NHTSA Complaint #10218857 — 2005 NISSAN QUEST

ON FEBRUARY 3, 2008 AFTER RETURNING HOME FROM A TRIP TO THE GROCERY STORE, I PARKED MY CAR AS I NORMALLY WOULD AND ENGAGED THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE. AFTER GOING IN THE HOUSE, I NOTICED THE SMELL OF SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER MY CARPORT. WHEN OPENING THE DOOR, I FOUND MY CAR ENGULFED IN WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THE VEHICLE AND SMOKE HAD COMPLETELY FILLED THE INTERIOR OF THE VEHICLE. I IMMEDIATELY GOT MY CHILDREN OUT OF THE HOUSE AND CALLED 911; THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND TRIED TO INVESTIGATE WHAT WAS THE CAUSE OF THE SMOKE TO NO AVAIL. IN TRYING TO PREVENT THE CAR FROM POSSIBLY SPARKING THE HOUSE ' IT TOOK FOUR FIREMAN TO PUSH MY CAR IN NEUTRAL TO THE OUTSIDE OF MY CARPORT. MY INTERIOR WAS SMOKED AND MY CARPET WAS CHARRED UNDER MY SEAT AND UNDER MY CHILDREN'S CAR SEAT ' TURNS OUT MY EMERGENCY BRAKE CABLE MELTED ALONG WITH THE INTERIOR PLASTIC, CREATING A SPARK THAT IGNITED THE CARPET AND MELTED THE PLASTIC MOLDING IN MY CAR. MR. SANDERS STATED THAT THE CAR WAS FIXABLE HOWEVER HE HAD 'NEVER SEEN ANYTHING LIKE THIS BEFORE' THE FIX HE STATED WAS TO REPLACE THE EMERGENCY PARKING BRAKE CABLE (TWO HOUR FIX) HOWEVER HE COULD NOT TELL US WHY THIS HAPPENED. MR. SANDERS STATED THAT HE WOULD NOT REPLACE THE CARPET NOR GET THE INTERIOR CLEANED THAT I HAD TO DEAL WITH NISSAN CORPORATE. MELISSA IS NOW STATING THAT NISSAN IS WILLING TO FIX THE PARKING BRAKE CABLE, REPLACE THE SCORCHED CARPET, DETAIL THE INTERIOR AND CARPET AND FIX THE HARNESS AND PAY FOR OUR RENTAL CAR. MELISSA COULD NOT EXPLAIN TO MY HUSBAND THE FUNCTION OF THE HARNESS AND HOW IT RELATES TO THE POSSIBLE FIRE, SHE STATED THAT POSSIBLY THE PARKING BRAKE AND HARNESS WERE MISROUTED AND CONNECTED THUS CREATING A SPARK THAT MELTED THE CABLE, MOLDING, AND CARPET. SHE STATED SHE IS NOT SURE AND COULD NOT GO INTO IT TECHNICALLY; SHE ALSO STATED THAT SHE WAS UNABLE TO PROVIDE US WITH ANY WRITTEN DOCUMENTATION BECAUSE IT IS A NISSAN INTERNAL DOCUMENT. *TR