NHTSA Complaint #10303177 — 2000 TOYOTA CELICA

9/11/01: SHORTLY BEFORE MIDNITE: FIRE IGNITED IN OUR UNATTACHED GARAGE, FAMILY SLEEPING, ONLY VEHICLE IN THE GARAGE WAS A 2000 TOYOTA CELICA (APPROX 20,000 MILES ON IT). NEIGHBORS WOKE US UP, BY THAT TIME HOUSE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES, WE WERE EVACUATED. TOTAL LOSS:NEARLY $300,000.00 IN LOSS AND PROPERTY DAMAGE. WE THOUGHT OUR AREA WAS BEING BOMBED, DUE TO THE EVENTS WHICH TOOK PLACE THAT ENTIRE DAY. 2 AUTO INVESTIGATORS CAME TO THE HOME, WORKED TOGETHER ON THE CAR, 1 FROM OUR INS CO., THE OTHER FROM TOYOTA. AFTER 9 1/2 HRS OF COMPLETELY OVERHAULING THE CAR, THEY BOTH DETERMINED THE CAR STARTED THE FIRE FROM A FAULTY GROUND WIRE. OUR INS. (HOMEOWNERS) WERE LIKE STONES AMONGST BOULDERS AGAINST TOYOTA. THEY SPARED NO EXPENSE TO HIRE THE TOP OF THE TOP TO DISCREDIT US AND IN THE END, THE JUDGE DECIDED THERE WASN'T ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO TAKE THIS ORDEAL TO COURT. IT WAS A JOKE AND OUR NEIGHBORS AND EVEN SAW THE MAN WHO SOLD US THE CELICA WAS CALLED IN FOR QUESTIONING. ALL AGREED, IT WAS THE CAR. NO ONE WOULD HEAR US. INS COMPANY COULDN'T PURSUE. IT WOULD HAVE BEEN TOO COSTLY AND TOYOTA HAD UNLIMITED FUNDS AND TIME TO FIGHT THIS. IT WAS SO TERRIBLE. MY FAMILY WOULD NEVER BE THE SAME AFTER THAT. I WANTED SOMEONE TO HEAR MY STORY, ESPECIALLY SINCE THIS NEW OCCURRENCE WITH TOYOTA'S RECALL. MAYBE SOMEONE COULD LOOK INTO UNEXPLAINED FIRES WITH THEIR TOYOTA VEHICLES. MAY BE VERY INTERESTING AND MAY SAVE A LIFE OR TWO. *TR