NHTSA Complaint #10423808 — 2010 FORD FOCUS

THE INCIDENT OCCURRED ON 9/1/2011 AT ABOUT 3:00 PM. TRAFFIC WAS LIGHT AND WEATHER WAS DRY AND SUNNY. WE HAD BEEN DRIVING ABOUT 3 TO 4 HOURS WHEN THE PROBLEM BEGAN. WHILE DRIVING THE POSTED SPEED LIMIT IN OHIO ON I-75 SOUTHBOUND JUST SOUTH OF MILE MARKER 99 THE CAR STARTED BEHAVING LIKE I WAS OUT OF GAS EVEN THOUGH I HAD AT LEAST A HALF TANK LEFT. IT STARTED TO STALL AS I PULLED IT TO THE SHOULDER OF THE ROAD. AS I GOT IT STOPPED I NOTICED SMOKE/STEAM COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I ATTEMPTED TO OPEN THE HOOD LATCH INSIDE THE CAR BUT WAS UNABLE TO. MY WIFE AND I EXITED THE CAR AND WENT TO THE FRONT WHERE SHE NOTICED IT WAS ON FIRE. WE IMMEDIATELY CALLED 911 FOR HELP. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND OHIO STATE TROOPERS ARRIVED AND ATTEMPTED TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE CAR WAS TOTALLY DESTROYED AS THE FIRE COMPLETELY ENGULFED THE CAR. THE VEHICLE WAS NEVER MODIFIED FROM STOCK AND WAS MAINTAINED AS REQUIRED. *TR