NHTSA Complaint #10967033 — 2014 FORD ESCAPE

WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK ON THE INTERSTATE. ENGINE BEGAN TO JERK A BIT THEN WARNING MESSAGES APPEARED ON SCREEN. PULLED OVER TO SIDE OF ROAD. AFTER CAR STOPPED SMOKE BEGAN TO APPEAR FROM UNDER HOOD AND ENTERING CAB THROUGH THE VENTS. I OPENED THE WINDOW TO CLEAR THE SMOKE AND LOOKED FOR PHONE NUMBER TO ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE THINKING IT WAS ONLY A BELT THAT HAD MELTED OR BURNED. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES I BEGAN TO SEE FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD BY THE WINDSHIELD. I EXITED THE VEHICLE AND A SHERIFF'S DEPUTY HAPPENED TO BE PULLING IN BEHIND ME AFTER SEEING MY CAR IN DISTRESS. FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED. WITHIN FIVE TO TEN MINUTES THE ENGINE AREA OF THE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. AFTER A SHORT INVESTIGATION ON THE SCENE THE FD BELIEVED THE CAUSE TO BE ELECTRICAL AND APPEARED TO HAVE BEGUN AND CAUSED THE MOST DAMAGE TO THE PASSENGER SIDE FRONT CORNER OF THE ENGINE.