WHILE DRIVING A FIRE WAS OBSERVED BY THIRD PARTY MOTORIST. THE FIRE EMITTED FROM UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO WORLD FORD IN PEMBROKE PINES, FLORIDA, FOR AN INITIAL ASSESSMENT. ACCORDING TO WORLD FORD, THE VEHICLE SHOWED HEAVY TRANSMISSION FLUID LEAKAGE, BUT NO OBVIOUS SIGN OF FIRE OR FIRE DAMAGE. THE MANUFACTURER DECLINED TO PERMIT FORD TO WORK ON THE VEHICLE PENDING EVALUATION/INSPECTION BY NHTSA INVESTIGATORS TO DETERMINE CAUSE OF FIRE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT BE RELATED TO OBVIOUS TRANSMISSION ISSUES. *NLM *CB *JB