NHTSA complaint: 2004 HONDA ELEMENT — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING
MY 2004 HONDA ELEMENT (SUV) BURST INTO FLAMES WHILE UNDER OPERATION. THIS VEHICLE HAD LESS THAN 10,000 MILES OF USE. ON THE DATE MENTIONED AT ABOUT 1450 HOURS I AND MY WIFE WERE OCCUPANTS IN THE VEHICLE WHICH HAD BEEN IN USE FOR ABOUT FIVE MINUTES. WHEN A CLOUD OF SMOKE BEGAN TO EMINATE FROM THE LOWER ENGING COMPARTMENT. UPON EXAMINATION, A FIRE WAS DISCOVERED IN THE LOWER PORTION OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT NEAR THE FIRE WALL. POLICE AND FIRE UNITS WERE SUMMONED. THEY RESPONDED, BUT NOT BEFORE THE FRONT END OF THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN CONSUMED BY FLAMES. I HAVE READ TODAY THAT THIS APPEARS TO BE A CHRONIC PROBLEM WITH HONDA SUV'S. I WAS NOT GIVEN NOTICE OF THIS CONDITION AND I AM ADVISING YOU THAT THIS PROCLIVITY TO BURN, IN CONJUNCTION WITH REAR DOORS THAT CANNOT EASILY OPEN. IS A HIGHLY HAZARDOUS CONTITION. THIS WILL ULTIMATELY RESLULT IN SERIOUS INJURY OR DEATH. N WHY ISN'T HONDA NOTIFYING ANYONE OR RECALLING THE VEHICLES? PLEASE RESPOND.*AK
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration — Office of Defects Investigation