NHTSA Complaint #10428792 — 2002 MAZDA TRIBUTE

I STARTED MY CAR AND THE 'CHECK ENGINE' LIGHT FLASHED ON-AND-OFF. THINKING IT WOULD GO AWAY, I DROVE TO ROUTE 3 IN SOUTH SHORE, MA. ONCE ON THE HIGHWAY, THE LIGHT DID NOT STOP FLASHING, SO I PULLED OVER. THIRTY SECONDS AFTER PULLING OVER IN A REST AREA, WHITE SMOKE APPEARED FROM UNDER THE HOOD. 10 SECONDS LATER, BLACK SMOKE CAME FROM THE HOOD WHICH WAS ACCOMPANIED WITH A BURNING SMELL. LUCKILY, SOMEONE FROM MASSDOT WAS IN THE REST AREA AND WE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS A CAR FIRE. WE PROCEEDED TO STEP BACK AND CALL 911 FROM A SAFE DISTANCE. THE ENGINE AREA OF THE CAR WAS ON FIRE UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO PUT IT OUT. *TR