MY FIVE WEEK OLD MANUAL JEEP WRANGLER JL WITH APPROXIMATELY 1500 MILES ON IT WAS IN MOTION TRAVELLING WESTBOUND ON A 55 MPH ROAD WHEN THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE JEEP HAD BEEN IN MOTION FOR APPROXIMATELY 1/4 OF A MILE WHEN IT WAS SHIFTED INTO THIRD GEAR AND PART OF THE TRANSMISSION FELL OFF OF THE VEHICLE. WHEN SHIFTED INTO 4TH GEAR, AGAIN MORE PARTS FELL FROM BENEATH THE JEEP. IMMEDIATELY FOLLOWING THE GEAR CHANGE THE LIGHTS ON THE DASH ALL LIT UP AND BLACK SMOKE AND FLAMES WERE SEEN SIMULTANEOUSLY ON THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. THE JEEP WAS IMMEDIATELY PULLED OVER AND STOPPED ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD WHERE 911 WAS CALLED. THE FIREFIGHTERS FOUND PIECES OF THE TRANSMISSION HUNDREDS OF YARDS FROM WHERE THE VEHICLE BECAME ENGULFED IN FLAMES.