NHTSA Complaint #10555063 — 2012 TOYOTA YARIS

I WAS DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 20 MPH MAKING A LEFT TURN WHEN THE CAR ABRUPTLY POWERED DOWN THE INSIDE LIGHTS, OUTSIDE LIGHTS, HEAT, ETC TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO MAKE LOUD NOISES AS IF I WAS TRYING TO START THE CAR, BUT I HAD TAKEN THE KEY OUT OF THE IGNITION. I THEN NOTICED THE BATTERY WARNING LIGHT WAS ON AND THEN I SMELLED SMOKE. I WAS STUCK IN THE INTERSECTION WITH THE CAR STUCK IN PARK I KEPT PRESSING THE BRAKE, TO SHIFT TO NEUTRAL BUT THE CAR WOULDN'T CHANGE GEARS OR EVEN TURN ON AT THIS POINT. I CONTINUED TO SMOKE AND I SMELLED FIRE SO I GRABBED ALL OF MY THINGS AND EXITED THE VEHICLE. IT WAS RAINING AND A GOOD SAMARITAN POPPED THE HOOD AND THE HARD COLD RAIN PUT OUT THE FIRE. I WAITED UNTIL A TOW TRUCK TOLD THE CAR TO THE DEALER. I WAS TOLD THAT THE BATTERY AND STARTER CAUGHT ON FIRE. *TR