NHTSA Complaint #10016250 — 1996 DODGE CARAVAN

I PURCHASED MY VEHICLE USED, AND SINCE THEN, THE WINDSHIELD WIPERS CAME ON WITHOUT WARNING, AND AT THE ODDEST TIMES. ALSO, MY AIRBAG LIGHT TURNED ON AND MY HORN STOPPED WORKING BECAUSE OF IT. SUDDENLY, ABOUT 3 MONTHS AGO, THE CAR STARTED SMOKING. I TOOK IT TO GET IT SERVICED AND ASKED THEM TO CHECK THE SOURCE OF THE SMOKING. THE SERVICE MEN TOLD ME THAT IT WAS BECAUSE THE VEHICLE WAS BURNING OIL. I WAS TOLD BY OTHER MECHANICS, AFTER THE FIRE THAT I DESCRIBE BELOW, THAT IF THE VEHICLE BURNS OIL, THE SMOKE WOULD BE TEMPORARY, AND IT WOULD GO AWAY AFTER IT BURNS OFF. WELL... IT DIDN'T, AND THIS IS WHAT HAPPENED: ON APRIL 20TH, I PARKED MY CAR ON THE OUTDOOR PARKING LOT OF THE WHOLE FOODS MARKET, IN GLENDALE, CA. I HEARD AN ANNOUNCEMENT OVER THE PA, THAT THERE WAS AN EMERGENCY IN THE SOUTH PARKING LOT, AND THAT EVERYONE THERE SHOULD MOVE THEIR CAR. I WAS PARKED IN THE SOUTH LOT. ON THE WAY OUT, A LADY TOLD ME THAT THERE WAS A CAR ON FIRE, AND THE FIRE DEPT WAS ON ITS WAY. I CONTINUED ON MY WAY OUTSIDE, AND WHEN I GOT TO THE PARKING LOT, I SAW THAT IT WAS MY VEHICLE. THE FIRE DID NOT BURN THROUGH THE FIREWALL, BUT EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD WAS DESTROYED. THE FIRE DEPT FROM GLENDALE, SENT AN ARSON INVESTIGATOR, SINCE THE CAR WAS PARKED AND THERE HAD BEEN SOME CAR FIRES IN THE AREA. TURNS OUT, THE ARSON INVESTIGATOR TELLS ME, THAT THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY SOMETHING ELECTRICAL. THE VAN DID NOT OVERHEAT. EVERYTHING SEEMED FINE, UNTIL THE THING CAUGHT FIRE ON SUNDAY. *JB