Eric D. Lawrence
Stellantis is being sued over what is being described as “spontaneous fire risk” related to some of its popular Jeep SUVs and trucks.
A complaint filed against the automaker’s FCA US operating arm asserts that a defect exists in the power steering pump electrical connector that can cause fires in certain 2021-23 gas-powered and hybrid Jeep Wranglers and Gladiators when they are being driven or when they are parked.
It names specific plaintiffs from Kentucky, California, Oregon and Tennessee, and says the vehicles have previously been recalled for other fire risks.
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The suit, filed Nov. 7 in U.S. District Court in Detroit, seeks unspecified damages and a repair, and follows an investigation of the issue by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration into more than 781,000 Jeep vehicles.
Asked about the investigation and the lawsuit, company spokesman Frank Matyok said, “We’re cooperating with NHTSA’s investigation.”
An NHTSA filing cites under-hood fires while the vehicles have their ignitions turned off and counts nine reported incidents, including one injury. The agency’s Office of Defects Investigation opened its probe on Sept. 6.
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The lawsuit cites several complaints filed with NHTSA, including one from a Jeep owner in Rumson, New Jersey, related to a 2021 incident. It says the engine of the 2021 Jeep started smoking and burst into flames within 10 minutes.
“The entire front end was damaged beyond repair/burned and fire stations had to put out the fire. My daughter, dogs and I were able to make it out of the car but very scary,” according to the suit.
In addition to Jeep, Stellantis owns the Ram, Chrysler, Dodge and Fiat brands.
“If a friend loaned you their car but instructed you that, due to the risk of spontaneous fires — even when parked and off — you should make sure to keep the car away from your home, property, other buildings or anything else flammable for that matter, you’d be terrified to step foot near it,” Steve Berman, managing partner at Hagens Berman, one of the law firms involved in the case, said in a news release this week. “There are a million ways this scenario could go wrong, and those left with affected Jeeps are potentially running out the clock.”
Free Press staff writer Jamie L. LaReau contributed to this report.
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