NHTSA Complaint #11100711 — 2009 HONDA FIT

WHILE DRIVING FROM OKLAHOMA TO CALIFORNIA (SPECIFICALLY KINGMAN, AZ TO BARSTOW, CA), MY ENGINE SPONTANEOUSLY CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT WAS PUT OUT IMMEDIATELY BY A GOOD SAMARITAN. AFTER THE FIRE, THERE WAS OIL LEAKAGE ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY AND WHERE IT WAS TOWED; THERE WAS ALSO GAS LEAKAGE. IT WAS TOWED TO THE DEALERSHIP ON 6/7/18. THEY SAY THAT THERE WAS NO MOTOR OIL PRIOR TO THE FIRE STARTING SO ARE BLAMING ME FOR THE FIRE. I HAD AN OIL CHANGE ABOUT A MONTH AGO AND SAW NO SIGNS OF OIL LEAKAGE AT MY PARKING SPACE OR ANY TIME DURING THIS TRIP. THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THIS FIRE AND NO INDICATION THAT ANYTHING WAS WRONG. I WAS VERY FRIGHTENED AND AM STILL IMPACTED BY THIS FIRE. I AM BEING TOLD THAT THE REPAIR WILL BE $14,000.00 WHICH IS WAY MORE THAN THE CAR IS WORTH. I AM 68 YEARS OLD AND AM ON A FIXED INCOME. I HAVE ALWAYS TAKEN GOOD CARE OF MY CARS AND TOOK GOOD CARE OF THIS ONE. IT WAS PURCHASED IN JANUARY 2017 AND HAS BEEN A GOOD CAR. IT HAS BEEN DRIVEN LESS THAN 50 MILES A WEEK SINCE IT WAS PURCHASED. IT IS CUSTOMARY TO "BLAME" THE CONSUMER FOR WHAT HAPPENS. I DO NOT BELIEVE I DID ANYTHING TO CAUSE THIS FIRE. IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO GET THE SERVICE DEPARTMENT AT THE CAR DEALERSHIP TO LISTEN TO ANYTHING, ESPECIALLY THAT THE OIL LEAKAGE OCCURRED AFTER THE FIRE, NOT BEFORE IT. THERE WAS TONS OF OIL LEAKAGE ALL OVER THE HIGHWAY, AT A CAR REPAIR SHOP & ALL OVER A UHAUL CAR TRANSPORT TRAILER. I TRULY BELIEVE THERE IS ANOTHER CAUSE FOR THIS FIRE.