NHTSA Complaint #10712032 — 2007 HONDA ACCORD

I BOUGHT THIS VEHICLE FROM A HONDA DEALERSHIP IN THE BEGINNING OF FEBRUARY 2015. THE CAR HAD 2 OR 3 PREVIOUS OWNERS WHO DID AN EXCELLENT JOB OF KEEPING UP WITH THE MAINTENANCE. THE CAR HAD ALSO JUST BEEN INSPECTED IN SEPTEMBER OF THE PREVIOUS YEAR AND PASSED WITH FLYING COLORS. I WAS IN THE PROCESS OF RELOCATING TO THE WEST COAST WITH MY FIANC. FOUR HOURS AWAY FROM OUR FINAL DESTINATION, THE CAR SHUT OFF AND I NOTICED THAT THE ENGINE LIGHT FLASHED ON. I QUICKLY GOT THE CAR TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD BEFORE IT COMPLETELY DIED. MY FIANC AND I HOPPED OUT THE CAR TO CHECK UNDER THE HOOD. BY THIS TIME YOU COULD SMELL THE SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD, BUT A FIRE WAS NOT VISIBLE LOOKING DIRECTLY UNDER THE HOOD. ANOTHER DRIVER, WHO HAPPENED TO BE A FIRE FIGHTER, WHO WAS ON THE SAME HIGHWAY STOPPED AND TOLD US TO BACK AWAY FROM THE CAR BECAUSE THERE WAS A FIRE UNDERNEATH THE CAR. ONCE WE MOVED BACK, WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THE FIRE UNDER THE CAR ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE (IF YOU'RE FACING THE CAR). WE COULD ALSO SEE THAT THE FIRE WAS MELTING SOMETHING. YOU COULD SEE THE SUBSTANCE MELTING TO THE GROUND. THE FIRE FIGHTER CALLED THE POLICE AND INVESTIGATED THE FIRE HIMSELF. HE SAID THAT IT WAS SOME TYPE OF WIRING ISSUE AND THE FIRE DEPT. CONFIRMED THIS AS WELL WHEN THEY FINALLY DISCONNECTED THE BATTERY TO INSPECT THE CAR. HE AGAIN STRESSED THE FACT THAT WE NEEDED TO STAY BACK BECAUSE THE CAR COULD BLOW AT ANY MOMENT, WHICH WAS DEVASTATING NEWS BECAUSE EVERYTHING WE OWNED WAS IN THE CAR. THANKFULLY A POLICE OFFICER ARRIVED AND DIFFUSED THE FIRE. I NOTICED THAT THERE ARE NO OPEN RECALLS FOR THIS VEHICLE, BUT I DID NOTICE THERE WAS AN INVESTIGATION FOR SOME ISSUE THAT COULD CAUSE A FIRE UNDER THE HOOD. I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS CAR AND I ONLY HAD IT LONG ENOUGH TO MAKE 1 PAYMENT TO MY FINANCE COMPANY. I JUST WANTED TO BRING THIS TO YOUR ATTENTION TO PREVENT ANY OTHER INCIDENTS. *TR