NHTSA Complaint #10121900 — 1997 ACURA TL

DT: THERE WAS HEAVY RAIN THE NIGHT BEFORE THE INCIDENT OCCURRED. THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY WHEN THE CONSUMER GOT UP AND WENT TO GET IN THE CAR AND FOUND THAT THE DRIVER'S SIDE DOOR, DRIVER SIDE DASH , AND DRIVER SIDE SEAT HAD BURNED. THE FLOORBOARD WAS DAMAGED BY DRIPPING PLASTIC. THE ONLY HOT WIRE WAS IN THE DOOR LOCKING MECHANISM. THE FIRE WOULD NOT HAVE HAPPENED IF THERE WAS A FUSE OPERATIONAL IN THE CIRCUIT. THE BATTERY WAS ALMOST BRAND NEW, AND IT WAS ALMOST DEAD. THE CALLER STATED THAT THE ONLY REASON THE FIRE DIED OUT WAS BECAUSE IT RAN OUT OF OXYGEN. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CALLED, AND HAS NOT RETURNED THE CALL. ALSO THE CALLER INDICATED THAT THE DOOR LOCK MADE A NOISE EVEN AFTER THE DOORS WERE LOCKED BUT NOT ALL THE TIME. *AK THE VEHICLE WAS DETERMINED UNREPAIRABLE. *SC *JB