NHTSA Complaint #10432763 — 2005 HONDA CIVIC

I WOULD DRIVE ON THE FREEWAY AND MY TEMPERATURE GAUGE WOULD FLUCTUATE AND RETURN TO NORMAL. I INVESTIGATED THE MATTER ONLINE AND FOUND OTHER OWNERS OF THE SAME CAR HAD THE SAME PROBLEMS WITH THE THERMOSTAT NEEDING TO BE REPLACED SO I INTENDED TO BUY A NEW ONE. THEN WHEN I WOULD HIT BUMPS IN THE ROAD MY ELECTRONICS WOULD MALFUNCTION. THE RADIO (NOT CD) WOULD TURN OFF. I WOULD HAVE TO TURN IN BACK ON. THEN ON 10/23/2011 I MERGED ONTO THE FREEWAY TRAVELING AT APPROXIMATELY 45 MPH AND ACCELERATING NORMALLY. THERE WAS TRAFFIC SO I COULD NOT ACCELERATE VERY FAST. THAT IS WHEN MY ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS BEGAN TO COMPLETELY FAIL. THE DASH ALARMS WOULD BLINK ON AND OFF, MY CHECK ENGINE LIGHT NEVER CAME ON. THE CAR JERKED FORWARD A FEW TIMES. I FELT CLICKING IN THE PEDDLES AND STEERING COLUMN. AT ONCE ALL THE ELECTRICAL AND ENGINE SHUT OFF. I HAD NO GAUGES, NO ELECTRICAL, AND NO POWER OF ANY KIND. THAT'S WHEN I PULLED OVER TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FREEWAY. I NOTICED SMOKE RISING FROM THE HOOD. THEN IT GREW INTO A FIRE. I IMMEDIATELY TRIED TO ESCAPE THE CABIN OF THE CAR. I COULDN'T EXIT FROM THE DRIVER SIDE BECAUSE OF TRAFFIC. I CLIMBED OVER TO THE PASSENGER SIDE. AT THIS TIME THE FIRE HAD ENGULFED THE ENGINE AREA AND WAS COMING INTO THE CABIN. I EXITED THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR AND RAN FROM THE VEHICLE AS IT WAS BURNING. THE ENTIRE CAR BECAME ENGULFED WITH FIRE. NOTHING WAS LEFT OF IT WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME. IT WAS COMPLETELY CONSUMED BY THE FIRE. I'M REALLY AT A LOSS AS TO WHY IT WOULD DO THIS? I TOOK REALLY GOOD CARE OF MY CAR. I HAVE PAPERS THAT PROVE I JUST RECENTLY HAD THE NECESSARY MAINTENANCE ON IT. THIS NEVER SHOULD HAVE HAPPENED. *TT