NHTSA Complaint #10334773 — 1996 FORD WINDSTAR

I WENT TO GO TO THE STORE MAY 26TH, 2010 6:30 - 7:00 PM, I GOT IN MY VEHICLE WITH MY TWO YEAR OLD DAUGHTER AND I PROCEEDED TO GO DOWN MY DRIVEWAY WHICH ITS A LONG DRIVEWAY AND I STARTED TO SMELL A FAINT SMELL OF PLASTIC BURNING AND I GOT TO THE ROAD AND I STARTED TO GO AND I DECIDED I SHOULD MAYBE PULL OVER TO SEE IF I COULD SEE ANYTHING ON THE OUTSIDE OF VEHICLE CAUSING SMELL THEN WHEN GOT BACK IN CAR SAW THE STEAM COMING FROM HOOD AND I DECIDED TO TURN AROUND AND HAVE MY BOYFRIEND TAKE A LOOK BEFORE I LEFT. WHEN GOT TO HOUSE SAW LITTLE STEAM BUT NOTHING BIG, TURNED OFF VAN AND GOT MY DAUGHTER FROM CAR SEAT AND WALKED INSIDE HOME NOT BUT 5 MINUTES LATER MY OTHER DAUGHTER RAN SCREAMING OUT HER ROOM, MOM THE VANS ON FIRE. WHEN OPENED THE DOOR THE FLAMES WERE SHOOTING OUT OF THE HOOD AND TRIED TO OPEN HOOD, WHILE OTHER HALF GOING FOR FIRE EXTINGUISHERS BUT MOTOR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES AND WITHIN 5 MINUTES GOT FIRE OUT WITH 2 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS. NOTHING INDICATED BEFORE FIRE OTHER THEN THE FAINT SMELL THAT I SMELLED WHILE GOING DOWN DRIVEWAY. THE FIRE CAME FROM THE WIRING AND IT IS DEFINITELY A SAFETY ISSUE CAUSE IF ME AND MY DAUGHTER HAD THIS HAPPEN TO US WHILE ON THE ROAD IT COULD OF SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED US. I HAVEN'T DONE ANYTHING TO FIX THE VAN YET CAUSE I ONLY HAD LIABILITY INSURANCE ON THE VAN AND THE FIRE WASN'T COVERED. I ALSO DO NOT FINANCIALLY HAVE THE MEANS TO FIX THE VAN MYSELF SO I AM WITHOUT TRANSPORTATION RIGHT NOW! MY BOYFRIEND DID FEEL AFTER LOOKING AT VAN THE FIRE STARTED WITH THE WIRING OVER THE TOP OF THE CENTER OF THE MOTOR. *TR