NHTSA Complaint #10447218 — 2008 DODGE NITRO

I WAS DRIVING DOWN THE HIGHWAY WITH THE CRUISE CONTROL SET TO ABOUT 70-71 MILES PER HOUR WHEN SUDDENLY I HEARD A DING AND CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON. THE CLOSEST EXIT WAS LESS THAN A QUARTER OF A MILE AWAY SO I TOOK THAT EXIT. AS I BEGAN TO EXIT THE INTERSTATE THE TRUCK BEGAN TO ACT REALLY STRANGE. THE SPEED OF THE TRUCK WAS ACTING UP, SLOWING DOWN/SPEEDING UP UNPREDICTABLY, AND EVEN THE STEERING GOT REALLY HARD TO CONTROL. AT THIS POINT A FEW MORE WARNING LIGHTS DINGED ON. AS THIS HAPPENED, I QUICKLY PULLED OFF TO THE SHOULDER OF THE FRONTAGE ROAD, PUT THE TRUCK INTO PARK, AND ENGAGED THE PARKING BRAKE. THE ENGINE HAD ALREADY SHUT ITSELF OFF. AT THIS POINT I TURNED OFF THE TRUCK WITH THE KEYS, OPENED THE DOOR AND NOTICED WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I PULLED THE HOOD RELEASE PREPARED TO INSPECT UNDER THE HOOD AND NOTICED A LOT MORE WHITE SMOKE THAN THE FEW MOMENTS BEFORE. HAVING WALKED OVER TO THE FRONT OF THE TRUCK, I WONDERED IF IT WAS SAFE TO PUT MY HAND UNDER THE HOOD TO RELEASE THE LOCKING MECHANISM DUE TO THE LARGE AMOUNTS OF WHITE SMOKE. I DECIDED NOT TO AND PROCEEDED TO WALK AROUND TO THE PASSENGER SIDE WHEN I IMMEDIATELY NOTICED FIRE. UP UNTIL THIS POINT, THE TOTAL TIME ELAPSED FROM THE MOMENT THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON WAS NO MORE THAN A FEW MINUTES. BECAUSE I WAS DRIVING UP STATE TO MOVE INTO A DORM FOR MY LAST SEMESTER OF COLLEGE, MOST OF MY POSSESSIONS WERE LOST IN THE FIRE. *TR