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Jeep burned down by new Samsung Galaxy Note 7

A Florida family is out a Jeep Cherokee and a brand new cell phone after a Samsung Galaxy Note 7 left on a charger allegedly burst into flames on Monday and destroyed both itself and the Jeep. According to Fox 13, Nathan Dornacher and his wife Lydia were cruising garage sales in St. Petersburg, Florida on Labor Day with their daughter and their service dog. They stopped at home to unload a desk they'd purchased earlier. While they got the desk out of the Cherokee's hatch Nathan left his shiny new Galaxy Note 7 charging in the Jeep's center console. When the family went to leave again to run more errands, they were shocked to see that the Jeep's interior was engulfed in flames and thick black smoke was pouring out of the panel gaps. The St. Petersburg Fire department responded to the Dornachers', but it was too late for the Cherokee. The fire destroyed the vehicle, which was dearly loved by Nathan and heavily modified with aftermarket equipment. The Galaxy Note 7 has gained a nasty reputation for spontaneous combustion since its release in August. Samsung has recalled the phone in ten countries after thirty-five instances of Galaxy Note 7s catching fire or exploding for no good reason were confirmed. Fox 13 received a statement from a Samsung spokesperson after they reported the story about the Dornachers' poor jeep. "We are aware of the incident and we are working with Mr. Dornacher to investigate his case and ensure we do everything we can for him. Consumer safety is Samsung's highest priority. With regard to the Galaxy Note7, we are asking owners to take advantage of the Product Exchange Program announced on Friday of last week. The program offers Note7 owners the opportunity to exchange the phone for a new one. More details on the program can be found at http://www.samsung.com/us/note7exchange/." News Source: Fox 13 Auto News Recalls Weird Car News Jeep Technology Smartphone SUV fire Samsung car fire

Infiniti looking for a new boss after Christian Meunier leaves to lead Jeep

Nissan's premium division Infiniti is expected to announce a new acting global chief for the brand, the company said, after its current head, Christian Meunier, left to lead the Jeep unit of Fiat Chrysler Automobiles. Nissan's chief quality officer Christian Vandenhende will oversee Infiniti's global operations effective immediately, until a new brand chief is named, Infiniti said in the statement on Tuesday. Meunier, 51, was named Infinit's global chief in early January after its previous boss Roland Krueger left the Hong Kong-based brand. Meunier will take over as global president for SUV-focused Jeep effective immediately, Fiat Chrysler said in a separate statement. Fiat Chrysler CEO Mike Manley had been running Jeep until he was elevated to the top job in July after the death of Sergio Marchionne. Meunier has international experience from his years with Ford, Land Rover, Nissan and Infiniti, which may prove valuable as Jeep attempts to expand overseas with a lineup of new products including the Gladiator pickup, a Wrangler plug-in hybrid, and the revived Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer nameplates. He's worked mostly in sales and marketing roles, including as senior vice president of sales, marketing and operations for Nissan North America; chairman of Nissan Canada; and his recent role heading up Infiniti. An Infiniti spokesman said Meunier's resignation was not related to Nissan's internal investigation into its former leader Carlos Ghosn.

470,000 Jeep Liberty, Chrysler 200, and Dodge Avenger models recalled for restraint defect

Fiat Chrysler Automobiles said on Friday it is recalling 470,000 vehicles worldwide to replace a component that may inhibit deployment of the vehicles' active head restraints in the event of a crash. Around 414,000 of those vehicles were sold in the United States. Apparently, "a component common to the modules of certain vehicles may degrade after extensive vehicle use." The recall covers 2012 Jeep Liberty sport utility vehicles and 2012-13 Chrysler 200 and Dodge Avenger midsize cars. FCA says a warning light may alert owners to the problem. The Italian-American automaker said it is unaware of any injuries or accidents related to the recall. The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration opened an investigation into the issue in June. (Reporting by David Shepardson; Editing by Steve Orlofsky) Related Video: