Official: Jeep Liberty under investigation for door fires

The Jeep Liberty has already had plenty of attention for possible fires thanks to the first-gen model's fuel tank, but now the midsize Jeep is under the microscope of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for another fire-related concern. NHTSA has opened an investigation for the 2012 Liberty after receiving two reports of electrical fires in the driver's door.

According to the investigation summary, around 80,000 vehicles could potentially be affected by this problem. In both reported fires, the drivers noticed smoke and then flames from the master power window switch, and they had to pull to a stop and exit through the passenger side of the SUV. According to Autoguide, there was one injury to a motorist who suffered burned fingers while trying to open the driver's door.

Interestingly, the Dodge Nitro is not yet involved in this investigation, even though it was still around for the 2012 model year; the Nitro ended production in 2011 about a year before the final Liberty rolled off the line for the 2013 model year. Scroll down for the official NHTSA investigation summary.

INVESTIGATION Subject : Driver's Side Door Fires

Date Investigation Opened: OCT 21, 2013
Date Investigation Closed: Open
NHTSA Action Number: PE13034
Component(s): ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

All Products Associated with this Investigation
Vehicle MakeModelModel Year(s)
JEEP LIBERTY 2012

Manufacturer: Chrysler Group LLC

SUMMARY:
The Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) has received two reports from consumers alleging the driver's door caught fire in the area of the driver's master power window switch (MPWS). The consumers report a burning odor and smoke coming from the driver's door followed by visible flames. In both instances, the driver had to stop the vehicle and exit through the passenger side to egress the vehicle. In addition to the fire, consumers reported erratic function of the windows and door locks resulting in them activating on their own while the fire was occurring. According to a complainant, one of the vehicles caught fire a second time after it was repaired. Both incidents resulted in disablement of the vehicle that required towing. NHTSA is opening this investigation to evaluate the scope, frequency, and consequence of the alleged defect. The ODI reports cited above can be reviewed at http://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/owners/SearchNHTSAID under the following identification (ODI) numbers: 10504021 and 10459029.

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