NHTSA Complaint #10568368 — 2003 DODGE INTREPID

DRIVING ON THE FREEWAY IN AZ THE CAR STARTED TO LOOSE POWER AND THAN TRAIL SMOKE.... AS WE PULLED OFF SMOKE ROLLED OUT THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE... CHECKING THE PASSENGER SIDE, THERE WAS MELTING PLASTIC RUNNING TO THE GROUND AND THE TOP OF THE HOOD WAS HOT.. CAR LATER BURNT BEFORE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE.. TIME FROM IT LOST POWER TO WHEN IT WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE WAS LESS THAN 10 MIN.. I CAN ONLY ASSUME A TRANSMISSION LINE, POWER STEERING LINE, OR FUEL LINE STARTED TO LEAK AND STARTED A FIRE BY SPRAYING THE FLUID ON THE CATALYTIC/EXHAUST SYSTEM ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE... CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS.. I'VE OWNED THIS CAR FOR 11 OR 12 YEARS... IT WAS IN GOOD SHAPE... WE LATER LOOKED AT THE CAR AND IN THE SAME STORAGE LOT WAS A SECOND 03 DODGE INTEPID WITH THE EXACT SAME FAILURE AND BRUNT FRONT END... I BELIEVE THE TWO FAILURES ARE RELATED..