NHTSA Complaint #10132126 — 2002 DODGE DAKOTA

DRIVING <30MIN AT 20-50MPH,TOWING A LIGHT TRAILER, WHILE TURNING INTO DRIVEWAY, DEPRESSED CLUTCH, PEDAL WENT TO FLOOR AND STAYED DOWN, DROVE 100 YARDS FURTHER, PARKED, OPENED HOOD. FLAMES WERE VISIBLE FROM UNDER FIREWALL BELOW BRAKE AND CLUTCH HYDRAULICS AND VISIBLE BEHIND LEFT FRONT TIRE. FLAME HEIGHTS WERE ~6 - 10 INCHES. MOVED OTHER VEHICLES FROM AREA AND EXTINGUISHED FIRE WITH DRY CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHER. CHRYSLER FOUND CLUTCH ASY HOSE MELTED, EVAP HOSE MELTED, AND FUEL LINE DAMAGED FROM FIRE. CHRYSLER REPLACED THE HYD CLUTCH ACY, REPLACED EVAP HOSES AND FLEX FUEL LINE. CHRYSLER DID AN INDEPENDENT SPECIAL INVESTIGATION AND CONCLUDED THEY HAD "NO MANUFACTURING RESPONSIBILITY". CHYSLER SUBMITTED BILL FOR $526.54 TO ALLSTATE. ALLSTATE PAYED CLAIM. OWNER'S OPINION IS THAT PLASTIC CLUTCH HYDRAULIC LINE FAILED, SPRAYING HYDRAULIC FLUID ON NEARBY EXHAUST, IGNITING FLUID AND PLASTIC PARTS AND OTHER FLAMMABLE MATERIALS. INVESTIGATOR PHOTOGRAPHED ALL CRITICAL AREAS BUT CHRYSLER DID NOT RETURN OLD PARTS. *NM