NHTSA Complaint #705506 — 1992 TOYOTA CELICA

WHILE DRIVING, MY CAR IT STARTED FILLING UP WITH SMOKE. THE SMOKE WAS COMMING OUT OF THE AMPLIFIER, LOCATED UNDER THE PASSENGER SEAT OF MY VEHICLE. TURNING OFF THE VEHICLE DID NOT STOP THE ELECTRICAL CURRENT, THE CAR KEPT FILLING UP WITH SMOKE AND STRANGE NOISES WERE COMMING OUT OF THE SPEAKERS. ALSO, THE RADIO WOULD NOT TURN OFF. NO FUSES BLEW. DISCONNECTING THE BATTERY CABLE FINALLY STOPPED THE CURRENT AND EVERYTHING SHUT OFF . LUCKLY I WAS CLOSE TO HOME, AS THE VEHICLE DID NOT COME EQUIPPED WITH A WRENCH TO DISCONNECT THE BATTERY CABLE IN THE EVENT OF A ROGUE ELECTRICAL CURRENT. PART OF THE CIRCUT BOARD INSIDE THE AMP WAS MELTED. I WOULD LIKE TO WARN OTHERS, WITH THIS PART IN THEIR TOYOTA, OF WHAT TO DO IN THE EVENT THIS HAPPENS TO THEM. THE SITUATION COULD DEFINATELY HAVE TURNED OUT MORE DAMAGING. I WAS LUCKY. I HAVE CONTATCTED TOYOTA AND THEY HAVE LET ME KNOW THEY DO NOT HAVE A RECALL OR SPECIAL SERVICE CAMPAIGN FOR THE AMPLIFIER. THEY APOLOGIZED THAT THERE WAS NO FURTHER TECHNICAL EXPLANATION FOR MY CONCERN. A SERVICE REPRESENTATIVE AT A STEREO AND ELECTRONICS STORE ASKED ME IF THE AMPLIFIER HAD BEEN SERVICED BEFORE DUE TO THERE BEING A "JUMPER" ON IT. I DID ASK TOYOTA IF THE EVERY CIRCUT BOARD LOCATED IN THIS PART HAD A JUMPER MELDED ON IT, SINCE IT SEEMED TO HAVE BEEN ALTERED FROM ITS ORIGINAL STATE ON MINE. THEY DID NOT ANSWER MY QUESTION IN THEIR RESPONSE.