U.S. auto safety regulators are investigating reports that the engines of some Jeep SUVs and pickup trucks can catch fire even when the ignition is turned off.
The probe covers more than 781,000 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles from the 2021 to 2023 model years.
That’s what the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration says document published on Monday on its website that it has nine complaints of engine fires from owners, including one that caused an injury. A majority of reports state that fires started in the passenger side of the engine compartment.
The agency says a fire with the ignition off “can result in an increased risk of personal injury, injury to persons outside the vehicle, and property damage, with little or no warning.”
Investigators contacted Jeep manufacturer Stellantis and were told of several other “thermal events” that began at an electrical contact for the power steering pump.
The agency said it is launching the investigation to determine the cause and extent of the problem and how often it happens. No recall has been issued, but one is possible.
Stellantis said they are cooperating with the investigation.
Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, said owners of the Jeeps under investigation would be wise to park them outside until the matter is resolved because NHTSA cites a risk of property damage.
“If I owned one of these vehicles, I certainly wouldn’t want to park it in a garage,” Brooks said.