NHTSA Complaint #760655 — 1997 PONTIAC BONNEVILLE

MY CAR WOULDN'T START AND THERE WERE NO ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS FUNCTIONING. I CALLED THE CAR DEALERSHIP WHERE I PURCHASED THE WARRANTY AND WAS TOLD TO MAKE SURE I DIDN'T HAVE A DEAD BATTERY BECAUSE THAT WAS NOT COVERED UNDER THE WARRANTY. I CALLED THE TOWING COMPANY AND THEY ATTEMPTED TO CHARGE THE BATTERY. BATTERY WOULD NOT CHARGE; THE CAR WENT "PUFF" AND CAUGHT ON FIRE. WHEN THE WRECKER DRIVER ATTEMPTE TO START THE CAR, HE HEARD A LOUD "POP" AND SMOKE WAS ROLLING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. HE OPENED THE HOOD, BATTERY WAS INTACT, HOWEVER THE ENGINE WAS ON FIRE. AFTER FIRE WAS EXTINQUISHED, HE FOUND THE PLENUM(?SP) BLOWN OFF THE TOP F THE ENGINE AND THE OIL FILTLER TUBE WAS BLOWN OUT OF HE TOP OF TE MANIFOLD. WARRANTY COMPANY WOULD NOT COVER DUE TO THE FACT THE CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE. THEY SAID MY CAR INS SHOULD COVER IT. HOWEVER, I BELIEVE THE FIRE WAS THE RESULT OF A PREVIOUSLY EXISTING DEFECT. I WAS TOLD THE FOAM USED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE COULD POSSIBLY HAVE CAUSED MORE PROBLEMS IN THE ENGINE. WAS I SUPPOSED TO LET THE CAR COMPLETEY BURN UP? I DON'T THINK SO!*AK