NHTSA Complaint #10072618 — 1996 HONDA CIVIC

CIVIC HAD BEEN PARKED FOR ABOUT 24 HOURS AND WHEN I LOOKED OUTSIDE MY APARTMENT WINDOW IT WAS ON FIRE. THE FAILURE SEEMED TO START IN THE DASH WIRING SOMEWHERE. THE FIRE STARTED THERE AS THE MOST DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE FRONT PORTION OF THE CAR AND THE DASH WAS COMPLETELY DESTROYED. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WAS NOT DAMAGED, THE REAR SEAT WAS DAMAGED BUT NOT DESTROYED BY FIRE COMPLETELY, AND THE TRUNK WAS UNTOUCHED. FRONT WINDOW BLEW OUT AND THE SAFETY GLASS (MORE LIKELY THE PLASTIC FILM IN BETWEEN GLASS SHEETS) MELTED, BOTH FRONT DOOR WINDOWS BLEW OUTWARDS, AND MOONROOF GLASS SHATTERED. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THEY PUT IT OUT. VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS. IT WAS JUNKED. NO INSURANCE CLAIM WAS FILED ON IT BECAUSE IT WAS PAID OFF AND WE WERE ONLY CARRYING LIABILITY ON IT.*AK