2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Exterior lighting Problems

THE ROOF ON THE INSIDE OF MY 2011 GRAND JEEP CHEROKEE CAUGHT ON FIRE DUE TO A SUN VISOR RECALL (RECALL R71) THE JOHN HIESTER DEALERSHIP IN SANFORD, NC HAD PREVIOUSLY FIXED TWICE. THEIR SPECIAL INVESTIGATOR SAID THEY WEREN'T GOING TO PAY TO FIX THE ELECTRICAL FIRE DAMAGE BECAUSE IT WASN'T RELATED TO THE RECALL AND WASN'T A MANUFACTURER ISSUE. BASICALLY, THEY IMPLIED THAT I CAUGHT MY OWN VEHICLE ON FIRE & RISKED MY OWN LIFE & THE LIFE OF MY GRANDCHILDREN, WHICH IS CRAZY. SEE DETAILS BELOW: ON OCTOBER 23, 2020, I TOOK MY 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE TO THE JOHN HIESTER CHRYSLER, DODGE, JEEP, RAM DEALERSHIP LOCATED ON HAWKINS AVENUE IN SANFORD, NORTH CAROLINA, TO HAVE THE SUN VISOR WIRING RELATED TO SAFETY RECALL R71 REPLACED. PER THE ATTACHED INVOICE FROM THE DEALERSHIP, THEY REPLACED THE RIGHT AND LEFT SUN VISOR AND INSTALLED WIRE GUIDES AND GRIND RELIEFS. AT APPROXIMATELY 6:45 A.M. ON DECEMBER 9, 2020 (NOT EVEN TWO MONTHS LATER), FROM INSIDE OF THE HOUSE, AS USUAL, I USED THE CAR KEY TO AUTOMATICALLY START MY JEEP THAT WAS STATIONARY (SITTING IN MY DRIVEWAY) SO THAT IT COULD WARM UP. WHEN MY GRANDCHILDREN AND I WALKED OUTSIDE TO GET INTO THE JEEP, I NOTICED A LOT OF SMOKE ON THE INSIDE, SO MUCH SO, THAT I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING. UPON OPENING THE JEEP DOOR, THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY FILLED WITH SMOKE. WITH THE DOORS OPENED, THE SMOKE FINALLY CLEARED, AND, IN HORROR, I SAW THAT THE ROOF ON THE INSIDE HAD BEEN COMPLETELY BURNED AND PAINT ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ROOF HAD BUBBLED FROM WHAT APPEARED TO BE A FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY CONNECTED THE INCIDENT TO THE RECALL THAT WAS REPAIRED ON OCTOBER 23, 2020 BECAUSE THE PREVIOUS NIGHT, I'D TRIED TO TURN ON THE VISOR LIGHT TO READ SOMETHING AND THE LIGHTS WERE EXTREMELY DIM. I MESSAGED THE JOHN HIESTER DEALERSHIP VIA ONLINE AROUND 7:30 A.M. FROM THERE, MY JEEP WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP, WHERE IT STILL REMAINS UNREPAIRED.

NHTSA ID

11385239

Incident

Dec 9, 2020

Mileage

202,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE HIGH BEAM HEADLIGHTS REMAINED ILLUMINATED. IN ADDITION, THE POWER LOCKS WERE INOPERABLE AND THE POWER OUTLET FAILED. AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC NOTICED THAT A WIRE ATTACHED TO THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE (TIPM) HAD BURNED OUT. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO DICK SCOTT CHRYSLER DODGE JEEP RAM PLYMOUTH (LOCATED AT 684 W ANN ARBOR RD, PLYMOUTH, MI 48170, 734-259-2023) WHO STATED THAT THE TIPM NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE FAILURE WAS RELATED TO AN UNKNOWN RECALL. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE AND INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT DESPITE THE VEHICLE MATCHING THE CRITERIA OF THE VEHICLE'S INCLUDED IN THE RECALL, THE VIN WAS NOT INCLUDED. THE CONTACT WAS REFERRED TO NHTSA. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 156,000.

