WHILE DRIVING THE VEHICLE, HEARD A CLICKING/CRACKING/POPPING NOISE, SMELLED A STRONG ODOR OF SMOKE AND BURNING SMELL FROM THE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE UNDERNEATH THE GLOVE BOX AREA. AT THE SAME TIME THE WIDOWS, MIRROR, AND ELECTRIC LOCKS ON THE PASSENGER SIDE OF THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT OPERATE. I STOPPED THE VEHICLE AND TURNED IT OFF. I STARTED LOOKING DOWN UNDER THE GLOVE BOX AREA AND COULD STILL SMELL A VERY STRONG BURNING SMELL COMING FROM THAT AREA. ALSO THE VEHICLE WOULD NOT RESTART. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO MY LOCAL AUTO REPAIR SHOP. THE MECHANIC OBSERVED THE SAME BURNING SMELL CONDITIONS AND REMOVED THE WIRE BOX UNDERNEATH THE GLOVE BOX PASSENGER DOOR AREA. HE OBSERVED THAT ALL THE WIRES WERE BURNT, TO INCLUDE THE METAL PLATE THAT WAS BURNT AND CHARRED FROM AN APPARENT ELECTRICAL FIRE. (PICTURES WERE TAKEN OF THE AREA TO INCLUDE THE BURNT WIRES AND CHARRED METAL) THE MECHANIC STATED THAT WE WERE VERY LUCKY THE WHOLE CAR DID NOT CATCH ON FIRE AND BURN UP. HE SHOWED ME THE DAMAGE AND STATED THAT WHERE THE WIRES RUN THROUGH A SMALL HOLE IN A METAL PLATE APPEARED TO RUB THROUGH THE WIRES CAUSING IT TO SHORT OUT AND ACTUALLY BURN THE WIRES AND METAL PLATE. HE FURTHER STATED THAT A RUBBER WASHER OR USING RUBBER INSTEAD OF METAL MIGHT HAVE PREVENTED THE BURNING/FIRE. *TR