NHTSA Complaint #10669204 — 2002 FORD CROWN VICTORIA

I HAD DRIVEN UP A STEEP MOUNTAIN DIRT ROAD TO SERVE SOME LEGAL PAPERS, AFTER REACHING THE TOP, I CONTINUED DOWN THE OTHER SIDE TO THE ADDRESS I WAS LOOKING FOR. I THOUGHT I STARTED SMELLING SOMETHING BURNING, IT SMELLED ELECTRICAL. WHEN I ARRIVED AT THE ADDRESS, I STOPPED THE CAR AND SHUT IT OFF WHILE I WAS SPEAKING WITH THE RESIDENT. MY WIFE YELLED AT ME THAT THE CAR WAS ON FIRE, IT STARTED FILLING UP WITH SMOKE FAST, MY WIFE AND DOGS WERE STILL IN THE CAR. I OPENED THE DRIVERS DOOR TO POP THE HOOD WHILE MY WIFE STARTED GETTING THE DOGS OUT, I THEN NOTICED IT WAS MY FLOOR THAT WAS BURNING, JUST ABOUT UNDER THE GAS PEDDLE, A HOLE HAD BURNED THROUGH AND THE METAL WAS GLOWING RED WHERE THE PADDING HAD BURNED AWAY. I POURED A CUP OF COFFEE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WHILE THE RESIDENT GOT SOME WATER FOR ME. THE PADDING AND RUBBER MAT HAD BURNED AWAY AND A HOLE ABOUT 3 INCHES LONG HAD MELTED AWAY FROM THE FLOOR BOARD. THE CATALYTIC CONVERTER IS DIRECTLY BENEATH THE HOLE BUT THERE DOESN'T SEEM TO BE ANY HOLES IN THE CONVERTER AND THERE IS A EMPTY SPACE ABOUT 1.5 - 2 INCHES FROM THE MELTED HOLE TO THE CONVERTER. WE LET EVERYTHING COOL DOWN BEFORE DRIVING HOME, HOWEVER THE ENTIRE WAY HOME, (49 MILES) WE WERE AFRAID THE CAR WAS GOING TO BURST INTO FLAMES. ONCE WE WERE BACK ON THE PAVED ROADS AND WERE ABLE TO DRIVE THE NORMAL SPEED LIMIT, THERE WERE NO MORE ISSUES NOR ANY FURTHER BURNING, JUST THE LINGERING SMELL. I LOOKED UP AND FOUND A RECALL FOR AN ISSUE IN THE SAME LOCATION HOWEVER THAT WAS FOR 2003 - 2005 VEHICLES. *JS