NHTSA Complaint #10358450 — 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER

MY SONS 2002 LAND ROVER FREELANDER CAUGHT FIRE ON SEPTEMBER 29, 2010 AT 4:00 AM. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED SINCE 11:00 PM THE PREVIOUS EVENING. AT 4:00 AM MY SON HEARD HIS ALARMS IN THE CAR GOING OFF AND RUSHED TO SEE WHAT WAS GOING ON TO FIND THE INTERIOR OF THE CAR WAS ON FIRE. HE TRIED TO SLAP THE FIRE OUT WITH HIS HANDS AND RECEIVED 3RD DEGREE BURNS DUE TO THIS. HE THEN RAN INSIDE AND RETRIEVED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE FIRE WAS CONTAINED, BUT THE DAMAGE WAS SO SEVERE, THE VEHICLE WAS DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS. THE FIRE STARTED IN THE WIRING SYSTEM UNDER THE STEERING COLUMN. WE DO HAVE A CASE OPEN WITH LAND ROVER, BUT THEIR REPRESENTATIVE STATED THIS IS ONLY FOR THEIR INTERNAL USE AND NO COMPENSATION WOULD BE MADE. MY SON ONLY OWNED THE PRE-USED VEHICLE FOR ONE MONTH AND HAD ONLY SECURED "LIABILITY" INSURANCE ONLY ON THE VEHICLE UNTIL HIS NEXT PAYCHECK SO HE COULD AFFORD FULL COVERAGE. WHO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THAT A VEHICLE WOULD CATCH ON FIRE BY ITSELF. WE ARE GRATEFUL THAT HE WAS NOT HARMED FURTHER AND THAT THE VEHICLE WAS NOT PARKED IN THE GARAGE, BUT WE ARE EXTREMELY DISAPPOINTED THAT A VEHICLE WHICH HE OWNED FOR ONLY ONE MONTH WOULD CATCH FIRE AND LAND ROVER WILL NOT OFFER ANY COMPENSATION FOR OUR LOSS. *TR