# 2002 OLDSMOBILE ALERO — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
> NHTSA complaint `892668` · 2011-11-29 · General Motors, LLC
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** OLDSMOBILE
- **Model:** ALERO
- **Year:** 2002
- **Manufacturer:** General Motors, LLC
- **Component:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- **Miles at failure:** 124,000
- **Speed:** 10 mph
## Narrative
WAS DRIVING SLOWLY IN HEAVY TRAFFIC. WEATHER: APPROXIMATELY 50 DEGREES AND RAINING.  I HAVE THE HEAT AND DEFROST (INCLUDING REAR WINDOW) ON.  I HEAR A POP FROM THE BACK AND I THINK SOMEONE HAS JUST LIGHTLY REAR-ENDED ME. I LOOK OVER MY SHOULDER AND THE REAR PASSENGER SEAT, AT APPROXIMATELY THE RIGHT-HAND SHOULDER IS ON FIRE. I PULLED-OVER, TURNED-OFF THE CAR, AND TRIED TO DOWSE THE FLAMES TO NO AVAIL. ALL I COULD DO WAS WATCH IT BURN UNTIL THE FIRE DEPARTMENT SHOWED-UP ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER.    FIRE DEPARTMENT AGREED LIKELY CAUSE WAS REAR DEFROSTER SHORT-CIRCUIT.    REAR SEAT AND REAR WINDOW DESTROYED. WATER AND SMOKE DAMAGE.  CAR IS LIKELY TOTALED DUE TO AGE (11 YEARS) AND MILES (124K).  *KB
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*