NHTSA ID

11257987

Incident

Nov 1, 2018

Mileage

156,000 mi

ALL ELECTRONIC COMPONENTS FLICKER OR SHUT OFF AND SMELLED LIKE WIRES WHERE BURNING. THIS ALL HAPPENS WHEN THE VEHICLE IS RUNNING

NHTSA ID

11255243

Incident

Feb 3, 2016

Mileage

110,000 mi

FAULTY HEADLIGHTS WHILE DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY AT NIGHT TIME THE HEADLIGHTS COMPLETELY FAILED CAUSING A VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION ALMOST CAUSING AN ACCIDENT. I HAVE HAD TO REPLACE THESE HEADLIGHTS 8 MONTHS AGO NOW THIS.

NHTSA ID

11186889

Incident

Mar 14, 2019

Mileage

99,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE WAS DEFECTIVE AND REPLACED. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE REPAIR AFFECTED THE PASSENGER SIDE TURN SIGNAL, WHICH CAUSED THE FRONT FOG LIGHTS TO BLINK. DODGE CHRYSLER JEEP CITY (4395 US-130, BURLINGTON, NJ 08016, (855) 242-0015) STATED THAT THE INITIAL REPAIR CAUSED THE PASSENGER SIDE TURN SIGNAL TO HAVE TO BE REPAIRED FOR MORE THAN $2,000. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 140,000.

NHTSA ID

11166322

Incident

Dec 30, 2015

Mileage

140,000 mi

WHEN YOU TURN ON THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL, THE LIGHT STAYS SOLID & THE FOG LIGHTS BLINK. WHEN YOU TURN ON THE LEFT TURN SIGNAL IT WILL START OUT FLASHING CORRECTLY & AFTER ABOUT 30 SECONDS IT WILL START FLASHING FAST WITH NO LIGHT IN THE REAR AT ALL. WE HAVE TAKEN IT TO CHRYSLER & THEY WANT $1400 TO REPAIR OR REPLACE THE TIPM. THERE IS NO LESS THAN 15 VIDEOS ON YOU TUBE ON HOW TO CORRECT THIS ISSUE WHICH MEANS YOU ARE WITHOUT YOUR VEHICLE FOR 2-3 DAYS & YOU DON'T HAVE A GUARANTEE THAT IT WILL FIX THE PROBLEM. WE HAVE BEEN STOPPED MULTIPLE TIMES BY THE POLICE FOR NOT USING OUR TURN SIGNALS. THIS SAME COMPLAINT IS LISTED ON YOUR SITE MULTIPLE TIMES, BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY A MANDATORY RECALL HASN'T BEEN ISSUED. FOR A CONSUMER HAVING TO PAY $1400 OUT OF POCKET TO REPAIR WHAT I THINK IS A PRETTY BIG SAFETY ISSUE IS JUST WRONG.

NHTSA ID

11142497

Incident

May 12, 2015

Mileage

67,000 mi

THE LIGHT BULBS ON THE REAR OF THE VEHICLE USE FOR ADVISING LEFT OR RIGHT TURN AS WELL AS REGULAR NIGHT FOR VISIBILITY ARE MELTING THE COVER FRAME WHERE THEY ARE LOCATED, THIS CAUSE WATER TO LEAK FROM THE OUTSIDE CAUSING THE BULB TO MALFUNCTION OR DAMAGING THE SAME. THIS COULD EASILY CAUSE AN ACCIDENT BY THE OTHER VEHICLE BEHIND YOU NOT BEEN ABLE TO SEE YOU UP FRONT.

