NHTSA Complaint #10014385 — 1996 HONDA ODYSSEY

I PURCHASED A 1996 HONDA ODYSSEY VAN NEW IN 1996. (VIN#: [XXX]) ON MARCH 11, 2003 WE DROVE IT WITH SOME FRIENDS TO A NEIGHBORHOOD RESTAURANT WHERE WE PARKED AND LOCKED THE CAR, AND WENT IN. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER A MAN CAME INTO THE RESTAURANT SAYING THERE WAS A CAR ON FIRE IN THE PARKING LOT. THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR OF MY HONDA WAS ON FIRE. FORTUNATELY, THE RESTAURANT OWNER HAD A FIRE EXTINGUISHER, AND WE WERE ABLE TO GET THE DOOR OPEN AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FIRE APPEARS TO HAVE STARTED IN THE ELECTRICAL WIRING WITHIN THE INTERIOR OF THE DRIVER'S DOOR. AS A RESULT OF THE FIRE, THE PLASTIC POWER WINDOW SWITCH ASSEMBLY WAS MELTED, RENDERING THE WINDOWS INOPERATIVE, THE PLASTIC DOOR LATCH MECHANISM THAT ENABLES THE DOOR TO BE OPENED FROM THE INSIDE WAS ALSO MELTED AND INOPERABLE. THIS RENDERED THE DRIVER'S DOOR INOPERATIVE FROM THE INSIDE. THE FIRE FILLED THE CAR WITH SMOKE FROM THE BURNING DOOR PANEL AND INSULATION, THE WIRE INSULATION, AND VARIOUS PLASTIC PARTS OF THE DOOR ASSEMBLY. I'M SURE THE SMOKE WAS QUITE TOXIC, AND HAD SOMEONE BEEN IN THE CAR AT THE TIME OF THE FIRE, THEY WOULD HAVE LIKELY BEEN OVERCOME. PARTICULARLY IF THEY WERE IN THE DRIVERS SEAT AND UNABLE TO OPEN THE DOOR OR THE WINDOW TO LET THE SMOKE OUT OR EXIT THE CAR. TO ANSWER A POTENTIAL QUESTION, WE DO NOT SMOKE, AND DO NOT ALLOW SMOKING IN THE CAR. I REALIZE THIS IS BEYOND THE WARRANTY PERIOD FOR THIS VEHICLE, AND THAT THE FAILURE OF SOME ELECTRICAL PART OF THE DOOR COULD BE DUE TO THE AGE OF THE VEHICLE, AND NORMAL DETERIORATION OF MECHANICAL PARTS WITH AGE. MY CONCERN IS THAT THOUGH SOME PART OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILED CATASTROPHICALLY, THE DESIGN OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM WAS SUCH THAT IT DID NOT FAIL SAFELY. A FUSE OR CIRCUIT BREAKER SHOULD HAVE BEEN THE PROTECTIVE DEVICE THAT FAILED, PROTECTING THE WIRING AND THE OCCUPANTS OF THE CAR FROM A POTENTIALLY VERY HAZARDOUS, AND POSSIBLY FATAL FIRE. *NLM INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6). *TR