← NHTSA complaints

2013 TOYOTA PRIUS — UNKNOWN OR OTHER

fire · 1514494 · 2018-11-11

Vehicle

Make
TOYOTA
Model
PRIUS
Year
2013
Manufacturer
Toyota Motor Corporation
Component
UNKNOWN OR OTHER
Miles at failure
80,000
Speed
25 mph

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

I WAS DRIVING DOWN A CITY ROAD AT 25-30 MPH AT DUSK (5:15PM), AND WITH MY HEADLIGHTS ON. THE FIRST INDICATION OF A PROBLEM WAS THE SMELL OF BURNING RUBBER WHEN I TURNED ON THE HEATER. ASSUMING THE PROBLEM WAS WITH ANOTHER VEHICLE AHEAD OF ME, I TURNED OFF THE HEATER AND KEPT DRIVING. A MILE LATER, AS I WAS NEARING MY DESTINATION, I NOTICED SEVERAL WARNING LIGHTS TURN ON (SKID LIGHT AND EXCLAMATION MARK LIGHT) AND THE STEERING BECAME LESS RESPONSIVE. I THEN SAW SMOKE EMITTING FROM UNDER MY HOOD. A FEW SECONDS LATER, THE FRONT PASSENGER-SIDE CORNER OF THE CAR BURST INTO FLAMES. I MANAGED TO PULL OVER, WOKE UP MY TWO YOUNG CHILDREN FROM THEIR CAR SEATS, AND GOT EVERYONE OUT. WITHIN A MINUTE, THE ENTIRE HOOD WAS ABLAZE. GIVEN WHERE THE FIRE STARTED, I SUSPECT THE HEADLIGHT. I REPLACED IT THE DAY BEFORE. THE LIGHT SEEMED TO WORK FINE FOR 1 DAY, BUT IT IS SUSPICIOUS THAT IS ALSO THE AREA WHERE THE FIRE STARTED.

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
11150819
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown