NHTSA Complaint #10296120 — 2001 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE

2001 MITSUBISHI MIRAGE APPX 105,000 MILES. PURCHASED MAY 2007. VEHICLE'S FUSE BOX CAUGHT FIRE AND CAUSED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TOTALING THE CAR. NO PRIOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS BEFORE THE EVENT OCCURRED. AFTER RUNNING ERRANDS I PULLED INTO MY APARTMENT COMPLEX'S PARKING LOT AND THE CAR SUDDENLY DIED. I TRIED TO RESTART THE VEHICLE AND THE ENGINE DID NOT EVEN TURN. I NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD AND I GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND I SAW SMALL FLAMES COMING FROM THE FUSE BOX ON THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE VEHICLE. I CALLED 911 IMMEDIATELY AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FIRE DESTROYED AND COMPLETELY MELTED THE FUSE BOX AND BATTERY AND DAMAGED THE COOLING SYSTEM. I FILED A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND MONDAY 12/14/2009 THE DAMAGE APPRAISER CAME AND EXAMINED THE DAMAGE AND TOTALED THE CAR. I HAVE HAD NO PRIOR MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE CAR AND THERE WERE NO INDICATES THAT THE CAR WAS MALFUNCTIONING. *TR