ON 6/12/2000, WHILE MY WIFE WAS DRIVING OUR 1992 NISSAN SENTRA OUT OF HER COMPANY'S PARKING LOT, AT 5 MPH, AN ODOR STARTED COMING INTO THE CAR THROUGH ITS AIR VENT. ONE MINUTE LATER, SMOKE STARTED COMING FROM UNDER THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HOOD. WITHIN 3 MINUTES, SHE VERY QUICKLY DROVE BACK TO HER OFFICE, RAISED THE CAR'S HOOD, AND FOUND THE IGNITION WIRING ON FIRE. SHE DUMPED WATER ON THE FIRE AND PUT IT OUT. SHE THEN CALLED THE FIRE DEPT. TO COME AND MAKE SURE THE FIRE WAS OUT. THE FIRE DEPT. AND POLICE BOTH SHOWED UP. THEY INSTRUCTED HER TO HAVE THE CAR TOWED TO OUR AUTO REPAIR SHOP, AND NOT TO TURN ON THE IGNITION SWITCH. WE DID AS THEY INSTRUCTED. I CAME TO HER OFFICE AND WAITED FOR THE TOW TRUCK TO ARRIVE. OUR MECHANIC SAID THAT THERE WAS NO OUTSIDE CAUSE FOR THE WIRING TO CATCH FIRE. NOTHING WAS TOUCHING THE WIRING, NO WIRES WERE EXPOSED, THE WIRING BUNDLE WAS NOT RUBBING UP AGAINST ANYTHING, AND THE WIRING WAS IN ITS ORIGINAL WRAPPED, BUNDLED LOOM. HE SAID THAT THERE WAS NO OTHER CAUSE FOR THIS FIRE EXCEPT THE IGNITION RESISTOR CAPACITOR WAS DEFECTIVE FROM THE FACTORY, AND THAT IT FAILED, GOT HOT, AND BURST INTO FLAMES. HE TOLD ME TO REPORT THIS CAR FIRE TO NHTSA AS A DEFECT IN THIS CAR'S WIRING SYSTEM. (I BOUGHT THIS CAR NEW, HAVE NEVER HAD ANY WORK DONE ON ANY WIRING, NOR THE IGNITION SYSTEM, EXCEPT TUNE-UPS. THE LAST TUNE-UP WAS DONE ON 12/15/1999, AND THE ONLY THING DONE WAS NEW SPARK PLUGS, NEW DISTRIBUTOR CAP & ROTOR, AND NEW PCV VALVE INSTALLED. THE