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1998 CHEVROLET MONTE CARLO — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 485227 · 2004-07-18

Vehicle

Make
CHEVROLET
Model
MONTE CARLO
Year
1998
Manufacturer
General Motors, LLC
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Miles at failure
106,000

Severity

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

Narrative

WHILE ON VACATION IN WILLIAMSBURG VA. HEARD ANNOUCMENT OVER THE INTERCOM AT A CRACKER BARREL RESTURAUNT .. OWNER OF WHITE CHEVY MONTE CARLO WITH MD TAGS GO TO YOUR CAR ASAP.. WHEN ARRIVED IN PARKING LOT.. MANAGER OF REST. WAS STANDING NEXT TO MY CAR WITH A FIRE EXT. AND THE ENGINE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES.. THE VEHICLE TRAVELED ONLY ABOUT 4 MILES FROM THE HOTEL WE WERE STAYING AT, SO IT WAS NOT EXTREMELY HOT...THE VEHICLE CONTINUED TO BURN UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ( YORK COUNTY) ARRIVED AND RIPPED OPEN THE HOOD BECAUSE THE HOOD LATCH RELEASE CABLE HAD BURNED THROUGH AND YOU COUND NOT GET THE HOOD UP.. THE CAR WAS VERY WELL MAINTAINED, ENGINE HAD BEEN RECENTLY DEGREASED AND LOOKED AND DROVE LIKE A NEW CAR... THE CAR HAS BEEN TOTALLED OUT BY ERIE INS CO. AND LEFT IN VA. WE HAD TO GET A RENTAL BACK TO BALTIMORE.... THE FIRE APPEARED TO BE ELECTRICAL IN NATURE DUE TO THE FACT THAT THE AREA WORST BURNED ON THE HOOD WAS RIGHT OVER THE DISTIBUTOR. PICTURES ARE AVAILABLE IF NEEDED FOR ANY INVESTIGATION... HAS THIS TYPE OF UNEXPECTED ENGINE FIRE OCCURRED IN OTHER 3.1 SERIES CHEVY ENGINE OR MONTE CARLO'S?

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10081289
Machine
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