Questions and Answers

Anyone Bring Marshmellows? Q. Just a few weeks ago while driving to work, my wife was involved in a accident. She was hit in the rear of her 2001 Grand Cherokee Laredo and pushed into a vehicle in front of her. The vehicle that hit her in the rear was pulling a trailer loaded with tools. Most of the iMpact to our jeep was taken on the rear trailer hitch. All three of the people in the vehicles were shaken up a little.

My wife drove our Cherokee home later, we live out in the country. I came home and looked at the rear end damage, the rear wheels were shoved to the right, vehicle wasn't driving right she said. I took our dodge truck and went to a close town as we had some business to do.

When we came home later that day. I pulled her Cherokee over in the shade to look at the front end damage. Vehicle was pulled up a slight grade about 20%, with the hood up and the vehicle running, it suddenly quit. I restarted it and it would run for about a minute and quit. It did that until the fourth time and on the fourth time it burst into flames, apparently coming from the back first. Do you have any ideas?

Looking at your sight there has certainly been a lot of problems with Jeeps! And looking on the internet I have found a lot of other related recalls and ect. The insurance company is looking into the problem and have not given me any answers yet, except that it was not caused by the accident earlier in the day. I believe it very possible related to the accident or to the problems that Jeeps have been having? Do you have any opinions are suggestions?

Fuel tank was 90% full. Vehicle damage to us (estimated) $2000.00 to $3000.00 at least. Vehicle had never been in the shop for any kind of a problem. Mileage was about 26,000. We had a perfect vehicle till that day.

A. I could be wrong, but it seems like the insurance company is trying to weasel out of paying your claim. We all know how anxious insurance companies are to pay all large claims like this. In my opinion, insurance companies are only half a step above organized crime.

I feel the accident and subsequent fire are related. Grand Cherokees may have their problem, but I have never, ever heard of one bursting into flames. What you need to do is to get an Automotive Forensic Investigator to examine the truck and determine if indeed they are related.

I have one listed on my site. His name is Robert Sokol and may be someone you want to talk to. If you are handling your own claim, then you need to read this series of articles by Dan Baldyga. You might want to consider buying his book. I have read it and I wish I had it years ago.

As to the cause of the fire, one of the fuel lines was probably cut in the accident. In my mind it would seem the stalling was due to a lack of fuel pressure due to the cut line and the fire resulted when the high pressure fuel hit something hot enough to ignite it.