wrangler 4-DR 4x4 describe fire, smoke or burning smell, most of them for the 2008 model year.
- owner complaints
- 32
- worst model year
- 2008
- typical mileage
- 67,000
By model year
Often reported together
Overheating 5Loss of power 4Wipers 1Power steering loss 1Check engine light 1
What owners say
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
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.
Vehicle caught fire while driving. Complete loss.
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.
At 1030 am 08 september 2016, my jeep wrangler caught fire and was determined a total loss. I dropped my jeep off for a noise in the transmission on 06 september 2016, I then received a phone on the 8th that my jeep had caught fire because the transmission had overheated. The dealership was in possession of my vehicle through this process and stated that I would need to file a claim through my insurance company.
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.
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.
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.
While driving the car the oil light came on but went off. I was on a narrow road and was about to pull off then lights started to flash and the clutch would not work I stopped and turned the car off but it would not stop. Then I tried to get out and the doors all locked on me.I got out and noticed what I first thought was a boiling radiator but when I went to lift the bonnet the car caught fire. It was gone in a matter of minutes. Jeep australia denied any cars had caught fire here and would not allow us to have forensics investigate. At 35,000 the clutch also had to be replaced which jeep also said was because I did not know how to drive a manual I had been driving for 17 years. I know there have been other cars here in australia with the same problems I have had
Related recalls
No recalls on record for this model year.
Questions about the Jeep Wrangler 4-DR 4x4 fire or smoke
Which Jeep Wrangler 4-DR 4x4 years have fire, smoke or burning smell problems?
The model years with the most reports are 2008 (21 complaints), 2007 (8 complaints) and 2009 (3 complaints).
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