NHTSA Complaint #10071318 — 1994 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER

PLEASE BE INFORMED OF A POTENTIAL AUTO FIRE DEFECT ON A 1994 PLYMOUTH VOYAGER VAN WITH A 3.3 ENGINE.. CAUSE: \TUSE OF A METAL CABLE RESTRAINT CLEAT THAT HOLDS THE HIGH AMPERAGE BATTERY CABLE HARNES, NEXT TO THE ALTERNATOR. CLEAT IS LOCATED BEFORE THE MAIN BATTERY FUSE LINK, CONDITION AGRIVATED WITH THERMAL WARMING, LOCATED ABOVE THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD. CLEAT CUTS INTO THE HIGH AMPERAGE CABLE AND IGNITES A FIRE IN THE CABLE HARNES. BURNING HARNES IS LOCATED DIRECTLY BELOW A FLEXABLE FUEL LINE. IT MAY NOT BE POSSIBLE TO EXTINGUISH THE RESULTING FIRE WITHOUT REMOVAL OF THE BATTERY CLAMP, AS THE FUSE LINK AFFORDS NO PROTECTION AND THE FIRE WILL RE-IGNITE. FAULT DISCOVERY: OWNER OBSERVED FIRE SOON AFTER IGNITION AND USED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES, BUT THE CABLE CONTINUED TO INCANDESS UNTIL THE BATTERY CLAMP WAS REMOVED. FOLLOWUP EXAMINATION OF THE RECOVERED METAL CLEAT SHOWED INDICATIONS OF ARC-BURNING. FAILURE MODE: THE FAILURE MODE MAY EXPLAIN THE CAUSE OF OTHER INCIDENTS WHERE THE VEHICLE WAS EITHER PARKED UNATTENDED OR BEING DRIVEN AT HIGHER SPEED, AND EVIDENCE OF CAUSE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO MORE EXTENSIVE FIRE LOSS.