NHTSA Complaint #10100861 — 2003 FORD TAURUS

I HAVE A CONCERN OF REGARDING A SAFETY ISSUE ON MY 2003 FORD TAURUS. I AM NOT SURE IF THIS IS THE RIGHT PLACE TO LODGE A COMPLAINT, BUT WOULD DIRECT ME TO THE RIGHT SOURCE IF NOT.*AK SUNDAY, NOVEMBER 21, 2004, I CHANGED OIL ON MY 2003 FORD TAURUS. LIKE MANY VEHICLES I HAVE CHANGED OIL ON, I WAS NOT VERY PLEASED WITH THE LOCATION OF THE OIL FILTER. IT IS LOCATED BENEATH THE MANIFOLD (EXTREME HEAT) AND ABOVE THE SOLENOID FOR THE STARTER. IT WAS THE SOLENOID THAT I WAS SUSPICIOUS ABOUT AND THAT SUSPICION CAME TRUE SUNDAY EVENING. WHEN YOU TAKE OFF THE OIL FILTER, OIL DRIPS ONTO THE SOLENOID. I CANNOT IMAGINE WHY AN ENGINEER WOULD ALLOW A LOCATION FOR A FLAMMABLE LIQUID TO DRIP ONTO A POWER SOURCE. WHEN I USED A FILTER WRENCH TO GET THE OIL FILTER OFF, THE WRENCH KNOCKED OFF THE PROTECTIVE CAP THAT COVERS THE POWER LEADS AND GROUND TO THE SOLENOID. WHAT HAPPENED AFTER THAT WAS NOT A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. THE OIL WRENCH AND THE POWER LEADS MADE CONTACT AND IMMEDIATELY STARTED SPARKING. THE SPARKS IN TURN STARTED A FIRE IN MY ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND MELTED THE METAL BAND THAT SURROUNDS THE OIL FILTER WRENCH. AS QUICKLY AS I COULD, I GRABBED SOME RAGS AND DOUSED THE FIRE. AS FAR AS I COULD SEE, NO DAMAGE WAS DONE TO THE ELECTRICAL WIRES. ASIDE FROM GETTING SHOCKED FROM THE SOLENOID AND GETTING MINOR BURNS I AM OKAY. HOWEVER, THAT IS NOT THE ISSUE. WHAT IF I HAD NOT PUT THE FIRE OUT? WOULD THE CAR AND POSSIBLY MY GARAGE BEEN ENGULFED IN FIRE? I CONTACTED THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT WHERE I PURCHASED THE FORD TAURUS (VALLEY FORD, FARGO) AND VOICED MY CONCERN. THE SERVICE TECHNICIAN AGREED THAT THIS SOLENOID WAS IN AN AWFUL PLACE. HE ALSO SAID TO MAKE SURE THE PROTECTIVE CAP WAS PLACED OVER THE TERMINAL LEADS OF THE SOLENOID AGAIN. PLEASE ADVISE ME AS TO WHAT MY NEXT STEP IS. OR, IS THIS A SAFETY ISSUE THAT I AM OVERREACTING TO? I ANXIOUSLY AWAIT YOUR RESPONSE.