NHTSA Complaint #10433630 — 2001 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX

I WAS DRIVING MY CAR IN A SUBURBAN AREA AT APPROX 20 MPH WHEN I NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED ONTO A SIDE STREET AND WITHIN 15 SECONDS OF NOTICING THE SMOKE THERE WERE FLAMES SHOOTING OUT FROM UNDER MY HOOD AND THE DRIVERS SIDE WHEEL WELL. I THREW THE CAR INTO PARK AND GOT OUT. A PASSERBY WAS ALREADY CALLING 911 AND WITHIN LESS THAN A MINUTE OF MY EXITING THE VEHICLE THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS ON FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND PUT OUT THE FIRE AND STATED THAT THERE WAS SO MUCH DAMAGE TO THE FRONT END OF THE CAR THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO GIVE A DEFINITE CAUSE, BUT SUSPECTED ELECTRICAL. THE ENTIRE CAR IS TOTALED, THE FIRE WAS SO HOT IT MELTED THE DRIVER WINDOW AND THE WINDSHIELD AND DESTROYED IT WITHIN MINUTES. NO ELECTRICAL ISSUES WERE NOTICED IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO THIS INCIDENT, ONLY CHANGE NOTED WAS THAT THE PASSENGER WINDOW ROLLED UP A BIT MORE SLOWLY THAN NORMAL. *TR