NHTSA Complaint #10068218 — 2002 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE

2002 SAAB 9-3 CONVERTIBLE, ABOUT 13,000 MILES CAUGHT ON FIRE. DROVE TO OFFICE, TURNED OFF ENGINE, & PARKED CAR. GOT OUT OF CAR & NOTED UNUSUAL SMELL DESPITE THAT GUAGES INDICATED "CHECKING OK"AY. *AK WENT INTO MY OFFICE & CALLED ZEE SAAB OF MILFORD WHERE NEW CAR WAS ORIGINALLY LEASED FROM & WHERE ALL SERVICES HAD BEEN PERFORMED. NO PROBLEMS HAD EVER BEEN NOTED WITH THE CAR. TOLD TO CALL SAAB ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, WHICH I DID. WENT BACK OUTSIDE TO WHERE CAR WAS PARKED TO WAIT FOR ROADSIDE AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM THE HOOD AREA. THEN SAW FIRE & FLAMES COMING FROM THE TOP OF THE HOOD AND UNDERNEATH THE FRONT OF THE CAR. IMMEDIATELY CALLED WITON CT FIRE DEPARTMENT AND WITHIN 15 MINUTES FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED. IN THAT VERY SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME, THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS SIGNIFICANTLY DAMAGED FROM THE FIRE. A NEWSPAPER REPORTER WAS WITH THE FIRE DEPT. & TOOK ABOUT 30 PHOTOS OF THE FIRE & THE RESULTING DAMAGE. SAAB ROADSIDE ARRIVED & I REQUESTED THAT THE CAR BE TAKEN TO SAAB OF MILFORD. I NOTIFIED ALLSTATE, MY INSURER. ALLSTATE CLAIMS REP & ENGINEEER EXAMINED THE CAR (ALTHOUGH REQUESTED,TO DATE, I HAVE NOT RECEIVED A COPY OF THE ALLSTATE ENGINEER'S REPIORT). ALLSTATE ENGINEER INFORMED SAAB OF MILFORD THAT THE FIRE WAS FROM "UNDETERMINED CAUSES" & CAR WAS "TOTALLED". DEALER INFORMED ME THAT DESPITE THE FACT THAT CAR HAD ONLY ABOUT 13,000 MILES, THE DEALER PERFORMED ALL SERVICES & THERE WERE NO WARNING LIGHTS OR INDICATORS OF A PROBLEM, THE DAMAGES WERE NOT COVERED BY SAAB DEALER OR MANUFACTURER WARRANTY. CLEARLY, FIRES DON'T JUST START AND THERE WAS SOME TYPE OF FAILURE(S) WITH THE CAR.