# 1998 FORD RANGER — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
> NHTSA complaint `144021` · 1998-10-27 · Ford Motor Company
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** FORD
- **Model:** RANGER
- **Year:** 1998
- **Manufacturer:** Ford Motor Company
- **Component:** ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE:GASOLINE
## Narrative
AT MAINTENANCE OIL AND FILTER CHANGE, ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE FILTER BY   CONVENTIONAL METHOD OUT THROUGH BOTTOM OF ENGINE COMPARTMENT.  FILTER   CONTACTED STARTER AND CHASSIS FRAME WHICH CREATED A ELECTRICAL SHORT   CIRCUIT RESULTING IN FIRE INVOLVING PLASTIC WHEEL WELL AND PARKING   BRAKE CABLE HOUSING.  ALSO DESTROYED TWO GROUND STRAPS AND MAIN   BATTERY GROUND WIRE BEFORE BATTERY COULD BE DISCONNECTED AND FIRE   EXTINGUISHED WITH DRY CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHER.  FORD OF HYANNIS TOLD   US THAT NO OTHER SIMILAR INCIDENT HAD BEEN REPORTED.  NO CAUTION OR   INFORMATION WAS INCLUDED IN THE OWNER'S MANUAL OR IN THE DEALER   ORIENTATION WHICH WOULD HAVE ALERTED THE OWNER TO THE NECESSITY   OF REMOVING THE FILTER THROUGH THE TOP OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT.    HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR THE IMMEDIATE AVAILABILITY OF LARGE DRY CHEMICAL   EXTINGUISHER, THE VEHICLE WOULD HAVE BEEN DESTROYED AND GARAGE   ATTACHED TO HOME SEVERELY DAMAGED.
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*