NHTSA Complaint #11114328 — 2014 TOYOTA RAV4

WHILE TRAVELING WESTBOUND ON INTERSTATE 295 IN JACKSONVILLE FLORIDA, WE HAD JUST GOT ON TO THE BUCKMAN BRIDGE WHEN THE CAR SLOWED, UNCOMMANDED TO 20MPH. I LOOKED AT THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER AND THE ALTERNATOR AND THE AUTO LSD OR TRACK LIGHTS WERE ILLUMINATED. THE ENGINE OPERATING TEMPERATURE WAS NORMAL. SINCE THE ENGINE TEMPERATURE WAS NORMAL I TOLD MY DAUGHTER TO KEEP DRIVING TO GET OFF THE BRIDGE, I FELT AS THOUGH THE BRIDGE WAS A BAD PLACE TO PULL OVER. AFTER ABOUT A MINUTE WE STARTED TO SMELL SOMETHING BURNING AND AT THIS POINT WE DECIDED TO PULL OVER. WHEN WE CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP WE SAW SMOKE COMING FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THREE OF US THEN EVACUATED THE VEHICLE AND STARTED WALKING AGAINST TRAFFIC ON THE BRIDGE. AS WE WERE WALKING AWAY THE SMOKE INTENSIFIED AND THEN ERUPTED INTO FLAMES THAT EMANATED FROM THE DRIVERS SIDE JUST BELOW THE WINDSHIELD. I CALLED 911 AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE. I HAVE ATTACHED PICTURES OF THE DAMAGE. I BELIEVE IT WAS AN ELECTRICAL FIRE.