NHTSA Complaint #10614968 — 2005 FORD MUSTANG

AFTER THE LEAVING THE CAR TURNED OFF FOR APPROXIMATELY 1.5 HOURS MY TWO TEENAGE DAUGHTERS, AGE 17 AND 15, GOT IN THE CAR TO DRIVE HOME AND NOTICED THAT THE CAR SMELLED A LITTLE SMOKY. THEY DROVE DOWN THE ROAD FOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES WHEN THE ELECTRICAL PANEL WENT DEAD, THEN THE POWER LOCKS BEGAN TO GO UP AND DOWN CONTINUOUSLY AND THE SMELL OF SMOKE BECAME MORE PROMINENT. AT THIS POINT, THEY BECAME VERY CONCERNED THAT THEY WERE GOING TO BE LOCKED IN THE CAR WITH SMOKE POURING OUT AND NOT BE ABLE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. SO THEY PULLED INTO A PARKING LOT, IMMEDIATELY EXITED THE CAR AND CALLED 911. AS SOON AS THEY GOT OUT OF THE CAR, SMOKE BEGAN BILLOWING OUT OF BOTH DOORS WHICH WERE LEFT OPEN. 5 MINUTES AFTER EXITING THE CAR, FLAMES WHICH REACHED TWO FEET HIGH, BEGAN COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE GLOVE COMPARTMENT. A PASSERBY OBTAINED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND TRIED TO PUT OUT THE FLAMES, THEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND PROCEEDED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE COMPLETELY. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT INDICATED THAT IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE BUT WERE NOT ABLE TO DETERMINE THE SOURCE. THEY INDICATED THAT THEY THOUGHT THE VEHICLE WAS TOTALED, WHICH WAS IN FACT THE CASE. CLEARLY, THIS WAS A VERY UPSETTING SITUATION FOR OUR ENTIRE FAMILY. WE FEEL BLESSED THAT THE GIRLS WERE ABLE TO GET OUT IN TIME, BUT ALSO UPSET AT THE THOUGHT OF WHAT COULD HAVE HAPPENED HAD THEY NOT ACTED IMMEDIATELY OR WERE NOT IN A POSITION TO DO SO. *TR