"2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee probed for fire risk
By NBC News staff and wire reports
U.S. safety regulators have opened defect investigations into Chrysler Group LLC's 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee and 2009-2010 Dodge Ram 1500. The National Highway Traffic Safey Administration said it is investigating potential power steering hose failures that could lead to under-hood fires in about 106,800 2012 Grand Cherokees. NHTSA also is investing potential rear differential failures that could lead to rear wheel lock-up and loss of vehicle control in about 230,000 2009-2010 Dodge Ram 1500 pickups. A NHTSA defect investigation is often a prelude to a vehicle safety recall. NHTSA's Office of Defect Investigation said the power steering hose on the 2012 Grand Cherokee could fail, resulting in power steering fluid leakage in the engine compartment. It said the fluid "may be ignited by hot surfaces in the engine compartment." In the Dodge Ram investigation, NHTSA said it had received 12 complaints of alleged rear differential failures resulting in rear wheel lock-up, including "one resulting in a crash into a concrete barrier." Chrysler is an affiliate of Italy's Fiat SpA.
The Dodge Ram pickup is Chrysler's top-selling vehicle this year. The Grand Cherokee is its second-best seller. The Ram is an important money maker for Chrysler Group LLC. The company sold almost 377,000 of the trucks in 2009 and 2010, but some of those sales were from other model years. Chrysler spokesman Eric Mayne said any customers who are concerned about their vehicles should visit their dealers. He said the Ram and Grand Cherokee are extensively tested to ensure durability and safety.
Reuters and The Associated Press contributed to this report."
Does anyone have any additional information on this? Which Engine V6 or V8 and/or which 4wd systems ?
"The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has opened an investigation into more than 335,000 Chrysler vehicles to determine if there is a risk of fire or a risk of rear differential failure.
No recall has been issued at this time. NHTSA is investigating a number of complaints to determine which next steps, if any, need to be taken.
According to documents filed with NHTSA, 106,803 Jeep Grand Cherokees from model year 2012 are being investigated for potential fire risk. Since May, the agency has received two reports of vehicle fires and another complaint of a Grand Cherokee losing power steering. The power-steering issue may, in fact, be the cause of the fires: One of the Jeep owners who reported a fire also reported seeing power-steering fluid in the driveway before the blaze. NHTSA has said one potential cause is power-steering fluid leaking onto hot surfaces in the engine compartment"
Report Date : July 24, 2012 at 12:19 AM
NHTSA Action Number : PE12020
NHTSA Action Number : PE12020 NHTSA Recall Campaign Number : N/A
Vehicle Make / Model: Model Year(s):
JEEP / GRAND CHEROKEE 2012
Manufacturer(s) :
CHRYSLER GROUP LLC
Component(s) :
STEERING
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
Date Investigation Opened : July 19, 2012
Date Investigation Closed : Open
Summary:
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received one complaint of a power steering return hose failure in a model year 2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee vehicle. ODI has identified additional incidents of power steering hose failure in the subject vehicles in field reports submitted by Chrysler in its Early Warning Reporting submissions. Power steering fluid may be ignited by hot surfaces in the engine compartment. ODI has also received two reports alleging engine compartment fires while driving in the subject vehicles. Both complaints were received within the last month and allege severe fires resulting in total vehicle loss with the cause as yet undetermined. One of the complaints reported fluid dripping beneath the vehicle during the incident. A Preliminary Evaluation has been opened to assess the cause, scope and frequency of the alleged defect. The ODI reports cited above can be viewed at www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/complaints under the following identification numbers (ODI Nos.): 10465379, 10461736, 10459178.
1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE, West Building Washington DC 20590 USA
1.888.327.4236 TTY 1.800.424.9153
All the 2011 and 2012 JGC's have Power Steering. The difference is that on some 2011, then all 2012 production, the V6 models converted over to running the power steering with an Electrical Pump. It still pumps power steering fluid, but in this case does not rely on a mechanical pump driven by a belt. You can see it in front of the engine down low in the chassis. The hose failure could still apply to either the V6 or V8 models, I have not yet seen any distinction drawn between the two.....and once again, they both still have power steering hoses.
Is the 107,000 2012's in question all of the ones sold for the model year?
Nah, it would be more than that right?
Would love to know which 2012's it is, like what are the build dates?
One article i read said the jeep only had 35 miles on the odometer, which means it was brand new and the guy could have been driving it home from the dealer when it happened!
Logic would say it's the V6 with the electric pump as the V8 is unchanged from 2011 to 2012, at least in design. Of course it could be a defective part from a new lot of hoses or something.
that's what i thought too. Could be a bad batch of hoses or something.
Or something could have just gone wrong with those specific vehicles, not necessarily a mass 2012 problem.
I looked at the three complaints (they list their VINs) on NHSTA. Of the three, one was for the 3.6L, one for the 5.7L and one for the 6.4L. All were 2012 models.
holy crap! i googled the srt8 on fire and found the thread on the srt8 forum. i wonder if he is the one that i read only had 35 miles on the odometer when it went on fire since he said he just drove it off the lot! yikes!!!
also interesting it that it's one of each engine. not specific to one or the other
I just got mine back from the dealer after one full week in the shop because of this hose. It was on back order. I guess the crimps are bad so the new hose was "redesigned"; meaning new supplier. At least they gave me a new vehicle to drive while mine was sitting at the dealer.