POWER TRAIN:AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION:GEAR POSITION INDICATION (PRNDL)
Miles at failure
26,000
Speed
60 mph
Severity
Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No
Narrative
I WAS TOWING A 2002 JEEP LIBERTY USING THE BLUE OX TOW SYSTEM. I FOLLOWED THE MANUFACTURERS DIRECTIONS AND PUT THE CAR IN NEUTRAL. THE JEEP ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AND TOTALED THE CAR. MY INSURANCE COMPANY ADJUSTERS SAID THE JEEP WAS IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE CAUSING THE TRANSMISSION TO OVERHEAT, LEAK TRANSMISSION FLUID, AND START THE FIRE. FIRST OF ALL, GETTING THE JEEP IN 4-WHEEL DRIVE REQUIRES SOME EFFORT TO ENGAGE, SO I WOULD HAVE NOTICED HAD I DONE THAT. SECONDLY, I WOULDN'T HAVE DONE SOMETHING SO STUPID. I HAVE TOWED THE JEEP THE TWO PREVIOUS YEARS THE SAME WAY WITH NO PROBLEMS.*AK