NHTSA Complaint #753227 — 1998 FORD WINDSTAR

ON THE EVENING OF OCTOBER 12TH 2001, WHILE DRIVING WITH MY WIFE AND CHILDREN IN OUR 98 GL WINDSTAR TO SEE A COUSIN OF MINE. WE APPROACHED A SEMICIRCLE CURVE ON A HILL, AS I TURNED MY WHEEL TO THE RIGHT ENTERING ON TO THE CURVE, WHEN ALL OF A SUDDEN SMOKE STARTED TO COME FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY VEHICLE. MY FIRST THOUGHT WAS THAT THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING BUT THEN FIRE WAS STARTING TO COME OUT AS WELL. I YELLED TO EVERYONE ON BOARD TO EXIT THE VEHICLE AND STAY SOME DISTANCE AWAY. AS THE FLAMES WERE GETTING WORSE. I HAD TO POP OPEN THE HOOD AND SEE IF I COULD CONTROL THE FIRE. I SAW THE FLAME SHOOT OUT OF THE BOTTOM AND THE SIDES OF THE CAR. I IMMEDIATELY TURNED OFF THE CAR AND THEN DISCONNECTED THE POSITIVE BATTERY CABLE ON THE ADVICE OF A STRANGER THAT WAS THERE. ANOTHER PERSON CAME WITH A BUCKET OF WATER AND WE MANAGED TO DOUSE THE FIRE OUT. MY COUSIN ARRIVED LATER TOWARDS WHERE WE WERE AS MY WIFE HAD NOTIFIED HIM BY CELLULAR OF OUR SITUATION. WE TOOK THE VEHICLE TO HIS HOME AND IN THE MORNING HE TOOK A LOOK AT THE CAR TO SEE WHAT HAD CAUSED IT TO FLAME. HE NOTICED THAT POWER STEERING FLUID WAS VISIBLE AND THAT THE POWER STEERING PRESSURE HOSE HAD RUBBED WITH TIME ON THE RACK AND PINION OR SOMETHING METALLIC OF THE CAR SLOWLY FORMING A GROOVE ON THE HOSE ABOUT AN INCH AND A HALF WIDE AND ABOUT 1/4 INCH DEEP. THIS CREATED A HOLE IN THE GROOVE WHERE IT WAS RUBBING WHEN I MADE MY TURN ON THE HILL, THUS POURING OUT POWER STEERING FLUID ON TO THE CATALIC CONVERTER WHICH THEN STARTED TO SMOKE AND FIRE. IMPORTANTLY THE PROTECTIVE FIRE COVER PLACED ON THIS PRESSURE HOSE HAD WORN OUT AS WELL. I HAVE ONLY 63,256 MILES ON THE CAR. I THANK GOD THAT WE ARE ALL SAFE AND THANK GOD FOR THOSE WHO ASSISTED US AND ALSO THANK GOD THAT THIS DID NOT HAPPEN TO MY WIFE AND CHILDREN WHILE I WAS NOT THERE. I CAN'T IMAGINE BEING OUT ALONE AND HAVING THIS HAPPEN TO SOMEONE ELSE THEN HAVING A GREAT CATASTROPHE WITH SOME DEATHS. I HAVE KEPT THE POWER STEERING HOSE AS EVIDENCE OF MY SITUATION. *AK