← NHTSA complaints

2002 CHRYSLER TOWN AND COUNTRY — STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

fire · 548325 · 2005-08-07

Vehicle

Make
CHRYSLER
Model
TOWN AND COUNTRY
Year
2002
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS
Miles at failure
50,000
Speed
10 mph

Severity

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

Narrative

2002 CHRYSLER TOWN & COUNTRY EX (MILEAGE 50,000) CAUGHT FIRE. DROVE CAR FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN TO MY OFFICE ON PLATT ROAD, ANN ARBOR. AS I TURNED INTO THE PARKING LOT, POWER STEERING FAILED, WAS NOT ABLE TO MOVE IT. NOTICED DENSE WHITE SMOKE COMMING INTO THE CAR FROM THE DASHBOARD AND THROUGH THE DOOR PILLARS. GOT OUT OF THE CAR, AND AFTER ABOUT 5 MINUTES, OPENED THE HOOD OF THE CAR AND CAREFULLY OPENED IT. NOTICED A FIRE AT THE BACK OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. MY ASSOCIATE RUSHED INTO THE OFFICE BUILDING AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE USING A FIRE EXTINGUSHER. AFTER THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED CALLED AAA TO TOW THE CAR TO THE DEALERSHIP. DEALERSHIP THE FOLLOWING DAY DID INFORM ME THAT THE STEERING WHEEL HOSE CONTAINING THE STEERING FLUID HAS FAILED, THE STEERING FLUID HAD LEAKED ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD AND CAUGHT FIRE. *NM

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10131860
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown