US Probes Jeep Grand Cherokees for Fire Risk

[The Hollywood NeoCon]

From Reuters:

U.S. safety regulators have opened a preliminary investigation of about 3 million older Jeep Grand Cherokees with fuel tanks that may present a fire risk in a crash, the regulators' website showed on Tuesday.



The investigation was opened on Monday by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The action is short of a recall, and a Chrysler spokesman said owners of the 1993-2004 model year vehicles should take no action at this time.

Chrysler said it was cooperating fully with NHTSA on the investigation. It said the Jeep Grand Cherokees from those model years "meet or exceed" federal safety standards.

I don't like this at all, primarily because of the 254 fatalities from 1993-2004 that the government seems to want to pin on Jeep. If I were a betting man, I'd wonder what the over/under is on Jeep being around in five years if some moonbat decides to thrown them under the bus.

[JohnnyReb]

I don't like this at all, primarily because of the 254 fatalities from 1993-2004 that the government seems to want to pin on Jeep. If I were a betting man, I'd wonder what the over/under is on Jeep being around in five years if some moonbat decides to thrown them under the bus.

Hey, Government Motors can't stand the competition.

Government Motors...building better shoeboxes for the masses.

[The Hollywood NeoCon]

Hey, Government Motors can't stand the competition.

Government Motors...building better shoeboxes for the masses.

I'd say that's a bit conspiratorial, but I know better these days. 

[diesel driver]

Feels like GM pickups and NBC all over again.   

I've owned a 1975 Chevy pickup, and I currently own a 2002 Grand Cherokee.

Still waiting for the fire.   

[ConservativeJoeG]

I find it ironic that there is enough of a problem to warrant an investigation, but there isn't enough of a problem to warrant a recall.  Heck, it's just lives we're talking about here.

[The Hollywood NeoCon]

I find it ironic that there is enough of a problem to warrant an investigation, but there isn't enough of a problem to warrant a recall.  Heck, it's just lives we're talking about here.

Joe, while I know just about nothing about cars aside from drving them, 254 fatalities in 11 years doesn't seem to be at odds with the number of people who ordinarily die in car accidents across the country. We choose to accept that possibility each time we turn the key, don't we?

That's why I'm a little more than concerned about what could very well be the beginning of the end of Jeep, if not Chrysler altogether. I may be wrong, so please let me know if I've got my head up my ass. I promise I can take the criticism.

[JohnnyReb]

What a coincedence....I just saw a wrecked Jeep Cherokee. The left front fender and wheel was just about in the drivers lap...and the right rear corner  and drive axle was pushed up into the middle of the rear seat(about mid point) and no fire damage.

I guess NBC news couldn't get there with the matches.

[IassaFTots]

Joe, while I know just about nothing about cars aside from drving them, 254 fatalities in 11 years doesn't seem to be at odds with the number of people who ordinarily die in car accidents across the country. We choose to accept that possibility each time we turn the key, don't we?

That's why I'm a little more than concerned about what could very well be the beginning of the end of Jeep, if not Chrysler altogether. I may be wrong, so please let me know if I've got my head up my ass. I promise I can take the criticism.

I wouldn't say your head is totally up your ass.  Let's sit tight and see if we hear anything about Dodge. 

[Pat]

I'm on board with the witch hunt theory.

Jeep is an American icon that pisses off the enviro wack job's out there. It let's the "common man" into their sacred woods.

A recent Car and Driver article by PJ O'Rourk summed it up best.

The Jeep is a manly device. And a womanly device. An American device. It’s a fitting instrument to transport the free people of a free nation with the respect to which we are entitled and the dignity that we deserve. Okay, we’re a little crazy to have a Jeep for a daily driver. But if we go off our meds, we might wind up in a Prius.

http://www.caranddriver.com/features/10q2/make_mine_a_jeep_p.j._o_rourke_s_ode_to_the_wrangler-feature

[Chris_]

I wouldn't say your head is totally up your ass.  Let's sit tight and see if we hear anything about Dodge. 

I suspect that this is a resurrection of the witch hunt that was spawned by the Ford Pinto fiasco back in the 70's.  DOT has been maintaining fire statistics on every vehicle that has the fuel tank mounted in the rear, behind the bumper for decades to determine if this location is "safe".  Jeep GC's of this vintage have a rear-mounted tank.

There are literally millions of vehicles built this way, so it is kind of a moot point, but you have to have something for all of those government workers to do to justify their budgets every year.

In their defense, Jeep relocated the tank to a midships location I believe in 2006.

doc

[IassaFTots]

I suspect that this is a resurrection of the witch hunt that was spawned by the Ford Pinto fiasco back in the 70's. 

Funny you mention that.  First thing I thought of when I heard this story was Ralph Nader. 

[diesel driver]

What a coincedence....I just saw a wrecked Jeep Cherokee. The left front fender and wheel was just about in the drivers lap...and the right rear corner  and drive axle was pushed up into the middle of the rear seat(about mid point) and no fire damage.

I guess NBC news couldn't get there with the matches.

Or their model rocket engines.

I guess they will go after big rigs next, considering they have their fuel tanks mounted on the sides, exposed, right under the cab, for all the world to see.

Is it me, or does it seem to you that the only thing the government is capable of producing is STUPIDITY!

[AllosaursRus]

Feels like GM pickups and NBC all over again.   

I've owned a 1975 Chevy pickup, and I currently own a 2002 Grand Cherokee.

Still waiting for the fire.   

I've gotta 2004 Grand Cherokee. WTF are these idiots talkin' about???? I've been under, around, and thru it. Just how, what, when, or where in the world do they come up with this crap?

The gas tank is in the same place as 90% of every SUV on the frikkin' market today!

I'm goin' with Gubmint Motors can't stand the heat!

[Chris_]

I've gotta 2004 Grand Cherokee. WTF are these idiots talkin' about???? I've been under, around, and thru it. Just how, what, when, or where in the world do they come up with this crap?

The gas tank is in the same place as 90% of every SUV on the frikkin' market today!

I'm goin' with Gubmint Motors can't stand the heat!

Quite possibly true......we had an '04 GC, with the rear-mounted tank, and Jeep did relocate the tank, as our current '09 GC has it mounted midships on the driver's side.  The spare is now located where the tank used to be (secured by a cable winch).  Based on what I see of the design change, it was done more to relocate the spare out of the load area to increase the usable space inside the vehicle than it was for safety purposes, as our later model has a lot more load space than the '04.

This is interesting further, as the Chevrolet & GMC Suburbans of the same era all had tanks that are mounted in the same (rear) place......it would be difficult to rationalize that there is a difference in the potential fire hazard between a Grand Cherokee, and a Suburban with the tank in the same location, and under the same crash conditions.....

doc