NHTSA Complaint #10075090 — 1996 DODGE B SERIES

VERIZON COMMUNICATIONS 1996 DODGE B VAN WITH 37960 MILES. THE DRIVER DROVE APPROX. 2 MILES TO HIS FIRST JOB. NOTICED NOTHING UNUSUAL. PARKED IN FRONT OF THE CUSTOMERS HOUSE,NOTICED NOTHING UNUSUAL. DROVE BEHIND THE HOUSE TO THE JOBSITE AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. EXITED THE TRUCK AND SAW FLAMES FROM THE RIGHT FRONT WHEELWELL. HAD THE FIRE DEPARTMENT EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. AN INVESTIGATION BY AN OUTSIDE CONTRACTOR,HIRED BY DAIMLERCHRYSLER WAS INCONCLUSIVE AS TO THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE, BUT LISTED A PROBABLE CAUSE AS THE HEATER BLOWER MOTOR. THE BLOWER MOTOR COULD NOT BE FOUND AT THE TIME OF THE INVESTIGATION! VERIZON HAS EXPERIENCED MANY BLOWER MOTOR FAILURES AND BLOWER RESISTOR FAILURES IN THIS MODEL VEHICLE. VERIZON HAS EXPERIENCED SIMILAR FIRES IN THIS MODEL VEHICLE AND FEELS THAT THIS FIRE WARRANTS FURTHER INVESTIGATION. *AK