NHTSA ID

11111364

Incident

May 15, 2013

Mileage

45,000 mi

WHEN THE RIGHT TURN SIGNAL IS ON THE FOG LIGHTS FLASH AND THE TURN SIGNAL DOES NOT BLINK. WHEN I TURN THE FOG LIGHT BUTTON ON MY TURN SIGNAL LIGHTS UP BUT DOES NOT BLINK. TOOK IT TO THE DEALER AND THEY SAID IT WAS THE TIPM THAT WAS FAULTY. NOW AFTER I GOT IT BACK BOTH FRONT TURN SIGNALS DO NOT WORK AND THE BACK FLASHES FAST AND SOMETIMES FLASHES NORMALLY. ALSO BACK WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR A YEAR AGO IN JUNE 2017 THE CAR WOULD START AND I WOULD LET THE ENGINE WARM UP BUT ABOUT 20 SECONDS IN, IT WOULD STALL. WHEN DRIVING IT WOULD USUALLY STALL WHEN I WAS BREAKING AT STOP LIGHTS AND STOP SIGNS. I REPLACED THE CAMSHAFT POSITIONING SENSOR ABOUT 3 TIMES SO FAR AND STILL FEEL THE ENGINE LOSING POWER AT TIMES.

NHTSA ID

11093470

Incident

May 11, 2018

Mileage

94,500 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V879000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INTERIOR LIGHTING). THE PARTS TO DO THE REPAIR WERE UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE DEALER (CROWN CHRYSLER JEEP DODGE RAM DUBLIN, 6350 PERIMETER LOOP RD, DUBLIN, OH 43017 (888) 739-0282) WAS CONTACTED SEVERAL TIMES AND FINALLY INFORMED THE CONTACT THAT THE PARTS WERE NOT AVAILABLE BECAUSE THEY COULD NOT MATCH THE CUSTOM INTERIOR VEHICLE COLOR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE AND REFERRED THE CONTACT BACK TO THE DEALER AS THEY COULD NOT CONFIRM WHEN THE PARTS WOULD BECOME AVAILABLE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

11071561

Incident

Feb 7, 2018

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING AT UNKNOWN SPEEDS, THE HEADLIGHTS, WINDSHIELD WIPERS, AND INSTRUMENT PANEL ILLUMINATED. THE CHECK ENGINE WARNING INDICATOR ALSO ILLUMINATED. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO A DEALER, BUT WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED. THE VEHICLE WAS STILL AT THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE VIN AND FAILURE MILEAGE WERE UNKNOWN.

NHTSA ID

10959582

Incident

May 31, 2016

LEVER OPERATING HIGH BEAM/BRIGHT HEAD LIGHTS DOES NOT CLICK INTO PLACE. WHEN PRESSED FORWARD TO ENGAGE HIGH BEAM LIGHTS, THE LEVER OFTEN RETURNS BACK TO ITS PREVIOUS LOW LIGHT POSITION ON ITS OWN. ADDITIONALLY, IT AUTOMATICALLY RETURNS TO LOW LIGHT POSITION WHEN YOU TRY TO USE TURN INDICATORS.

NHTSA ID

10949578

Incident

Jan 1, 2014

Mileage

40,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE INTERIOR DOME LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED INDICATING THAT A DOOR WAS OPEN HOWEVER; THE DOORS WERE CLOSED AND LOCKED. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V879000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INTERIOR LIGHTING) HOWEVER, THE REMEDY FOR THE RECALL WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 60,000. PARTS DISTRIBUTION DISCONNECT.

NHTSA ID

10937825

Incident

Dec 28, 2016

Mileage

60,000 mi

DEALER IS NOT GETTING PARTS TO FIX PROBLEM. I HAVE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE ON THIS 3 OR 4 TIMES AND EACH TIME THE DEALER STATES THEY DON'T HAVE THE PART. THE ISSUE IS THE SUN VISOR WIRING. RECALL NOTICE: R71/NHTSA 15V-879.

NHTSA ID

10908946

Incident

Sep 23, 2016

I HAVE HAD OUR JEEP INTO GENESEE VALLEY CHRYSLER JEEP TWICE (SINCE JANUARY 2016) SINCE THIS RECALL CAME OUT AND THEY STILL SAY THAT THEY DON'T HAVE THE PARTS. WE HAVE HAD NO ISSUE YET, BUT THIS IS GETTING TO BE TOO LONG

NHTSA ID

10896129

Incident

Jan 20, 2016

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING 55 MPH, THE LOW BEAM HEADLIGHTS WERE TOO DIM AND PREVENTED THE DRIVER FROM SEEING ONE CAR LENGTH IN FRONT OF THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT MADE AWARE OF THE ISSUE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 32,000.

