NHTSA Complaint #10399482 — 2002 FORD ESCAPE

APRIL 25, 2001 I DROVE THE CAR 5 MINUTES TO THE LOCAL POOL AND CAR WAS PARKED FOR ABOUT AN HOUR. |THEN DROVE FRIEND BACK HOME FROM LOCAL POOL TO HER HOUSE ABOUT A 5 MINUTE DRIVE, I THEN TURNED THE CAR IGNITION WAS OFF, SUDDENLY THERE WAS SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AREA. TRIED TO OPEN HOOD, GREY SMOKE BILLOWED OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD, THEN SPARKS FELL ON THE PAVEMENT FROM UNDER THE CAR AND THEN FLAMES BURST OUT THROUGH THE OPEN CRACK OF THE HOOD. THE FIRE SEEMED SPONTANEOUS, THERE WAS A BURNING SMELL LIKE DIRTY AIR JUST BEFORE THE SMOKE STARTED. FIRE DEPARTMENT, POLICE AND AMBULANCE WERE CALLED. IT HAD NEVER OCCURRED BEFORE THE CAR WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL BODY SHOP AND WAS TAKEN TO ANOTHER LOCATION BY THE INSURANCE COMPANY. I KNOW THAT RECALL WORK WAS DONE ON THE CAR TWICE AND CAN VERIFY WITH THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT. I BELIEVE THAT WORK WAS DONE ON THE BRAKES AND THE GAS PEDAL AS INSTRUCTED IN THE RECALL NOTICES. I BELIEVE THE CAR IS STILL BEING EXAMINED BY THE INSURANCE INVESTIGATORS AS OF MAY 8, 2011. I HAVE BEEN INFORMED BY THE INSURANCE APPRAISER THAT THE VEHICLE IS A COMPLETE WRITE OFF. *TR