NHTSA Complaint #736958 — 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY

I BOUGHT A 1999 HONDA ODYSSEY IN APRIL, 1999. IT NOW HAS ABOUT 13,000 MILES. ON 11/13/2000, MY WIFE WAS DRIVING WHEN SHE STARTED TO SMELL SMOKE. WITHIN A MILE, ALL ENGINE INDICATOR LIGHTS ILLUMINATED, THE ENGINE QUIT, AND SMOKE STARTED COMING OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. SHE GOT OUT OF THE VAN; WITHIN A FEW MINUTES, THE ENGINE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE; THEY SAY THE FIRE WAS CAUSED BY AN ELECTRICAL SHORT AND THAT THERE IS $18,000 IN DAMAGE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY HAS INVESTIGATED; THEY SAY THERE IS $19,000 IN DAMAGE -- A TOTAL LOSS. MY QUESTIONS: 1. WHAT'S THE LIKELY CAUSE OF THE FIRE -- A HONDA DESIGN OR MANUFACTURING DEFECT, OR A DEALER INSTALLATION ERROR? (I HAD THE LOCAL DEALER INSTALL A HONDA CASSETTE DECK IN NOVEMBER, 1999; I HAD TO TAKE THE VAN BACK FOR REPAIRS A FEW DAYS LATER WHEN I NOTICED THAT CERTAIN ELECTRICAL ACCESSORIES NO LONGER WORKED CORRECTLY AND MY BATTERY WENT DEAD.) 2. WHAT LEVERAGE DO I HAVE TO GET SPECIAL TREATMENT (E.G., A GOOD DEAL ON A NEW VAN, TEMPORARY TRANSPORTATION) FROM HONDA AND THE DEALER? (MY WIFE IS 6 MONTHS PREGNANT, SHE HAD OUR 20-MONTH-OLD DAUGHTER IN THE VAN WITH HER; THEY ARE FINE, BUT A BYSTANDER HAD TO HELP THEM GET OUT OF THE VAN -- THEY COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED IN THIS INCIDENT.) I HAVE CONTACTED THE DEALER, WHO HAS CONTACTED HONDA. NEITHER WANTS TO PROVIDE TEMPORARY TRANSPORTATION (MY INSURANCE DOESN'T COVER IT); THE BEST THEY'VE OFFERED IS TO EXPEDITE DELIVERY OF A REPLACEMENT (AT LEAST 2-3 MORE WEEKS). AT THIS POINT, I DON'T KNOW IF THEY'LL CHARGE ME MSRP OR GIVE ME A DISCOUNT. *AK