Gladiator on fire, burned to the ground…

[Klutch]

Out of curiousity, I Googled "Pickup Truck Fire" and clicked "Images". I got many hundreds of pictures of burning pickup trucks. I didn't do a scientific analysis, but it appears to be all brands and multiple model years.

Seemingly, a pickup truck catching fire is rare, but not all that rare.

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[ShadowsPapa]

Out of curiousity, I Googled "Pickup Truck Fire" and clicked "Images". I got many hundreds of pictures of burning pickup trucks. I didn't do a scientific analysis, but it appears to be all brands and multiple model years.

Seemingly, a pickup truck catching fire is rare, but not all that rare.

LOL - I did the same thing and came up with a whole lot of Google results! Even trailers being towed by pickups catching fire.
We've witnessed at least two pickup fires here in Iowa between us and Ankeny just in the last 2 or 3 years, one on I80 west bound and the other in I35 southbound.
They weren't Jeeps.

 

[Gvsukids]

Out of curiousity, I Googled "Pickup Truck Fire" and clicked "Images". I got many hundreds of pictures of burning pickup trucks. I didn't do a scientific analysis, but it appears to be all brands and multiple model years.

Seemingly, a pickup truck catching fire is rare, but not all that rare.

Maybe we should buy cars. Maybe Jeeps don't burn but trucks do; so that was a fault of Jeep to make a truck.

 

[Mightytalldude]

Looks like ecodiesel exhaust, can't tell 100% though.

Sometimes $#!+ happens. Not a Rubicon hood, painted roof and fenders, LED taillights, and the rims look to be an Overland. Tailgate has two badges on the back, left and right, but I'm not familiar with the ecodiesel exhaust, or badges look or location, but that left badge could be the ecodiesel badge, and right an Overland. Definitely not a Max Tow. Doesn't appear to be a winch up front, so that could rule out an electrical fire caused by bad DIY wiring. M/T unit is possible, but not on the ecodiesel. Given the ratio of auto to manual especially on an Overland or any trim level skewed heavily towards auto, may rule that out. Early 2000's Pioneer 20' minimum tandem axle trailer so at least 4500# dry weight, 5000# loaded. Again, $#!+ happens, could just be a series of circumstances that weren't in his favor.

 

[Gvsukids]

Sometimes $#!+ happens. Not a Rubicon hood, painted roof and fenders, LED taillights, and the rims look to be an Overland. Tailgate has two badges on the back, left and right, but I'm not familiar with the ecodiesel exhaust, or badges look or location, but that left badge could be the ecodiesel badge, and right an Overland. Definitely not a Max Tow. Doesn't appear to be a winch up front, so that could rule out an electrical fire caused by bad DIY wiring. M/T unit is possible, but not on the ecodiesel. Given the ratio of auto to manual especially on an Overland or any trim level skewed heavily towards auto, may rule that out. Early 2000's Pioneer 20' minimum tandem axle trailer so at least 4500# dry weight, 5000# loaded. Again, $#!+ happens, could just be a series of circumstances that weren't in his favor.

Here's his answer.

This was mine, i live just outside of Calgary, Alberta. Just hit 7,777 km on that 2021 Jeep Gladiator Overland Diesel w/Automatic. My 4th time towing that trailer. The Diesel Jeep has a 6500 lb towing limit. The trailer is 24 foot, 3500 lb trailer. I had previously towed it to Lethbridge and Back the other weekend. About 1,000 km of towing on that Jeep Gladiator

There was no warning!

I was about 50/60 km into a tow to Calaway Park and all of a sudden there was Flames at my Driver side window. At the same time, cruise control cancelled, and there was a message about the Ignition needed to be serviced. I pulled over when it was safe at 1:10 pm, the Cabin was engulfed in flames at 1:15 pm

Calgary Fire Department says it started underneath. So transmission?

 

[booneja]

This was mine, i live just outside of Calgary, Alberta. Just hit 7,777 km on that 2021 Jeep Gladiator Overland Diesel w/Automatic. My 4th time towing that trailer. The Diesel Jeep has a 6500 lb towing limit. The trailer is 24 foot, 3500 lb trailer. I had previously towed it to Lethbridge and Back the other weekend. About 1,000 km of towing on that Jeep Gladiator

There was no warning!

I was about 50/60 km into a tow to Calaway Park and all of a sudden there was Flames at my Driver side window. At the same time, cruise control cancelled, and there was a message about the Ignition needed to be serviced. I pulled over when it was safe at 1:10 pm, the Cabin was engulfed in flames at 1:15 pm

Calgary Fire Department says it started underneath. So transmission?

that completely suck bro, glad you are ok, hopefully Insurance can cover the full replacement, at least AB is not a provincially run insurance province like BC, you might do ok with them

 

[DanW]

I haven't read all through this, so it may have already been brought up. Forgive me if it was.

One thing to ALWAYS consider with Jeeps is the fact they are off-road vehicles. People drive them in places most other vehicles never venture. They can get debris, leaves, grasses, sticks, and such lodged into places where they can get hot and even catch fire. It is not only possible, but it is common.

