NHTSA Opens Probe into Jeep Fire, Ram Axle Complaints

The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has launched two investigations into complaints involving 2012 model Jeep Grand Cherokee SUVs and 2009-2010 model Dodge Ram 1500 pickup trucks.

One probe is looking into the cause of rear differential failures in 230,000 Ram pickups. The second investigation involves power steering hoses that could leak and cause a fire in 106,800 Grand Cherokees.

NHTSA says it has received 12 complaints about rear-axle lockup on Ram trucks, most of them occurring at speeds of 35 mph or more. The failure usually caused the driveshaft to detach and in one report, puncture the fuel tank.

The agency has one report of a Grand Cherokee hose leak but says it has found evidence in Chrysler field reports of other such failures.