NHTSA ID

10893111

Incident

Jul 30, 2016

Mileage

32,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT RECEIVED NOTIFICATION OF NHTSA CAMPAIGN NUMBER: 15V879000 (ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, INTERIOR LIGHTING) HOWEVER, THE PART TO DO THE REPAIR WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE MANUFACTURER EXCEEDED A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME FOR THE RECALL REPAIR. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE ISSUE. THE CONTACT HAD NOT EXPERIENCED A FAILURE. VIN TOOL CONFIRMS PARTS NOT AVAILABLE.

NHTSA ID

10885582

Incident

Feb 26, 2016

I TOOK MY 2011 GRAND CHEROKEE TO THE DEALER FOR THE NORMAL MAINTENANCE. HOWEVER, THERE WERE A COUPLE OF RECALLS SO I ASKED THEM TO TAKE CARE OF THEM. RECALLS WERE RELATED TO THE FUEL PUMP RELAY AND TO THE SUN VISOR (WHICH APPARENTLY CAN SHORT-CIRCUIT AND CAUSE A FIRE). THERE WAS A FIRMWARE UPDATE FOR THE TIPM ALSO SO I GOT THAT DONE TOO. 3 WEEKS LATER, I GET ON MY CAR, I PUT THE IGNITION TO ON AND THE WIPERS WENT ON, I TRIED TO TURN THEM OFF AND I COULDN'T. THIS IS A LIST OF ALL THE SYMPTOMS: - TURN SIGNALS NOT WORKING - REAR WIPER NOT WORKING - FRONT WIPERS ON - TRACTION CONTROL OFF AND NO WAY TO TURN IT BACK ON - BUTTONS ON THE STEERING WHEEL NOT WORKING, NONE OF THEM, EXCEPT FOR THE ONES THAT CONTROL THE RADIO - HEATED STEERING WHEEL, TOW/HAUL, TRACTION CONTROL AND 110V PLUG SWITCHES NOT RESPONDING - INTERIOR LIGHTS NOT WORKING - HEADLIGHTS WORKED BUT NO WAY TO CONTROL HIGH OR LOW BEAMS I DID SOME RESEARCH ONLINE, FOUND THAT SOME OTHER PEOPLE WERE HAVING THE SAME ISSUE AND SOME OF THEM SAID THAT THEY HAD THE ISSUE RESOLVED BY LEAVING THE BATTERY UNPLUGGED OVERNIGHT, IT DIDNT WORK. I TOOK THE WIPERS OUT (SINCE I COULDN'T TURN THEM OFF) AND TOOK MY CAR TO THE DEALER (WITHOUT TURN SIGNALS). THEY'VE HAD THE CAR FOR 2 DAYS ALREADY, YESTERDAY THEY CALLED ME BACK AND TOLD ME THEY WERE STILL TRYING TO DETERMINATE THE ISSUE BUT THAT IT COULD BE A DEFECTIVE TIPM. I HAVE NO IDEA OF HOW MUCH THIS IS GOING TO COST TO GET FIXED BUT THE TRUTH IS, I GOT THIS CAR 2 MONTHS AGO, LOOKED PERFECTLY FINE, VERY WELL MAINTAINED AND NOW I WILL PROBABLY HAVE TO PUT MORE MONEY OUT OF MY POCKET TO GET THIS THING RESOLVED. READING ON THE FORUMS I HAVE ALSO BECOME AWARE OF THE BIG SAFETY ISSUES THAT A FAULTY TIPM MAY CAUSE, READ OF PEOPLE'S CARS STALLING IN THE MIDDLE OF TRAFFIC! I AM REALLY CONCERNED NOW ABOUT MY SAFETY AND I WISH I DIDN'T BUY THIS CAR.

