NHTSA Complaint #10502921 — 2005 TOYOTA RAV4

FIRST TIRE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON. CHECKED PRESSURE IN ALL TIRES. TIRES WERE AT CORRECT AMOUNT. WENT TO RESET LIGHT WHICH DID NOT WORK. SUV WAS ON AN INCLINE (DRIVEWAY). LET CAR SIT FOR AN HOUR ON FLAT SURFACE. STARTED RAV4.THE TIRE INDICATOR LIGHT CAME ON PLUS ABS AND VSC TRAC LIGHTS. CONSULTED OWNERS MANUAL WHICH STATED TO TAKE TO TOYOTA. NO OTHER BRAKE WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON. WAS 1/2 MILE FROM DEALER WHEN SMOKE STARTED COMING INTO PASSENGER CABIN. SMOKE/FIRE WAS COMING FROM THE ENGINE AND UNDER RAV4. SMOKE WAS A BLUISH GREY. PULLED OFF THE MAJOR ROAD INTO AN ABANDONED BUSINESS DRIVEWAY. TURNED RAV OFF AND RAN. PASSERBY CALLED 911. FIRE TRUCKS/POLICE ARRIVED. RAV WAS A TOTAL LOSS. CALLED TOYOTA USA TO REPORT FIRE. THEY ARE SAYING THAT IT WAS NOT MECHANICAL OR ELECTRICAL. BUT THAT THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. CAUSE OF FIRE WAS UNDETERMINED AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY SORT OF DEFECT OR MALFUNCTION WITH ANY OF THE ELECTRICAL OR MECHANICAL SYSTEMS FOUND. RAV WENT TO DEALER FOR ALL REQUIRED SERVICE AND NEVER HAD AND MAJOR PROBLEMS. IF IT WAS NOT ELECTRICAL THEN WHAT CAUSED MY LIGHTS TO COME ON. THEE VSC TRAC LIGHT HAD NEVER COME ON SINCE I OWNED THE CAR. I HAVE OWNED TOYOTAS SINCE 1973 AND NEVER HAD ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPEN. THE RAV4 WAS MY 5TH TOYOTA.