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NHTSA Engineering Analysis EA14001

Engineering Analysis · Headliner Fires · Opened 2014-01-10 · Closed 2014-08-12

Investigation

Action number
EA14001
Type
Engineering Analysis
Open date
2014-01-10
Close date
2014-08-12
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Affected makes
DODGE; JEEP
Affected components
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FUSES AND CIRCUIT BREAKERS; ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:INTERIOR/UNDER DASH; INTERIOR LIGHTING
Affected model years
2011, 2012, 2013, 2014
Affected (make, year) variants
40

Summary

On July 1st, 2014 Chrysler Group LLC (Chrysler) notified the Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) that it would conduct a safety recall to remedy a wiring-related fire hazard on the headliner of approximately 661,888 model year (MY) 2011-2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles manufactured between January 5, 2010 and December 11, 2013 (see NHTSA Safety Recall 14V-391), with notifications to begin in August 2014. According to Chrysler, the fire is caused by an electrical short in the vanity lamp wiring for either one of the sun visors mounted on the vehicle. The sun visors are mounted to the roof of the vehicle through the headliner with three metal screws. It is possible for the sun visor wiring to be pierced by one of these screws either during initial vehicle assembly or later headliner area repairs which may cause an electrical short potentially resulting in fire.ODI opened an investigation involving MY 2011-2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Durango vehicles based on consumer reports of headliners catching fire at the front of the passenger's compartment near the sun visors. Complainants reported failure symptoms that ranged from discoloration to open flame burning of the headliner and/or sun visor material. Complainants reported a burning plastic smell and smoke from the headliner, often occurring while the vehicle was in motion. Damage ranged from a small burn spot on the headliner to a near complete burn of the vehicle resulting in a total loss; sunroof damage/glass shattering occurred in some cases. Incidents are more likely to occur when the ignition key is in the on position.However, several vehicles continued to burn after the key was turned off, and key-off fires, while highly unlikely, cannot be fully eliminated as a potential problem. The earliest incidents chronologically were often associated with vehicle assembly or in-plant repair procedures. Chrysler revised assembly and in-plant repair procedures for the headliner which reduced the n

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI investigation page
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