According to US research, some Jeep SUVs and pickups can catch fire after the engines are turned off

U.S. regulatory agencies are currently investigating reports that the engines of some Jeep SUVs and pickup trucks can catch fire even when the ignition is off.

The study includes more than 781,000 Jeep Wrangler and Gladiator vehicles from model years 2021 to 2023.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration said in documents posted on its website Monday that it has received nine complaints from owners about engine fires, including one that caused an injury. Most reports said the fires started on the passenger side of the engine compartment.

The agency states that a fire with the ignition off “can result in an increased risk of injury to occupants and persons outside the vehicle, as well as property damage, with little or no warning.”

Investigators contacted Jeep manufacturer Stellantis and learned of several additional “thermal events” that began at an electrical connector on the power steering pump.

The agency said it is launching an investigation to determine the cause and extent of the problem, as well as its frequency. No recall has been ordered yet, but one is possible.

Stellantis said it was cooperating with the investigation.

Michael Brooks, executive director of the nonprofit Center for Auto Safety, said it would be advisable for owners of the Jeeps under investigation to park them outdoors until the matter is resolved, as the NHTSA believes there may be potential property damage.

“If I owned one of these vehicles, I certainly wouldn’t want to park it in a garage,” Brooks said.