NHTSA Complaint #10521814 — 1987 CHRYSLER LEBARON

VEHICLE WAS STOPPED WITH THE ENGINE RUNNING TO MAKE A LEFT TURN, SMOKE BEGAN TO APPEAR FROM RIGHT DRIVER SIDE, ONCE THE TURN WAS MADE MORE SMOKE BEGAN TO BUILD UP. VEHICLE PULLED INTO PRIVATE PROPERTY WERE FLAMES BEGAN TO BECOME APPARENT ON DRIVER SIDE, FLAMES BEGAN TO MOVE TOWARDS PASSENGER SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED TO ASSIST IN EXTINGUISH FLAMES. ONCE THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT, EXTENSIVE DAMAGE WAS SEEN ON DRIVER SIDE OF VEHICLE WHERE A MAJORITY OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM(ALTERNATOR POWER REGULATOR, BATTERY) IS LOCATED, FIRE PROGRESSED TOWARD ALT, POWER STEER, COMPRESSOR WHERE IT SUSTAINED SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE BUT NOT EXTENSIVE NEAR ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS. PRIOR TO FIRE/SMOKE, ENGINE OPERATIONS WAS NORMAL, NO CHECK ENGINE LIGHT, NO CHECK OIL LIGHT, NO OVERHEATING, NO POWER LOSS, VEHICLE PERFORMED WELL UP INTO THE FIRE BEGAN TO SPREAD AND FURTHER DAMAGE THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. LOUD POPPING SOUND WAS HEARD AT THE START OF THE FIRE ON THE DRIVER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE'S ENGINE COMPARTMENT. *TR