NHTSA Complaint #750045 — 2000 FORD CONTOUR

WHILE SITTING AT A RED LIGHT TODAY MY 2000 SE STARTED MAKING NOISE - TURNED OUT TO BE THE STARTER RUNNING. TOOK THE KEY OUT AND THE STARTER CONTINUED CRANKING THE ENGINE. WAS ABLE TO DASH TO THE TRUNK, RETRIEVE PLIERS AND DISCONNECT THE BATTERY CABLES BEFORE THE CAR STARTED BURNING. THE WIRES IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WERE SMOKING BY THIS TIME. TURNED OUT THAT THE MAIN POSITIVE CABLE HAD CHAFED THROUGH AGAINST THE STARTER SOLENOID WIRE A FEW INCHES AWAY FROM THE BATTERY TERMINAL. THIS IS RIGHT WHERE THE CABLE MAKES A 90 DEGREE BEND AROUND THE TOP OF THE BATTERY BOX. FOUND THE OTHER 2 RED WIRES OF THE TERMINAL ALSO SHOWING SIGNS OF INSULATION WEAR AT THE BEND. AFTER TEARING THE SOLENOID WIRE APART FROM THE MAIN CABLE AND TAPING EVERYTHING UP, I TRIMED THE TOP OF THE BATTERY BOX LOWER AND REPOSITIONED THE WIRING TO AVOID THE SAME THING HAPPENING AGAIN.*AK