I WAS DRIVING AT ABOUT 5MPH APPROACHING A LEFT TURN LANE WHEN I SMELLED A STRONG BURNING PLASTIC ODOR. I SAW SMOKE ARISING FROM MY DRIVER'S DOOR AND REALIZED IT WAS COMING FROM MY CAR! I COULD SEE THERE WAS A FIRE IN BETWEEN MY DOOR WHEN I LOOKED AT MY DRIVER'S DOOR CONTROL UNIT. I TURNED OFF MY ENGINE AND TURNED ON MY HAZARD LIGHT. I WAITED FOR THE TRAFFIC TO CLEAR BEFORE CROSSING THE STREET WITH MY 9 YR DAUGHTER. I CALLED THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WHICH RESPONDED WITHIN 5 MINUTES. WHEN THEY ARRIVED THE FIRE HAD ALREADY STOPPED SO ONE OF THE FIREMEN DROVE THE CAR TO THE PARKING LOT NEARBY TO CLEAR TRAFFIC. THE BUTTON THAT CONTROLS THE FRONT PASSENGER DOOR HAD MELTED FROM THE FIRE. THIS VERY WINDOW STOPPED WORKING ABOUT 3 WEEKS AGO. BUT SOMEHOW FROM THE FIRE, THE FRONT PASSENGER WINDOW WENT DOWN ON ITS OWN. I HAD THE CAR TOWED TO LOCAL TOYOTA DEALER. THE SERVICEMAN INFORMED ME THAT HE'S NEVER HEARD OF SUCH PROBLEMS WITH TOYOTA. I ASKED FOR TOYOTA CORPORATE NUMBER AND CONTACTED THEM. THEY TOYOTA REPRESENTATIVE INFORMED ME THAT THERE HAVE BEEN 129 CASES OF DOOR FIRES REPORTED TO THEM. AFTER INSPECTING THE DOOR, THE TOYOTA DEALERSHIP TOLD ME THAT THE CAUSE OF THE FIRE WAS A SHORT IN THE DOOR CONTROL UNIT. THE COST TO REPLACE THE UNIT IS $545 AND DOOR PANEL IS $800. I'M AWAITING FOR TOYOTA CORPORATE OFFICE TO INSPECT THE DOOR BEFORE GETTING THE DOOR REPAIRED. SO FAR I HAVE TO BE THE PERSON PURSUING THE MATTER. THE DEALERSHIP OFFERS NO HELP. TOYOTA CORPORATE SAID IT