NHTSA Complaint #10293334 — 2001 HONDA INSIGHT

MONDAY MORNING I HAD AN APPOINTMENT TO BRING MY CAT TO THE VET. I PUT HER IN A PET CARRIER AND PUT THE CARRIER IN MY 2001 HONDA INSIGHT WITH THE PET DOOR FACING FORWARD. I GOT ON THE 101 N. IN LOS ANGELES AND HAD DRIVEN ONLY A FEW MILES WHEN I SMELLED A STRONG CHEMICAL ODOR. THINKING THE SMELL WAS COMING PERHAPS FROM ANOTHER VEHICLE I CONTINUED. THEN MY DOOR OPEN LIGHT CAME ON AND THE CAR FILLED WITH A THICK SMOKE. I LOOKED BEHIND ME AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM BELOW AND BEHIND THE CAT CARRIER. I QUICKLY PULLED ACROSS THE HIGHWAY LUCKILY THERE WAS AN EXIT WITH A VERY SHORT EXIT RAMP. I STOPPED THE CAR AND OPENED MY DOOR AND THREW MY PURSE OUT OF THE CAR, OPENED THE DOOR TO THE PET CARRIER AND REMOVED MY CAT. BY THIS TIME THE FLAMES AND SMOKE HAD INCREASED. I TRIED TO OPEN THE BACK HATCHBACK HOPING TO SMOTHER THE FLAMES WITH A COAT BUT THE DOOR COULD NOT BE OPENED AND THE INTENSITY OF THE FIRE HAD ESCALATED. I MOVED AWAY FROM THE CAR AND YELLED FOR HELP. I WAS ABLE TO CALL 911 AND THE FIRE AND POLICE ARRIVED IN A FEW MOMENTS. I TOOK MANY PICTURES WITH MY CELL PHONE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT PUT OUT THE FIRE WHICH COMPLETELY MELTED THE HOOD OF THE CAR. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT AND MY HUSBAND AND I ARE THE ONLY OWNERS. WE HAVE ALL SERVICE RECORDS AND HAVE REPLACED RECALLED ITEMS INCLUDING THE BATTERY AND THE OXYGEN SENSOR. THE CAR HAS BEEN TOWED TO OUR MECHANIC. *TR