NHTSA Complaint #700138 — 1998 FORD RANGER

AT MAINTENANCE OIL AND FILTER CHANGE, ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE FILTER BY CONVENTIONAL METHOD OUT THROUGH BOTTOM OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT. FILTER CONTACTED STARTER AND CHASSIS FRAME WHICH CREATED A ELECTRICAL SHORT CIRCUIT RESULTING IN FIRE INVOLVING PLASTIC WHEEL WELL AND PARKING BRAKE CABLE HOUSING. ALSO DESTROYED TWO GROUND STRAPS AND MAIN BATTERY GROUND WIRE BEFORE BATTERY COULD BE DISCONNECTED AND FIRE EXTINGUISHED WITH DRY CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHER. FORD OF HYANNIS TOLD US THAT NO OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENT HAD BEEN REPORTED. NO CAUTION OR INFORMATION WAS INCLUDED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL OR IN THE DEALER ORIENTATION WHICH WOULD HAVE ALERTED THE OWNER TO THE NECESSITY OF REMOVING THE FILTER THROUGH THE TOP OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY OF LARGE DRY CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHER, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN DESTROYED AND GARAGE ATTACHED TO HOME SEVERELY DAMAGED.