NHTSA ID

10876552

Incident

Jun 21, 2016

Mileage

67,855 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE DRIVERS SIDE-TURNING SIGNAL FAILED TO FUNCTION. THE CONTACT NOTICED THAT THE REAR TAIL LIGHT CASING WAS BURNING INTERNALLY. THE CONTACT HAD THE DEALER REPLACE THE LIGHTING; HOWEVER THE FAILURE RECURRED ON THE PASSENGER SIDE TAIL LIGHT. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN BACK TO THE DEALER WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE PASSENGER SIDE BULB FAILED BECAUSE OF WATER LEAKING IN THE TAIL LIGHT ASSEMBLY. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS MADE AWARE OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 58,815. ...UPDATED 04/12/16 *BF UPDATED 11/2/2017*JS

NHTSA ID

10850184

Incident

Nov 20, 2015

Mileage

58,815 mi

TAIL LAMPS, RIGHT AND LEFT, MELT CAUSING TURN AND BRAKE LIGHT FAILURE EXPOSING THE VEHICLE AND ITS PASSENGERS TO CRASH. THIS ISSUE IS VERY RECURRENT, I HAVE TO CHANGE TO RIGHT BULB AT LEAST 2 TIMES A MONTH.

NHTSA ID

10837380

Incident

Feb 21, 2016

WE WERE DRIVING LAST SATURDAY, WE WERE DRIVING ONTO A BUSY MAIN STREET THE CAR WAS IN MOTION, ANOTHER MADE A ILLEGAL MOVE AND SWIREVED INTO OUR VEHICLE, WE HONKED BUT THE HORN WOULDN'T WORK. WE STOPPED THE VEHICLE. THE OTHER DRIVER APOLOGIZED WITH A WAVE OF THEIR HAND. WE STARTED TO DRIVE AGAIN, TRYING TO USE THE HORN WITH NO SUCCESS. ABOUT 15 LATER THE HORN STARTED TO SOUND. THE HORN HAS STOPPED AND STARTED. THIS VEHICLE HAS HAD NUMEROUS RECALLS.

NHTSA ID

10788310

Incident

Oct 31, 2015

Mileage

104,000 mi

10/10/2015 AT APPROXIMATELY 320 PM CDT, I WAS DRIVING I35 SOUTH BETWEEN DULUTH MN AND MINNEAPOLIS MN. SMOKE STARTED BILLOWING OUT OF THE HEADLINER, RH SIDE ABOVE THE WINDSHIELD/SUN VISOR. I PILLED TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD, PULLED THE A PILLAR AND PULLED DOWN THE HEADLINER. FLAMES WERE PRESENT, I REACHED IN THINKING IT WAS A WIRE (IT WAS) SUSTAINED BURNS ON MY RIGHT HAND. GRABBED THE OWNERS MANUAL , LOCATED THE FUSE FOR COURTESY LIGHTS UNDER THE HOOD, PULLED THE 15 AMP FUSE (WHICH HAD NOT BLOWN). REMOVED THE SUN VISOR AND VANITY LIGHT, AND ASSOCIATED WIRING. FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED AT THAT POINT. REMOVED THE VISOR AND WIRING, FOUND A BURNED CONNECTOR AND SMOLDERING WIRING. GRABBED A SIDE CUTTER AND TERMINATED THE WIRING TO THE LIGHTED VANITY LIGHT, AFTER REMOVING THE CENTER UPPER MAP LIGHT ASSEMBLY. I SUSTAINED MINOR BURNS RIGHT HAND (THREE FINGERS). VEHICLE WAS IN MOTION WHEN FIRE BROKE OUT SPEED 70 MPH. VEHICLE DAMAGE WAS INSPECTED BY DULUTH JEEP, DULUTH MN. DULUTH JEEP KEPT THE REMOVED PARTS. RECALL #36 WAS ACCOMPLISHED 11/2014 BY DULUTH JEEP.

NHTSA ID

10786551

Incident

Oct 10, 2015

Mileage

86,591 mi

A FRIEND TOLD ME THAT I HAD A HEADLIGHT OUT. MY DASH WAS NOT SHOWING THAT I HAD A LIGHT OUT AND I COULDN'T TELL WHEN I WAS DRIVING. I TOOK IT TO ADVANCE AUTO PARTS TO BUY A NEW HEADLIGHT. AT THAT TIME, THE HEADLIGHT WAS WORKING FINE. I TOOK IT TO A SHOP WHERE THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY WOULD HAVE TO TAKE THE FRONT OF THE CAR OFF IN ORDER TO REPLACE IT. THEY SAID THAT THE ISSUE WAS WITH THE BALLAST AND THAT THEY COULD NOT FIX IT.

