NHTSA Complaint #10466979 — 2005 MINI COOPER S

EARLIER IN THE DAY I TOOK THE CAR ON A DAY TRIP TO LAKE TAHOE DRIVING A COMBINATION OF INTERSTATE AND MOUNTAIN PASS ROAD. 3 HOURS LATER, MY WIFE HAD TAKEN THE CAR TO RUN AN ERRAND AND CAME HOME AND PARKED THE CAR IN THE GARAGE COMPLETELY OFF AND LOCKED. 10-15 MINUTES LATER WE HEAR THE CAR ALARM GOING OFF. WE OPENED THE DOOR TO THE GARAGE AND SAW WHITE SMOKE COMING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THERE WAS HIGH PITCHED WINING ALSO. WHEN I OPENED UP THE DOOR THE PUT IN NEUTRAL, THE LIGHTS ON THE INSTRUMENT PANELS WERE ALL ON WITH NO KEYS IN THE IGNITION. OPENED THE GARAGE AND MOVED THE CAR TO THE DRIVEWAY AND AWAY FROM THE HOUSE. CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND I USED AN EXTINGUISHER UNDERNEATH WHERE ORANGE GLOW WAS VISIBLE. THE GLOW OF THE FLAMES WERE TOWARD THE BACK PART OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND LOW. SAW NO VISIBLE FLAMES IN THE MAIN COMPARTMENT WHEN THE HOOD WAS POPPED OPEN WHEN FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED UP THEY USED A GARDEN HOSE TO COOL ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND SUGGESTED TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY WHICH I DID. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO THE MINI DEALER IN RENO, NV. *TR UPDATED 8/8/12 *CN THE CONSUMER STATED THE PARTS THAT SEEMED TO HAVE CAUSED AND WERE DAMAGED IN THE INCIDENT WERE THE POWER STEERING PUMP, POWER STEERING COOLING FAN, AND ELECTRICAL HARNESS ALL IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT OF A 2005 MINI COOPER S. UPDATED 08/14/2012 *JS