NHTSA Complaint #10467661 — 2006 FORD ESCAPE

I DROVE MY CAR AROUND THE CORNER TO A FRIEND'S HOUSE. I STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING. I PULLED INTO MY FRIEND'S DRIVEWAY AND STOPPED, BUT THE CAR WAS STILL RUNNING AND I SAW SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE FLOOR AREA AND DASH OF THE CAR. SMOKE FILLED UP THE INSIDE OF THE CAR. I TURNED OFF THE CAR AND OPENED ALL THE DOORS. HAD I NOT TURNED IT OFF, IT WOULD HAVE CAUGHT ON FIRE AS IT WAS SMOKING REALLY BAD AND EXTREMELY HOT INSIDE THE INTERIOR OF THE CAB. THE FUSE BOX WAS BLOWN AND ALL THE WIRING UNDER THE DASH WAS DESTROYED, SO THE FIRE WAS LIKELY DUE TO AN ELECTRICAL MALFUNCTION. THE CAR WAS ABLE TO START BUT NOTHING IN THE DASH AREA WAS WORKING - THE SPEEDOMETER AND GAUGES WILL NO LONGER FUNCTION. I AM NOT DRIVING IT DUE TO SAFETY ISSUES AND AM HAVING IT CHECKED BY A MECHANIC. *TR