NHTSA Complaint #11330188 — 2015 FIAT 500

I WAS DRIVING A TOTAL OF 4 AND A HALF HOURS BACK HOME FROM A TRIP. MOST OF THE TRIP WAS VIA STRAIGHT FREEWAY. I WAS 2 HOURS IN WHEN THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT STARTED BLINKING. I CALLED MY DAD WHO SAID TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY. I LET MY CAR GLIDE THROUGH THE EXIT THAT WAS COMING UP AND I NOTICED SMOKE FLOWING BEHIND MY CAR. I PULLED OVER AND GOT OUT TO SEE SMOKE COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. I OPENED THE HOOD AND DISCUSSED WHAT WAS HAPPENING WITH MY DAD. ALL OF A SUDDEN I HEARD A NOISE THAT SOUNDED LIKE A BLOW TORCH AND FLAMES CAME UP OUT OF THE ENGINE. I RAN ABOUT 50-100 METERS AWAY AND CALLED 911. QUICKLY, THE WHOLE HOOD WAS ON FIRE. THANKFULLY THE FIRE DEPARTMENT MUST HAVE BEEN CLOSE BY BECAUSE THEY WERE ABLE TO PUT OUT THE FIRE BEFORE IT GOT TOO FAR INSIDE THE CAR. THE WINDSHIELD MELTED AND SHATTERED. I FOUND GLASS STUCK ON MY PURSE AND HAT SITTING IN THE PASSENGER SEAT. I HAD TO THROW THEM AWAY AS I COULD NOT GET THE GLASS OFF. THE CAR WAS TAKEN TO A TOW YARD WHERE MY INSURANCE COMPANY INSPECTED IT. THEY COULD NOT FIND THE CAUSE FOR THE DAMAGE. SINCE THE CAR WAS A 2015 MODEL THAT I HAD PURCHASED NEW AND IT WAS 2018, I THOUGHT IT WAS STRANGE THAT THIS WOULD HAPPEN SO I HAD FIAT PICK UP THE VEHICLE AND INSPECT IT. THEY SAID THEY DID NOT FIND THAT THE FIRE WAS ASSOCIATED WITH MANUFACTURING OR ASSEMBLY ERROR. I THEN HAD MY INSURANCE COMPANY TAKE IT AND CLOSE THE CLAIM. STILL FIND IT STRANGE THAT A 3 YEAR OLD CAR SUDDENLY CAUGHT ON FIRE WITH NO WARNING. I'M GLAD I WAS ABLE TO MOVE OFF TO THE SIDE AND THAT I WASN'T IN THE CAR WHEN IT CAUGHT ON FIRE FULLY. THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE THOUGH IS STILL UNKNOWN. *TR