NHTSA Complaint #738920 — 1999 CHRYSLER CONCORDE

MY SON, A TEENAGER AND EXCELLENT DRIVER, WAS DRIVING THROUGH HEAVY SNOW. CAR WAS IN MOTION WITH MINIMAL SPINNING OF WHEELS. SMOKE ENTERED PASSENGER COMPARTMENT THROUGH VENTS. HE TURNED OFF CAR AND POPPED HOOD, WHICH DID NOT RELEASE. SAW FLAME IN ENGINE COMPARTMENT THROUGH SLITS NEAR WIPERS. STILL COULD NOT RELEASE HOOD BY HAND AT FRONT OF VEHICLE. USED SNOW TO ATTEMPT TO EXTINGUISH FIRE AND WAS JOINED BY PERSON WHO COMPLETELY DISCHARGED SMALL EXTINGUISHER. ASKED THAT FIRE DEPARTMENT (FD) BE CALLED, AND FD EXTINGUISHED FIRE. CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS. CONTACTED DAIMLER CHRYSLER SAME DATE AND HAVE NOT HEARD RESULT OF INVESTIGATION. I UNDERSTAND THERE'S NO RELEVANT RECALL, BUT CAR WAS IN EXCELLENT WORKING CONDITION. I LOVED IT AND HAD NO COMPLAINTS. NOW AM FORCED TO REPLACE VEHICLE. INSURANCE HAS COMPLETELY SATISFIED LEASE OBLIGATION, BUT I AM DISADVANTAGED AS I MUST REPLACE VEHICLE AND I FEEL THAT THE MANUFACTURER MUST BE AT FAULT. CAN YOU PROVIDE ANY INFO OR ASSISTANCE?*AK