2000 PLYMOUTH BREEZE — STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS

TL*THE CONTACT OWNS A 2000 PLYMOUTH BREEZE. THE VEHICLE HAD BEEN PARKED FOR LESS THAN ONE MINUTE WHEN THE CONTACT NOTICED SMOKE UNDER THE HOOD. THE SMOKE THEN TURNED INTO FLAMES. THE CONTACT USED A BLANKET AND A WATER HOSE TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE. THE VEHICLE SUSTAINED $1,900 WORTH OF DAMAGES. THE CONTACT RECEIVED A RECALL NOTICE FOR NHTSA CAMPAIGN ID NUMBER 00V191000 (STEERING:HYDRAULIC POWER ASSIST:HOSE, PIPING, AND CONNECTIONS) THREE WEEKS AFTER THE FIRE. PLYMOUTH SENT A CONTRACTOR TO INVESTIGATE THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE AND CONCLUDED THAT THE FIRE WAS NOT RELATED TO THE SAFETY RECALL. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED BY A MECHANIC. AFTER REPAIRING THE VEHICLE, THE MECHANIC DISCOVERED A LEAK FROM THE HIGH PRESSURE POWER STEERING HOSE DIRECTLY ONTO THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, WHICH WAS THE POSSIBLE CAUSE OF THE FIRE. THE MECHANIC ALSO STATED THAT IT WAS PHYSICALLY IMPOSSIBLE TO IDENTIFY THE HOSE LEAK UNLESS THE VEHICLE WAS RUNNING UNDER PRESSURE. WHEN THE PLYMOUTH REPRESENTATIVE INVESTIGATED THE VEHICLE, IT WAS NOT RUNNING. THE VIN WAS UNKNOWN. THE CURRENT AND FAILURE MILEAGES WERE 81,000.