NHTSA Complaint #10239073 — 2003 SUBARU WRX

AS I PULLED INTO A PARKING SPACE, THE ENGINE DIED AND FLAMES ABOUT 2' TALL SHOT OUT FROM BETWEEN THE HOOD AND COWL AND OUT OF THE INTERCOOLER INLET IN THE CENTER OF THE HOOD. THE FLAMES WERE FOLLOWED BY ABOUT 10 SECONDS OF A HUGE SMOKE CLOUD. IT TOOK ME ABOUT 90 SECONDS TO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND GET THE FIRE PUT OUT. I EXAMINED THE DAMAGE. THE PRESSURE SIDE POWER STEERING HOSE WAS RUBBING AGAINST THE SHEET METAL HEAT SHIELD OVER THE TURBOCHARGER. AFTER A WHILE, THE RELATIVE MOTION AND HEAT RUBBED A HOLE IN THE POWER STEERING HOSE. THE POWER STEERING HOSE THEN PUMPED POWER STEERING FLUID ALL OVER THE TURBOCHARGER, EXHAUST MANIFOLD, HEAT SHIELDS, HOOD, FIREWALL, ETC. WHEN THE POWER STEERING FLUID HIT THE HEAT SHIELDS AND EXHAUST, IT STARTED BURNING AND THIS CAUSED THE FIRE. I HAVE NOT FINISHED REPAIRING THE VEHICLE YET SO I DON'T KNOW THE COMPLETE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE. AT THIS POINT, AT LEAST THE POWER STEERING HOSE AND FLUID NEED TO BE CHANGED. THE PRESSURE SIDE POWER STEERING HOSE HAS NO BRACKETS TO HOLD IT IN POSITION WITHIN ABOUT 1' OF THE TURBOCHARGER HEAT SHIELD. THE OUTSIDE OF THE HOSE IS RUBBER. THERE IS NO HEAT SHIELD OVER IT. IT IS GUARANTEED TO RUB AGAINST THE HEAT SHIELD AND FAIL THIS WAY. THE POWER STEERING RETURN HOSE ALSO HAS NO BRACKETS WITHIN 1' OF THE TURBOCHARGER HEAT SHIELD, BUT IT DOES AT LEAST HAVE A CORRUGATED ALUMINUM HEAT SHIELD OVER IT. *TR