# 2004 MITSUBISHI LANCER — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
> NHTSA complaint `926698` · 2012-07-07 · Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** MITSUBISHI
- **Model:** LANCER
- **Year:** 2004
- **Manufacturer:** Mitsubishi Motors North America, Inc.
- **Component:** ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
- **Miles at failure:** 113,650
## Narrative
JUST LEFT A AUTO CAR WASH AND WITHIN ABOUT  TWO MINUTES SMOKE RISES FROM THE CENTER FLOOR CONSOLE. I PULLED INTO A NEARBY GAS STATION ABOUT A BLOCK AWAY. PARKED AWAY FROM THE PUMPS. DEMANDED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM THE ATTENDANT. RETURNED TO THE CAR AS FLAMES JUST STARTED TO ERUPT FROM THE CONSOLE . THE DRY CHEMICAL EXTINGUISHER MADE QUICK WORK OF THE FIRE. I DON'T THINK BETWEEN THE SMELL & SIGHT OF SMOKE AND PUTTING OUT THE FIRE FIVE MINUTES ELAPSED. I THINK THE WIRING MUST HAVE SHORTED. THE CIGARETTE LIGHTER NEVER WORKED. THE ONLY OTHER THE DEVICE ON THE HARNESS INTO THE CONSOLE IS THE P-R-N-D ILLUMINATION PANEL. THE FIRE CAUSED THE PLASTIC CONSOLE HOUSING TO MELT DOWN INTO  THE TOP OF THE  TRANSMISSION LINKAGE. THE TOW TUCK OPERATOR WAS ABLE TO  CUT THE MELTED PLASTIC OFF OF THE LINKAGE & I WAS ABLE TO DIVE THE CAR HOME, A FEW BLOCKS AWAY. APPARENTLY THERE WASN'T DAMAGE TO THE METAL LINKAGES TO THE TRANSMISSION.  THE CARS' BEEN DECLARED A TOTAL LOSS!  *TR
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*