NHTSA Complaint #10555272 — 2005 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 2005 TOYOTA WITHIN THE CITY LIMITS AT A LOW RATE OF SPEED AND NOTICED SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE FRONT ENGINE HOOD AREA. THERE WERE NO TROUBLE LIGHTS SHOWING FOR THE ENGINE AT THE TIME, NOR WAS THE TEMPERATURE GAUGE SHOWING A HIGH TEMPERATURE. SHE PULLED OVER AND FOUND THE GRILL AREA AND FRONT ENGINE HOOD WERE MELTING AND SCORTCHED. SHE CALLED POLICE / FIRE TO RESPOND TO THE SCENE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS UNABLE TO OPEN THE FRONT HOOD, SINCE IT APPEARED THAT THE RELEASE CABLE HAD MELTED FROM THE EXTREME HEAT. THEY BENT THE HOOD UP TO GAIN ACCESS TO THE FIRE, AND THEN EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO A LOCAL REPAIR FACILITY. *TR