NHTSA Complaint #10446174 — 2004 DODGE DURANGO

MY PASSENGER AND I WERE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT. THE CHECK ENGINE OF MY 2004 DODGE DURANGO LIMITED (5.7LTR) CAME ON, THEN THE BATTERY LIGHT CAME ON AND BOTH OF THOSE LIGHTS STARTED TO FLICKER. THERE WAS A LOUD SQUEAL AND A POP, THEN THE ENGINE STALLED AND I FELT THE BRAKE PEDAL FALL STRAIGHT TO THE FLOOR. WHITE SMOKE STARTED TO EMERGE FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT, WHICH QUICKLY TURNED A THICK BLACK COLOR. I COULDN'T EVEN SEE THROUGH THE SMOKE, AS IT WAS SO DENSE. I GRABBED MY PHONE AND PROCEEDED TO CALL ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE TO GET THE VEHICLE OFF OF THE ROAD (THE VEHICLE WAS BLOCKING A LANE OF A MAJOR HIGHWAY IN MY TOWN). I STARTED TO SMELL BURNING PLASTIC AND THOUGHT, "AM I ON FIRE?". MY PASSENGER INSTRUCTED ME TO LOWER MY WINDOW BECAUSE ANOTHER DRIVER WAS YELLING SOMETHING AND MAKING HAND GESTURES. WHEN I TRIED TO USE THE WINDOWS, I NOTICED THAT I HAD LOST ALL POWER. IN A PANIC I OPENED THE DOOR AND INSTRUCTED MY PASSENGER TO DO THE SAME. THAT WAS WHEN WE HEARD WHAT THE OTHER DRIVERS WERE SCREAMING. "GET OUT OF THE TRUCK, IT'S ON FIRE!". WHEN I TURNED TO GET OUT OF THE VEHICLE, THAT WAS WHEN I SAW THE FLAMES FLOWING UP THE WINDSHIELD ABOUT 4" LONG. WE JUMPED OUT OF THE VEHICLE AND RAN ACROSS THE ROAD TO THE CURB, TURNED TO VIEW THE VEHICLE, SEEN THAT IT WAS A LARGE FIRE AND DECIDED TO RUN ABOUT 200-300 FEET AWAY FROM IT. JUST IN CASE IT EXPLODED. THE FIREMEN WERE THERE IN UNDER A MINUTE, BUT THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES IN ABOUT 30 TO 45 SECONDS. I HAVE A LARGE FAMILY AND IT'S A GOOD THING THEY WERE NOT ALL WITH ME, AS IS THE CASE 90% OF THE TIME. I DO NOT KNOW IF I WOULD'VE HAD TIME TO GET THREE SMALL CHILDREN OUT OF THEIR CARSEATS IN TIME. THIS COULD'VE ENDED MUCH WORSE THAN IT DID. *TR