Jeep manufactured and sold millions of SUVs with gas tanks located in the extreme rear of the vehicle, behind the rear axle and right next to the plastic "bumper." These gas tanks are exposed to rear impact, like the gas tanks on the 1970s-era Ford Pinto. When these Jeeps get rear-ended, the plastic gas tanks can rupture, spraying gasoline on the roadway and on both vehicles. If the gasoline catches fire and the people can't escape in time, the occupants the Jeep and the other vehicle can burn to death.
This has happened over and over again.
In 2013, the company that owns Jeep, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles ("FCA"), finally agreed to recall at least some of these Jeeps with exposed gas tanks. But FCA did not buy the Jeeps back or move the gas tank. Instead, FCA offered free trailer hitches to some Jeep owners. That did not fix the problem—and FCA knew that it wouldn't. Just two years before, an FCA executive had testified under oath that "the tow package does not protect the tank."
The Jeeps with exposed gas tanks are the 2002-2007 Jeep Liberty, 1993-2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee, 1993-2001 Jeep Cherokee, and 1987-2007 Jeep Wrangler. Millions of these Jeeps remain on the road.
FCA has refused to take any further action. FCA claims that thesee Jeeps are "absolutely safe." In our pending litigation against FCA over these Jeep fires, FCA denies any wrongdoing. FCA refuses declines to accept any responsibility for the hundreds of Jeep fires.
For more information, see https://butlerfirm.com/jeep-fires-explosions.
