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1996 NISSAN ALTIMA — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD

fire · 314436 · 2001-09-14

Vehicle

Make
NISSAN
Model
ALTIMA
Year
1996
Manufacturer
Nissan North America, Inc.
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:WIRING:FRONT UNDERHOOD
Speed
35 mph

Severity

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

Narrative

I HAD JUST MOVED OFF FROM THE LIGHT, WHEN ABOUT HALF-WAY DOWN THE BLOCK, THICK WHITE SMOKE BEGAN BILLOWING FROM UNDER MY HOOD ONTO MY WINDSHEILD. I QUICKLY PULLED OVER, AND ABANDONED THE CAR. BECAUSE I YANKED THE HOOD RELEASE ON MY WAY OUT OF THE CAR, I SAY BRIGHT YELLOW FLAMES UNDER THE SIDE OF THE HOOD. PER THE FT. LAUDERDALE FIRE DEPT INSPECTOR, THERE WAS AN ELECTRICAL SHORT IN THE AREA OF THE RADIATOR FANS. THAT SHORT CAUGHT THE NEIGHBORING WIRES, RADIATOR FAN AND OTHER ENGINE COMPONENTS ON FIRE. MY INSURANCE COMPANY AND THE NISSAN DEALER REPAIR SHOP ALL AGREED THAT THIS WAS WHAT HAPPENED. THE REPAIRS COST ABOUT $7100 AND 2 MONTHS TO FIX. I THANK GOD FOR SAVING MY LIFE. I THINK IT WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT THAT CAUSED IT. THE MANUFACTURE CAN CONTACT PLANTATION NISSAN IN PLANTATION FLORIDA REGARDING THIS INCIDENT. I PRAY THAT NISSAN CAN USE THIS INFORMATION TO HELP DESIGN SAFER CARS. I JUST TRADED THE CAR BECAUSE I FELT I COULD NO BELIEVE IN ITS REASONABLE SAFETY. PLEASE NOTE: IN FOUR YEARS, THIS WAS THE FIRST MAJOR PROBLEM THAT I HAD WITH THE CAR.*AK

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
752196
Machine
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