What 481 owners told NHTSA about the 2011 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited 392

I STARTED MY JEEP THIS MORNING IN MY DRIVEWAY WITH THE FACTORY REMOTE START, 10 MIN LATER I WALKED OUT OF MY HOUSE AND SAW FLAMES AND SMOKE COMING FROM MY DRIVERS SIDE DOOR. A CAR DRIVING BY HAD STOPPED AND CALLED 911. ANOTHER NEIGHBOR RAN OVER WITH A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE FIRE IN CONTROL BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THERE. THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR IS COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND MELTED, THE WINDOW IS GONE. THE ROOF, SEAT AND SURROUNDING AREA ARE ALSO DAMAGED. THE FIRE APPEARED TO HAVE STARTED SOMEWHERE IN THE DRIVER SIDE DOOR. I CALLED JEEP TWICE TODAY THINKING THEY WOULD BE CONCERNED AND RESPONSIVE, BUT I WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE 2-5 DAYS BEFORE THEY COULD HAVE SOMEONE COME OUT AND INSPECT THE CAR. IN THE MEANTIME I WAIT CARLESS...THANK GOODNESS MY 2 CHILDREN WERE NOT IN THE CAR WHEN IT HAPPENED. I DID SOME RESEARCH THIS EVENING AND FOUND THE EXACT SAME THING HAPPENED TO A COUPLE IN MONTREAL LAST JANUARY AND FOUND REPORTS OF THIS HAPPENING 2 OTHER TIMES WITH THE EXACT SAME MAKE, MODEL & YEAR JEEP. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10562796

MY CLOCK SPRING IS INOP THERE IS A RECALL FOR THIS ON RIGHT SIDE DRIVE JEEPS WELL MINE IS A LEFT SIDE DRIVE WITH THE SAME ISSUES THAT THE RIGHT SIDE DRIVE HAS WHY ISN'T IT A RECALL FOR ALL CLOCK SPRINGS THEY ARE THE SAME PART NUMBER FOR BOTH SIDE DRIVES PLEASE FIX THIS AS IT ALSO AFFECTS MY HORN AND AIRBAG. THANK YOU *TR

NHTSA ODI 10555206

FOR SOME TIME THE VEHICLE HAS HAD AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL STARTING PROBLEM, WHICH RESULTS IN A PERSONAL SAFETY ISSUE. MOST TIMES THE VEHICLE STARTS PROPERLY. AT TIMES, HOWEVER, WHEN THE KEY IS INSERTED AND TURNED, NOTHING HAPPENS. SOMETIMES THE VEHICLE CAN THEN BE STARTED USING THE REMOTE START AND THEN OPERATED BY QUICKLY INSERTING THE KEY AND TURNING IT. AT TIMES NEITHER THE KEY NOR THE REMOTE START WILL WORK. TYPICALLY, BY ALTERNATING BETWEEN ATTEMPTS TO USE THE KEY AND REMOTE START, THE VEHICLE CAN BE STARTED WITHIN 15 MINUTES. THE VEHICLE WAS RECALLED DUE TO THIS ISSUE AND WAS RECENTLY TAKEN TO KOONS TYSONS CHRYSLER IN VIRGINIA FOR SERVICE. HOWEVER, AFTER THE VEHICLE WAS RETURNED WITH A 'SOFTWARE UPGRADE' TO CORRECT THE ISSUE, THE PROBLEM CONTINUES. IT WAS AGAIN TAKEN THIS WEEK TO KOONS TYSONS CHRYSLER TO FIX THE PROBLEM, BUT THE SERVICE CENTER SAYS IT CANNOT REPLICATE THE PROBLEM ON ITS LOT AND THEREFORE WON'T DO ANYTHING MORE. IT SAYS IT COMPLETELY BELIEVES THERE IS AN ISSUE, BUT WANTS TO RETURN THE VEHICLE, WAIT UNTIL THE PROBLEM OCCURS AGAIN, AND THEN HAVE IT TOWED TO ITS SERVICE CENTER FOR APPRAISAL. OBVIOUSLY, THIS IS NOT A PRACTICAL SOLUTION. IT COULD PRESENT A DANGEROUS SITUATION OF HAVING MY WIFE STUCK WHO KNOWS WHERE (A DARK PARKING LOT, RAILROAD CROSSING, ETC.) WITH A VEHICLE THAT WON'T START. THIS IS A KNOWN ISSUE FOR A VEHICLE UNDER WARRANTY AND CHRYSLER NEEDS TO STEP TO THE PLATE, TAKE RESPONSIBILITY, AND FIX THE PROBLEM. IN THE MEANTIME, I'M DRIVING A RENTAL CAR AT MY EXPENSE AS CHRYSLER WILL NEITHER PAY THE RENTAL BILL NOR FIX ITS VEHICLE. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10535715

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT THE VEHICLE FAILED TO START. THE CONTACT STATED THAT HE CONTINUED TO ATTEMPT TO START THE ENGINE. THE VEHICLE WAS TAKEN TO THE DEALER FOR INSPECTION WHERE THEY STATED THAT THE SECURITY MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOT NOTIFIED. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 25,000. THE VIN WAS UNAVAILABLE.

