NHTSA Complaint #10375300 — 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY

ON TUESDAY, DECEMBER 28, 2010, AT APPROXIMATELY 8:30 PM, (AZ-GMT) I WAS DRIVING MY 2002 TOYOTA CAMRY SE 4-DR IN A ROAD CONSTRUCTION ZONE AT 15 MILES PER HOUR. I CAME TO A STOP AT A RED SIGNAL LIGHT WHEN I SMELLED THE ODOR OF AN ELECTRICAL FIRE. I STARTED CHECKING THE DASHBOARD FOR ANY WARNING LIGHTS ON, WHICH THERE WERE NONE LIT. A/C AND HEATER SWITCHES WERE IN THE OFF POSITION. AS THE LIGHT TURNED GREEN, I WENT THROUGH THE INTERSECTION AND PULLED OVER IMMEDIATELY. I STARTED LOOKING AROUND THE INTERIOR TO SEE IF SOMETHING WAS BURNING. AS I WAS CHECKING THE BACK SEAT, I SAW BLACK SMOKE BILLOWING OUT OF THE REAR BOTTOM OF THE CAR, THINKING THAT IT WAS SOMETHING BURNING IN THE TRUNK. I USED THE TRUNK LEVER TO OPEN IT, GOT OUT OF THE CAR AND NOTICED THAT NOTHING WAS BURNING THERE, AND WENT BACK TO THE DRIVERS DOOR. I THEN NOTICED FLAMES COMING FROM THE BOTTOM OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I REALIZED THAT THE ENGINE WAS STILL RUNNING. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AND RAN A SAFE DISTANCE AWAY FROM IT. I DIALED 911 TO REPORT THE FIRE. I WAS LESS THAN A HALF MILE FROM HOME AND CALLED MY HUSBAND, WHO RESPONDED IN LESS THAN 5 MINUTES WITH A LARGE FIRE EXTINGUISHER. HE DID NOT OPEN THE HOOD, BUT TRIED TO EXTINGUISH THE FLAMES FROM THE FRONT END, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE FIRE SPREAD RAPIDLY INTO THE FRONT SEAT AREA BEFORE THE FIRE DEPT ARRIVED. THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THERE WAS NOTHING WRONG WITH THE TOYOTA AS IT WAS IN GOOD OPERATING CONDITION AND SERVICED REGULARLY. PREVIOUSLY THAT DAY, I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES WITHOUT ANY ISSUES OR PROBLEMS. JUST BEFORE THE FIRE, I HAD DRIVEN THE CAR FOR APPROXIMATELY 4 MILES ON SURFACE STREETS AT 25 MILES PER HOUR. THE CAR WAS RUNNING JUST FINE, AND THERE WERE NO INDICATIONS OF PROBLEMS LIKE A LOSS OF POWER, AND NO WARNING LIGHTS HAD COME ON AT ALL. I WAS THE SECOND OWNER OF THE CAR. MY MOTHER BOUGHT THE CAR BRAND NEW IN 2002 IN MESA, AZ FROM SUPERSTITION SPRINGS TOYOTA. THE CAR WAS ALWAYS MAINTAINED. *TR