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Jeep Liberty under investigation for door fires

The Jeep Liberty has already had plenty of attention for possible fires thanks to the first-gen model's fuel tank, but now the midsize Jeep is under the microscope of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for another fire-related concern. NHTSA has opened an investigation for the 2012 Liberty after receiving two reports of electrical fires in the driver's door.
According to the investigation summary, around 80,000 vehicles could potentially be affected by this problem. In both reported fires, the drivers noticed smoke and then flames from the master power window switch, and they had to pull to a stop and exit through the passenger side of the SUV. According to Autoguide, there was one injury to a motorist who suffered burned fingers while trying to open the driver's door.
Interestingly, the Dodge Nitro is not yet involved in this investigation, even though it was still around for the 2012 model year; the Nitro ended production in 2011 about a year before the final Liberty rolled off the line for the 2013 model year. Scroll down for the official NHTSA investigation summary.

Hellcat motor 'fits like a glove' in the Wrangler and Gladiator, says Jeep

Just like "technically correct" is the best kind of correct, "technically possible" is the best kind of possible. Specifically, it's technically possible to slot a Hellcat crate motor into the Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator, as confirmed by Jeep brand chief Tim Kuniskis. Speaking to Australian media last week, Kuniskis went on to say that "everybody" keeps asking him if the supercharged, 6.2-liter Hellcat V8 fits in the Wrangler and Gladiator, and that the answer is yes. "It fits like a glove," said Kuniskis. But — there is a but — the fitment is so close for comfort, it makes the combination one that Jeep can never produce. "There's no air space around the engine [...] so you have no crush space, you have nothing that can be used to absorb energy in a crash. It's not a problem to put it in — other than emissions and fuel economy — except it would never pass any crash tests, and that's a problem," as Kuniskis told Drive. However, since the Hellcat is now out of the bag, it's probably only a matter of time until hobbyists with access to these engines will start putting them into Wranglers and Gladiators. And with the time-honored piece of advice — just don't crash into anything — it'd be a combination worth seeing and hearing. Just to throw it out there, a "Hellcrate" engine costs less than $20,000 new. Kuniskis also said that Jeep is "gauging interest" for the J6 concept, one of the Easter Jeep Safari concepts that were just revealed. "[The J6] is just a concept at this stage. But that doesn't mean we're not going to gauge interest for it." However, he said justifying its production is apparently "tough."

Jeep delivers basketful of concepts for the Moab Easter Jeep Safari

It's Easter time, and that means it's time for the 52nd Annual Moab Easter Jeep Safari, held March 24 through April 1, where thousands of off-roaders crawl, scrape and scramble over the rugged trails of Moab, Utah. And that brings us to this year's colorful collection of Jeep concepts, custom-built by FCA for the occasion. Jeep Wagoneer Roadtrip View 7 Photos This year there are seven Easter treats — including one called Wagoneer and one called Jeepster. All are decked out in Mopar parts. (Mopar already has 200-plus parts and counting for the all-new 2018 Jeep Wrangler.) Here then, is this year's Easter pageant of Jeeps: Jeep 4SPEED This year's lightweight concept is meant to bolster off-road performance through extensive weight savings. It's powered by the all-new 2.0-liter turbocharged I-4 engine with an eight-speed automatic. Carbon fiber abounds — the stuff is used for the hood, fender flares and the rear tub, which also features aluminum perforated panels. It gets an "aggressively swept back" look via raked windshield, longer door openings and a custom cage. It's also 22 inches shorter with improved approach and departure angles, though the wheelbase remains unchanged. And it gets Dana 44 front and rear axles with a 4.10 gear ratio and 18-inch lightweight monoblock wheels with 35-inch tires. Inside, there's a custom instrument panel, custom seats and deleted back seats. Footwells are perforated aluminum. The 4SPEED is so much lighter than stock, it rides two inches higher. Jeep Sandstorm This one's inspired by Baja desert racers but can still be used as a daily driver. It gets an extreme-duty suspension system capable of both tasks. The front axle has been moved forward four inches and takes a heavy-duty longarm four-link suspension and track bar. The rear axle has been moved back two inches and gets a triangulated trailing arm four-link suspension. The longer wheelbase provides better high-speed stability. The front wheels — 39.5-inch tires on 17-inch beadlock wheels — get custom coilovers and bypass shocks that allow 14 inches of travel in front and 18 in back. It gets Baja styling cues such as a vented carbon fiber hood, vented high-clearance fender flares and a cage with lay-down spare tire carrier. There are no exterior door handles, and the rear doors have been chopped.