NHTSA Complaint #10083225 — 2001 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

AFTER PULLING OFF THE ROAD ONTO A SIDE STREET CONSUMER HEARD A STRANGE NOISE FROM UNDER THE HOOD. UPON MERGING BACK ONTO THE ROAD STEERING WHEEL BECAME DIFFICULT TO MANEUVER. VEHICLE LOST POWER STEERING. ON THE WAY TO THE DEALERSHIP, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, FOLLOWED BY A LOUD POPPING NOISE AFTER DRIVING FOR LESS THAN A BLOCK. CONSUMER THEN PULLED INTO PARKING LOT. THE SMOKE BECAME WORSE. THE CONSUMER POPPED THE HOOD AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE ENGINE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. WHEN THEY ARRIVED THE ENTIRE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE BODY SHOP. THE SERVICE MAN AND THE FIREMAN INDICATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED. A FIRE REPORT WAS FILED.*AK