# 2001 MITSUBISHI ECLIPSE — POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
> NHTSA complaint `565352` · 2005-12-08 · Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MITSUBISHI
- **Model:** ECLIPSE
- **Year:** 2001
- **Manufacturer:** Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
- **Component:** POWER TRAIN:AXLE ASSEMBLY
## Narrative
DT: THE CONTACT STATED THE VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE. IT BEGAN AS A NOISE AND THEN THE ENGINE AREA CAUGHT ON FIRE. THEY WERE NO UNUSUAL INDICATORS BEFORE THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE WAS BURNED  VERY BADLY.  THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS LEFT UNDETERMINED, AND  VEHICLE  WAS TOWED TO THE INSURANCE COMPANY'S SALVAGE YARD. THE DEALERSHIP AND THE MANUFACTURER WHERE NOT CONTACTED BECAUSE THE  WARRANTY EXPIRED.  THE POLICE DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED AND A REPORT WAS TAKEN.  THE INSURANCE COMPANY PROVIDED THE  CONTACT  A REPORT OF A POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE REPORT STATED A HOSE DEFECT FROM THE MANUFACTURER COULD HAVE  CAUSED THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION  COOLING UNIT  AND LINES TO LEAK OVER A PERIOD OF TIME. THEREFORE,  THE FLUID LEAKAGE FROM THE COOLING HOSE COULD CAUSE  TRANS AXLE PROBLEMS AND SMOKE IF THE OIL CONTACTED  THE FRONT EXHAUST PIPE.*AK
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*