NHTSA Complaint #10435269 — 2011 NISSAN LEAF

I BORROWED A LEAF FROM A CO-WORKER TO DRIVE OVERNIGHT. I PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY (NOT BY A PLUG) AND PLUGGED THE 110V CHARGER INTO AN EXTENSION CORD TO CHARGE THE BATTERY. I AWOKE AT MIDNIGHT TO A STRONG BURNED PLASTIC/OZONE TYPE SMELL IN MY BEDROOM, WHICH IS ABOVE THE GARAGE. I WENT TO THE GARAGE AND FOUND THE EXTENSION CORD WAS OVERHEATING, MELTING THE PLASTIC INSULATION FROM THE WIRING. I DISCONNECTED IT, OPENED DOORS FOR A WHILE TO AIR OUT THE HOUSE AND WENT BACK TO BED. GLAD I HAD ENOUGH BATTERY TO GET TO WORK THE NEXT MORNING. MY CONCERN IS THAT I ASSUMED THE CAR CHARGER WAS SELF REGULATING SO IT WOULDN'T BE A PROBLEM USING AN EXTENSION CORD. AS A BORROWER, I DIDN'T READ AN OWNER'S MANUAL OR ANY INFORMATION WARNING ME TO AVOID AN EXTENSION CORD. I'M VERY STRONG AUTO-TECHNOLOGY BASED, YET STILL MADE THIS DUMB MISTAKE. IT WAS DARK, I WAS IN A HURRY TO GET HOME, QUICKLY PLUGGED IT IN AND WENT INSIDE. IF I WASN'T SLEEPING NEAR THE GARAGE, I ASSUME IT WOULD HAVE CONTINUED THIS PATH OF OVERHEATING UNTIL THE WIRE BURNED THRU OR A FIRE OCCURRED. I ASSUME IF SOMEONE PLUGS IT DIRECTLY INTO OLD WIRING IN A HOUSE, IT COULD OVERHEAT THAT WIRING TOO. I EXPECT MANY PEOPLE COULD DO THE SAME THING AS I DID SINCE NO ONE HAS A PLUG OUTSIDE, AND NO ONE IN CALIFORNIA CAN ACTUALLY GET A CAR IN THEIR GARAGE BECAUSE ITS FILLED WITH STUFF. I HAVE NO PROBLEM WITH THE CAR AS IT WAS MARVELOUS TO DRIVE. BUT THIS CHARGING ISSUE NEEDS TO BE LOOKED AT CLOSELY SINCE WE ARE BEGINNING TO READ STORIES OF HOUSE FIRES WITH EVS. *TR