But one thing to remember is that unless we get a report from investigators, all we're doing here is guessing. Even if we get info from the owner, unless the owner knows for sure, it becomes an educated guess, at best.

Hopefully, we can eventually find out what it actually was and learn from it. But if a unique defect and not something common among a production batch, there's a chance we'll never know.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

But one thing to remember is that unless we get a report from investigators, all we're doing here is guessing. Even if we get info from the owner, unless the owner knows for sure, it becomes an educated guess, at best.

Yes
It's all speculation until the head guy sings.

 

[maligator]

That's one hell of a limp mode. Hopefully you can figure out what happened soon enough so that we don't lose sleep speculating. Im sure this has the 3.0 heat forums lighting up like crazy atm. What does the process look like for investigating what happened? Like is jeep goint to help @mikeduffy figure out what went wrong? Hopefully insurance will bug the hell out of Jeep to make them figure out what happened. Hope you can get in a new truck that you are confident in soon!

 

[CreepyJeepy]

This was mine, i live just outside of Calgary, Alberta. Just hit 7,777 km on that 2021 Jeep Gladiator Overland Diesel w/Automatic. My 4th time towing that trailer. The Diesel Jeep has a 6500 lb towing limit. The trailer is 24 foot, 3500 lb trailer. I had previously towed it to Lethbridge and Back the other weekend. About 1,000 km of towing on that Jeep Gladiator

There was no warning!

I was about 50/60 km into a tow to Calaway Park and all of a sudden there was Flames at my Driver side window. At the same time, cruise control cancelled, and there was a message about the Ignition needed to be serviced. I pulled over when it was safe at 1:10 pm, the Cabin was engulfed in flames at 1:15 pm

Calgary Fire Department says it started underneath. So transmission?

FYI the weight limit is 6000lbs on the diesel automatic overland from my reading, also the frontal area of your trailer is beyond what the manual states, and thus that trailer is over the max for that gladiator.

If you look in the book it defines the max frontal area, which (i think is 66sqft, maybe 62sqft) Your trailer is 8' wide and likely 9' tall. thus over the limit.

I wonder if an oil leak occurred at the turbo and caught fire.

Exhaust Gas Temps when towing flat land get CRAZY high in this eco diesel (1575) on my 3400 fully loaded rpod.... If the heat wrapping around the turbo got soaked in oil, with exhaust gas temps that high, you are asking for a melted jeep.

I love mine but with this post I am considering trading it in.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

FYI the weight limit is 6000lbs on the diesel automatic overland from my reading, also the frontal area of your trailer is beyond what the manual states, and thus that trailer is over the max for that gladiator.

If you look in the book it defines the max frontal area, which (i think is 66sqft, maybe 62sqft) Your trailer is 8' wide and likely 9' tall. thus over the limit.

I wonder if an oil leak occurred at the turbo and caught fire.

Exhaust Gas Temps when towing flat land get CRAZY high in this eco diesel (1575) on my 3400 fully loaded rpod.... If the heat wrapping around the turbo got soaked in oil, with exhaust gas temps that high, you are asking for a melted jeep.

I love mine but with this post I am considering trading it in.

It's 6,000 on the gas, is it the same for the diesel? Dunno - my manual is for the 2020 gas.
Your point is good on the frontal area according to the book.

 

[DanW]

FYI the weight limit is 6000lbs on the diesel automatic overland from my reading, also the frontal area of your trailer is beyond what the manual states, and thus that trailer is over the max for that gladiator.

If you look in the book it defines the max frontal area, which (i think is 66sqft, maybe 62sqft) Your trailer is 8' wide and likely 9' tall. thus over the limit.

I wonder if an oil leak occurred at the turbo and caught fire.

Exhaust Gas Temps when towing flat land get CRAZY high in this eco diesel (1575) on my 3400 fully loaded rpod.... If the heat wrapping around the turbo got soaked in oil, with exhaust gas temps that high, you are asking for a melted jeep.

I love mine but with this post I am considering trading it in.

It ain't like a Pinto. These things aren't bursting into flames everywhere. I wouldn't make a quick reaction based on one report. Hell, it might have belonged to Tommy Chong and hit a bump causing him to drop some Labrador ash on the seat or floor, catching something on fire. Who knows?

 

[ShadowsPapa]

It ain't like a Pinto. These things aren't bursting into flames everywhere. I wouldn't make a quick reaction based on one report. Hell, it might have belonged to Tommy Chong and hit a bump causing him to drop some Labrador ash on the seat or floor, catching something on fire. Who knows?

 

[CreepyJeepy]

It's 6,000 on the gas, is it the same for the diesel? Dunno - my manual is for the 2020 gas.
Your point is good on the frontal area according to the book.

The owner also noted that the cruise control was on. I wonder if that Jeep was under significant boost / derating / etc for several km driving up under hood temps etc.

 

[staying_tuned]

Glad ya’ll are safe Mike! Pioneer's 22' offerings hit 4k lbs. dry. The only 24' models I can find are beyond 4k dry. Can you shed light on the specific model of yours, load-out, hitch setup etc.? Didn’t buy my D to tow but I want to steer clear of it burning down in case I need to tow something. Looks like it gave you all it had that’s for sure.

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