NHTSA ODI 10505351

TRAVELING AT 30-35MPH I BRAKED AND TURNED QUICKLY TO MAKE A LEFT TURN ACROSS TRAFFIC INTO A PARKING LOT. THE ENGINE STALLED CAUSING MY STEERING TO SEIZE. I HAD NO CONTROL OF THE VEHICLE EXCEPT TO MASH ON THE BRAKES WHICH LOST POWER. I WAS ALMOST HIT BY CROSS TRAFFIC. I COASTED TO A STOP, HITTING A CURB AND NEARLY HITTING SEVERAL PARKED VEHICLES. *TT

NHTSA ODI 10462795

POTENTIALLY A ROOT CAUSE OF THE RASH OF FIRES IN JEEP WRANGLERS THAT ARE SITTING PARKED: FAILURE OF THE TIPM (TOTALLY INTEGRATED POWER MODULE). IN DEC 2011, MY DAUGHTER DROVE HER NEW (3000 MILES) 2011 JEEP WRANGLER UNLIMITED TO CHURCH, PARKED IT, TURNED OFF THE KEY, TOOK THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION, EXITED THE VEHICLE AND LOCKED THE DOOR, AND WENT INTO THE CHURCH BUILDING - NEVER REALIZING THAT MOTOR WAS ACTUALLY STILL RUNNING!! (THEY'RE VERY QUIET WHEN IDLING AND SHE WAS TALKING TO A FRIEND.) ABOUT 20 TO 30 MINUTES LATER, A MAN CAME RUNNING INTO CHURCH THAT KNOWS OF HER VEHICLE AND SAID "YOUR JEEP IS RUNNING, THERE'S SMOKE OR STEAM COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THE DOOR IS LOCKED, AND I CAN'T GET IN TO TURN IT OFF! MY DAUGHTER CHECKED AND SHE INDEED HAD THE IGNITION KEY IN HER HAND. SHE RAN OUT OF CHURCH AND UNLOCKED THE DOOR, PUT THE KEY IN THE IGNITION BUT IT WOULD NOT KILL THE ENGINE! WE HAD TO ENGAGE THE CLUTCH IN A HIGH GEAR ON THE MANUAL TRANSMISSION TO KILL IT. RADIATOR COOLANT ALL OVER THE GROUND. WE FOUND THAT RADIATOR FLUID WAS JUST ABOUT ALL BOILED OUT OF THE ENGINE. THE TIPM WAS ALLOWING THE ENGINE TO CONTINUE TO RUN EVEN THOUGH THE IGNITION WAS OFF AND KEY REMOVED - BUT THE TIPM DID SHUT OFF THE ELECTRICALLY OPERATED COOLING FAN IN FRONT OF THE RADIATOR. THERE WAS ELECTRICAL POWER GOING TO THE MOTOR IGNITION SO THAT THE MOTOR CONTINUED TO RUN - BUT W/O A FAN. THE COOLANT BOILED OUT OF THE ENGINE AND HAD OUR FRIEND NOT INTERVENED OUR MOTOR DEFINITELY WOULD HAVE BOILED ITSELF DRY AND CONTINUED TO RUN UNTIL IT EITHER SEIZED UP DUE TO EXCESSIVE HEAT AND/OR IGNITED A FIRE DUE TO THE EXCESSIVE HEAT (POTENTIALLY BY IGNITING THE FUEL WITHIN THE FUEL SYSTEM?? ELECTRICAL WIRE INSULATION CAUSING AN ELECTRICAL FIRE?? BATTERY BOILING AND FIRE??). AS YOU'RE AWARE, THERE ARE SEVERAL POTENTIAL SECONDARY SOURCES FOR FIRE IGNITION UNDER THE VEHICLE HOOD. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10456498

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 JEEP WRANGLER. THE CONTACT STATED THAT SHE STARTED THE VEHICLE BY USING THE PUSH TO START FEATURE. THE CONTACT THEN OPENED THE FRONT DRIVER'S DOOR AND NOTICED THAT THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR WAS ON FIRE. THE WAS ABLE TO SUCCESSFULLY EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES. THE VEHICLE WAS THEN TOWED TO THE DEALER, BUT THE DEALER ADVISED THE CONTACT TO TOW THE VEHICLE BACK HOME. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND AN INVESTIGATOR WAS SENT TO INSPECT THE VEHICLE. THE INVESTIGATOR STATED THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED NEAR THE HEATED MIRROR ON THE PASSENGER SIDE. THE DEALER WAS WAITING ON REPLACEMENT PARTS TO ARRIVE. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED AND THE CONTACT WAS UNABLE TO RECEIVE A RESPONSE. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 16,000.

NHTSA ODI 10454932

I WENT TO A JEEP JAMBOREE ON THE WEEKEND OF SEPTEMBER 17TH AND AS I WAS DRIVING TO GO WASH MY JEEP MY JEEP FIRST SPEED UP AND I COULDN'T GET IT TO SLOW DOWN THEN I SMELLED A BURNING SMELL AND THEN DASHBOARD STARTED HAVING TROUBLE LIGHTS COME ON SO I GOT IT OFF THE HIGHWAY AS I EXITED THE HIGHWAY I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD SO I STOPPED IMMEDIATELY AND OPENED THE HOOD AFTER SHUTTING IT OFF AND SAW IT COMING FROM THE MAIN FUSE BLOCK GRABBED SOME TOOLS TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY BUT BY THEN IT STARTED TO BURN SO I POURED WATER ON THE FUSE BLOCK PUT IT OUT AND CALLED A TOW TRUCK TOOK IT TO TRI STAR JEEP IN UNIONTOWN, PA THEY GOT IT FIXED AFTER ALMOST 2 WEEKS AND ON THE WAY HOME IT STARTED AGAIN AND I CAUGHT IT EARLIER BUT THIS TIME I HAD TO PAY OUT OF POCKET. EVER SINCE THOSE 2 EPISODES IT'S HAD LOTS OF ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS AND IT JUST NEVER STOPS. *TR

NHTSA ODI 10453855