NHTSA Complaint #10149371 — 2000 DODGE STRATUS

MY DODGE STRATUS 2000, 65,071 MILEAGE, CAUGHT FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD "MELTED." THE FIRE DID NOT REACH THE INSIDE COMPARTMENT OF THE CAR. THE FIREFIGHTERS WERE SPEEDY AT PUTTING OUT THE FIRE. THERE WAS SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AFTER ABOUT 10 MIN. OF DRIVING. AND A BURNING SMELL WHICH I THOUGHT WAS ENGINE OIL. I TOOK IT TO A DODGE DEALER FOR REPAIR. THEY REPLACED THE TRANSMISSION PAN, THE VALVE COVER GASKET, SPARK PLUGS AND BELTS. THE CAR CONTINUED TO SMOKE AND, AS I TOLD MY HUSBAND, I THOUGHT THERE WAS LIKE SOOTY ASHES BEING DEPOSITED ON TOP OF THE HOOD. I ASSUMED IT WAS BURNING OFF THE OLD OIL THAT HAD SPILLED ON THE ENGINE. AFTER TWO DAYS OF DRIVING I CALLED THE DODGE DEALER IN THE MORNING WHEN I CONFIRMED THAT THE CAR WAS STILL LEAKING TRANSMISSION FLUID AND OIL AND STILL SMOKING. THEY SAID TO BRING IT BACK ON MONDAY. I WENT HOME THAT EVENING, PICKED UP ONE CHILD FROM DAY CARE AND THEN WE BOTH WENT TO PICK UP ANOTHER CHILD FROM HER AFTER-SCHOOL PLACE. WE WALKED OUT ABOUT 12 MINUTES LATER AND HALF THE STREET WAS ENGULFED IN THICK SMOKE. I COULD SEE FIRE UNDER THE FRONT OF THE CAR. WE RAN BACK IN AND CALLED THE FIRE DEPT. MY INSURANCE INVESTIGATORS COULD NOT DETERMINE THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS MELTED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THEY TOTALED THE CAR. THE DEALER SAID LEAKING OIL DOES NOT CAUSE FIRES. THEY BELIEVED IT WAS ELECTRICAL. *NM