NHTSA ID

10785785

Incident

Oct 16, 2015

Mileage

75,000 mi

1. THE VEHICLES HEAD HAS TO BE REPLACED DUE TO BAD VALVES AT ONLY 59,000 MILES. 2. THE FRONT RIGHT TURN SIGNAL STOPPED WORKING, AND IS BURNING THE BULB SOCKET AND HEADLIGHT HOUSING. IT WAS DETERMINED BY AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC THAT THE TIPM MODULE IS GOING BAD CAUSING SHORTS, AND OTHER ELECTRICAL ISSUES. (THE DEALER CLAIMS IT IS A BURNED BULB SOCKET, BUT WE TESTED THE SOCKET, AND ENTIRE SYSTEM AND FOUND THE TRUE PROBLEM) 3. THE HORN STOPS WORKING RANDOMLY, AND SOMETIMES WHEN IT DOES WORK ITS ONLY THE HIGH TONE. THIS PROBLEM IS ALSO TRACED BACK TO A FAULTY TIPM MODULE.

NHTSA ID

10783054

Incident

Aug 13, 2015

Mileage

59,000 mi

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 JEEP GRAND CHEROKEE. WHILE DRIVING VARIOUS SPEEDS ON THE HIGHWAY, THE HEADLIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER AND DIM INDEPENDENTLY. THE HEADLIGHTS WERE REPLACED SEVERAL TIMES. THE DEALER DIAGNOSED THAT THE HEADLIGHT BULB NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE FAILURE PERSISTED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 11,748. UPDATED 09/21/15*LJ *CN

NHTSA ID

10744922

Incident

May 14, 2014

Mileage

11,748 mi

WHILE MOTORING ALONG, MY WIFE AND I NOTICED AN ACRID SMELL WHICH BECAME MORE AND MORE INTENSE UNTIL OUR EYES BEGAN TO BURN AND IT BECAME CLEAR THAT THE ACRID SMELL WAS FROM OUR OWN VEHICLE, AND NOT FROM ANOTHER SOURCE SUCH AS SOME OTHER VEHICLE DRIVING AHEAD OF US. WE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND IMMEDIATELY WE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER-SIDE SUN VISOR WHICH WAS IS THE UP POSITION. WE SHUT THE CAR OFF AND FLIPPED DOWN THE SUN VISOR TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON, AND THE VISOR BROKE OFF AS WE DID SO. SPARKS AND MOLTEN METAL BEGAN DRIPPING FROM WIRES WHICH PROTRUDED FROM THE HEADLINER. IT WAS CLEAR BY THE AMOUNT OF SMOKE THAT THE HEADLINER ITSELF WAS ON FIRE IN BETWEEN THE PASSENGER COMPARTMENT AND THE ROOF PANEL, AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY FLAMES BURNED THROUGH THE HEADLINER MATERIAL. BY PUREST CHANCE A POLICE VEHICLE DROVE BY AT THAT MOMENT; WE FLAGGED THE OFFICER DOWN AND HE PRODUCED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM HIS VEHICLE AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FLAMES WERE SPREADING SO QUICKLY THAT IT WAS CLEAR THAT, HAD THE OFFICER NOT HAPPENED BY AT THAT MOMENT, OUR VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THEY DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO INSURE THERE COULD BE NO FURTHER ELECTRICAL FIRE AND THAT IT WAS SAFE TO TOW AWAY THE VEHICLE. IN 2014 WE RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FROM JEEP (REAL P36) WHICH CITED A POSSIBLE RISK OF FIRE DUE TO RESISTANCE IN THE WIRING OF THE VANITY LAMP.THE RECALL REPAIRS WERE PERFORMED BY OUR LOCAL DEALER IN DECEMBER, 2014.

NHTSA ID

10735042

Incident

Jul 16, 2015

Mileage

54,000 mi