# 2000 BUICK LESABRE — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
> NHTSA complaint `472541` · 2004-04-23 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** BUICK
- **Model:** LESABRE
- **Year:** 2000
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM:IGNITION
- **Miles at failure:** 67,000
## Narrative
WEATHER WAS BELOW ZERO (-20 TO -30) FOR SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE AND INCLUDING JANUARY 30, 2004.  MY 2000 BUICK LESABRE CUSTOM REFUSED TO START TWO DAYS PREVIOUS, SO ON THE EVENING OF JANUARY 29, I POURED A BOTTLE OF ISO-HEET INTO THE GAS TANK AND THEN PLUGGED THE HEADBOLT HEATER IN OVERNIGHT. THE NEXT MORNING (JAN. 30), I GOT INTO THE LESABRE TO START IT TO GO TO WORK.  WHEN I TURNED THE KEY, I HEARD A CLICK AND THEN BOOM! IT SOUNDED LIKE SOMETHING HAD EXPLODED UNDER THE HOOD ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE.  SMOKE BEGAN ROLLING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD.  I GRABBED MY BELONGINGS AND GOT OUT OF THE CAR QUICKLY.  I WAS SHOCKED, BUT NOT HURT. I HEARD A NOISE UNDER THE HOOD LIKE THE DRAFT FROM A FIRE.  I CALLED 911 AND STOOD BACK ABOUT 40 FEET FROM THE VEHICLE.  BY THE TIME THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED, THERE WERE FLAMES LEAPING OUT 5 FEET HIGH FROM THE SPACE BETWEEN THE HOOD AND THE FENDER ON THE DRIVER'S SIDE.  THE FIRE MARSHALL INSPECTED THE DAMAGE AFTERWARDS.  HE SAID THAT IT APPEARED THAT A FUEL LINE HAD RUPTURED.  THAT IS ALL HE SAID.  THAT DOES NOT EXPLAIN TO ME WHAT EXPLODED.  THE BATTERY ON A 2000 LESABRE IS UNDER THE BACK SEAT, AND IT WAS INTACT AFTER THE FIRE. THE FIRE FIGHTERS HAD REMOVED THE BACK SEAT AND CUT THE BATTERY CABLES, SO I SAW THAT IT WAS OKAY.  THE WHOLE ENGINE WAS BURNED UP.  THE CAR WAS A TOTAL LOSS.  I LOST TWO DAYS OF WORK MAKING ARRANGEMENTS TO BUY ANOTHER CAR. THE INSURANCE COMPANY ONLY PAID ME $10,998.00 FOR THE LOSS. I HAD TO PAY $2839.56 OUT OF MY OWN POCKET TO P
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*