Four Jeep owners have joined together to file a class action lawsuit, following the launch of a federal investigation that is looking into why certain Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles from recent model years are spontaneously catching fire, yet the manufacturer has failed to initiate a recall.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) began its investigation into 2021 to 2023 Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator vehicles following a number of reports involving spontaneous engine fires occurring while the vehicles are on and moving, or when they are parked and turned off.
The ongoing investigation has found evidence suggesting that the problems may be the result of a defective part in the Jeep vehicles, which appears to be the power steering pump electrical connector. A vehicle’s power steering pump helps reduce the amount of effort it takes for a driver to turn the steering wheel.
In the case of the affected Jeep vehicles, the power steering pump electrical connectors have the potential to spontaneously catch fire, leading to an increased risk of auto accidents, severe injuries or property damage.
Class Action Lawsuit for Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator Owners
While the investigation into the exact cause of the Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Gladiator fires is continuing, a complaint (PDF) was filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan on November 11, seeking class action status to pursue damages for all individuals who purchased or leased one of the vehicles from the 2021 to 2023 model years. In addition, subclasses have been proposed for individuals from California, Kentucky, Oregon and Tennessee.
The Jeep class action lawsuit suggests that the automaker’s parent company, FCA US, should have known about the fire risk in the Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles, but has failed to issue a recall, despite the ongoing NHTSA investigation.
Named plaintiffs include Jeff Graves, Jeremy Reid, Wayne Hintergardt and Mike Crowell, who each indicate that they bought Jeep Wrangler or Gladiator vehicles within the past four years. The plaintiffs contend that Jeep’s marketing misled them into believing the vehicles were safe, indicating that they never would have purchased the vehicles if they had known about the accompanying fire risks they posed.