ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
Speed
40 mph
Severity
Deaths
0
Injured
1
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No
Narrative
DECORATIVE BLACK, PLASTIC COMPONENT'S GLUE ROTTED OFF OF INTAKE MANIFOLD. THEN DROPPED ONTO LEFT/BANK EXHAUST PIPES, CAUSING SMALL FIRE, SMOKE AND "SWEET" SMELLING FUMES. DRIVER WAS EXPOSED TO FUMES WHILE TRYING TO PULL VEHICLE OFF BUSY FREEWAY ONTO THE SHOULDER AND TRYING TO EXTINGUISH SMALL FLAMES. VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO LOCAL SHOP WHERE IT WAS DISCOVERED WHAT HAPPENED ( ALL THE PLASTIC DID NOT BURN AND YOU COULD TELL WHAT THE PLASTIC WAS FROM THE HALF THAT DID NOT BURN). FORD MOTOR COMPANY WOULD NOT -- EVEN WHEN DRIVER REQUESTED INFORMATION FROM THEIR MSDS DEPARTMENT -- DISCLOSE THE CHEMICAL COMPOSITION OF THE PLASTIC OR HARMFUL EFFECTS IT MAY CREATE. THE DRIVER OF THIS PARTICULAR CAR HAD TO PAY AN INDEPENDENT LAB TO ANALYZE THE COMPOSITION. THIS HAD TO BE DONE DUE TO THE SEVERE SWELLING (TO THE POINT THAT THEIR SKIN WAS SPLITTING); NAUSIUSNESS, LOSS OF APPETITE, AND DRY COUGH THE DRIVER EXPERIENCED WITHIN THE FIRST 30 DAYS AFTER EXPOSURE (ALSO HOSPITALIZED TWICE DUE TO THESE CONDITIONS WITHIN THE FIRST 30 DAYS); KIDNEY BIOPSY WAS POSITIVE, HAVE BEEN UNDER A PHYSICIAN'S CARE AT SHAND'S TEACHING HOSPITAL, UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA, GAINESVILLE. IT'S NOT FAIR THAT I WAS EXPOSED TO THIS -- FOR NO REASON -- NO ONE ELSE SHOULD HAVE TO GO THOUGH WHAT I HAD TO DO -- THANKS TO THE UNCOOPERATIVE FORD MOTOR COMPANY AND THEIR MSDS DEPARTMENT. I BELIEVE THAT IF I HAD ACCESS TO THE PLASTIC'S CHEMICAL COMPOSTION, MY RECOVERY TIME WOULD HAVE BEEN MUCH LESS (STILL SEEKING TREATMENT FOR OCCASIO