NHTSA Complaint #10124824 — 2005 CHRYSLER PACIFICA

VEHICLE HAD BEEN IN TO CHRYSLER DEALER SEVERAL TIMES DURING MAY FOR THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT (EMITION CONTROLL ISSUES) ON THE DAY OF THIS INCIDENT I HAD JUST PICKED IT UP FROM THE DEALERSHIP. IT HAD BEEN REPAIRED DUE TO IT LEAKING OIL. THE OIL LEAK WAS DUE TO THE TECHNICIAN ACCIDENTALLY TIGHTENING THE VALVE COVER DOWN ON A WIRE DURING ITS LAST TIME IN FOR REPAIRS. I HAD DRIVEN ABOUT TEN MILES FROM THE DEALERSHIP WHEN I PULLED INTO A GAS STATION TO GET A DRINK. WHEN I EXITED THE GAS STATION MAYBE THREE MINUTES LATER I SAW MY CAR HAD FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I WAS ABLE TO PUT IT OUT USING THE GAS STATIONS PORTABLE FIRE EXTINGUISHER BUT THERE HAD BEEN DAMAGE DONE AS SEVERAL PARTS UNDER THE HOOD HAD MELTED. NO ONE WAS INJURED THANKFULLY BUT IF I HAD NOT STOPPED FOR A DRINK I WOULD HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. MILAGE WAS 5646 THE VEHICLE WAS NOT RUNNING WHILE PARKED AT THE GAS STATION. I WAS ADVISED THAT THE FIRE WAS DUE TO A BLOWER FAN MODULE SHORT CIRCIUTING.