NHTSA Complaint #10144797 — 2001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE

DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT BEGAN AS A NOISE AND THEN THE ENGINE AREA CAUGHT ON FIRE. THEY WERE NO UNUSUAL INDICATORS BEFORE THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS BURNED VERY BADLY. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS LEFT UNDETERMINED, AND VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S SALVAGE YARD. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER WHERE NOT CONTACTED BECAUSE THE WARRANTY EXPIRED. THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE INSURANCE COMPANY PROVIDED THE CONTACT A REPORT OF A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE REPORT STATED A HOSE DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER COULD HAVE CAUSED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION COOLING UNIT AND LINES TO LEAK OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. THEREFORE, THE FLUID LEAKAGE FROM THE COOLING HOSE COULD CAUSE TRANS AXLE PROBLEMS AND SMOKE IF THE OIL CONTACTED THE FRONT EXHAUST PIPE.*AK