NHTSA Complaint #718720 — 1995 NISSAN SENTRA

I DROVE HOME AND LOCKED MY CAR DOORS AND WENT INTO THE HOUSE. THE LIGHTS AND EVERYTHING WERE OFF IN THE CAR. THE NEXT MORNING I WALK TO MY AUTOMOBILE AND OPENED THEDOOR AND A HEAVY ODOR CAME FROM THE CAR...I LOOKED IN AND THE STEERING COLUMN AND WHEEL WAS FULLY MELTED. THE STEERING ROD AND PART OF THE STEERING WHEEL WAS THE ONLY THING RECOGNIZABLE IN THE CAR. THERE WAS A LARGE PUDDLE OF MELTED PLASTIC AND WIRING THAT BURNT THROUGH THE FLOOR MATS AND TO THE CARPET. PART OF THE DASHBOARD WAS ALSO MELTED DUE TO THE FIRE. I CALLED MY INSURANCE AND THEY SENT OUT AN INSPECTOR THE INVESTIGATE THE SITUATION SAID THAT THE FIRE WAS PUT OUT BY A LACK OF OXYGEN. IF I WOULD OF HAD THE WINDOW CRACKED THE WHOLE CAR WOULD OF BEEN BURNT. THIS IS A VERY SERIOUS PROBLEM BECAUSE THIS COULD OF CAUSED EXPONENTIAL DAMAGE TO MY TOWNHOUSE,AND COULD EVEN OF KILLED ME. THE CAR IS IN EXCELLENT CONDITION WITH LOW MILES. I TAKE VERY GOOD CARE OF IT AND TO HAVE THIS HAPPEN IS OUT OF MY CONTROL. I AM AFRAID TO GET NEAR THE CAR DUE TO ANOTHER POSSIBLE ELECTRIC FIRE. I WAS TOLD NOT TO ENTER THE CAR BECUASE IT HAS DAMAGED THE AIR BAG SENSORS. BLACK SMOKE HAS FILLED THE CAR RUINING THE SEATS AND EVEN SOME PERSONAL ITEMS. WHEN THE FIRE TOOK PLACE, IT DROPPED THE MELTING PLASTIC TO THE FLOOR, RUINING THE CARPET AND FRONT SEAT. I NEED TO KNOW WHAT LEGAL ACTION I CAN TAKE TO GET THIS SETTLED. *AK