NHTSA Complaint #745558 — 1995 HONDA ACCORD

ON THURSDAY MAY 10, 2001 AROUND 12:05 PM, THE STARTER ON OUR 1995 HONDA ACCORD (@76,000 MILES) ENGAGED WHILE NO ONE OR THE KEY WAS IN THE CAR. MYSELF AND AT LEAST TWO OTHER PEOPLE WITNESSED THE CAR CLIMB A FOUR INCH CURB AND MOVE APPROXIMATELY 35 FT WITH THE PARKING BRAKE APPLIED. THE CAR WAS STOPPED WITH FOOT BRAKE. IT STARTED TO SMOKE. THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HOOD WAS RAISED TO FIND THE STARTER AND CABLES IN FLAMES. A HAND HELD CO2 FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS USED TO PUT OUT THE FIRE TWICE. THE LOCAL FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED AND UNHOOKED THE BATTERY. WE HAD THE CAR TOWED TO RICK WOODSON HONDA, PETERS CREEK ROAD, ROANOKE, VA. THIS CAR HAS NEVER BEEN WRECKED. THERE HAS NEVER BEEN ANY WORK DONE ON THE STARTER. IT HAS NEVER FAILED TO START NOR HAS THE STARTER SYSTEM EVER REQUIRED CHECKING. OTHER THAN MOTOR OIL AND A BATTERY REPLACED ON NOVEMBER 4, 1999, EVERY MAINTENANCE PART HAS COME FROM HONDA. ONLY A HONDA DEALER OR MY HUSBAND HAS EVER HAD THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT HOOD UP ON THIS CAR. IT HAS NEVER REQUIRED A JUMP-START NOR HAS IT JUMP STARTED ANOTHER VEHICLE. I HAVE DRIVEN 95% OF THE MILES ACCUMULATED ON THIS CAR. THIS CAR WAS PURCHASED FROM CLEVELAND VILLAGE HONDA, CLEVELAND TENNESSEE ON JUNE 24, 1995. THE CAR HAD SLIGHTLY OVER 6,000 MILES ON IT AND WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN DRIVEN BY THE SERVICE MANAGER.*AK