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1997 DODGE CARAVAN — FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM

fire · 932142 · 2012-08-04

Vehicle

Make
DODGE
Model
CARAVAN
Year
1997
Manufacturer
Chrysler (FCA US, LLC)
Component
FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Miles at failure
120,000

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
No
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

WHILE PARKED AT A STOP SIGN THE VEHICLE STARTED TO SMOKE. A FIRE THEN APPEARED COMING OUT OF THE HOOD. 911 WAS CALLED AND FIRE SQUAD CAME. WITHIN 5 MINUTES THE ENTIRE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIRE EXTINGUISHERS WERE USED BUT IT COULD NOT PUT OUT THE FIRE. FIRE TRUCK CAME AND BY THIS TIME THE ENTIRE VEHICLE WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. FIREMEN USED WATER TO FINALLY CONTROL THE FIRE. FIRE RESTARTED AND HAD TO BE PUT OUT AGAIN AND EVENTUALLY THE FIRE WAS COMPLETELY EXTINGUISHED. IT WAS PERHAPS ONLY 10 MINUTES FOR THE FIRE TO START, SPREAD, AND COMPLETELY AND UTTERLY DESTROY THE VAN. BECAUSE OF THE INTENSITY, QUICKNESS OF THE FIRE, AND THE DIFFICULTY IN PUTTING IT OUT, IT APPEARS TO BE A FUEL RELATED FIRE. I READ THAT DODGE HAD FUEL LINE "O" RINGS THAT COULD BE DEFECTIVE AND THAT COULD HAVE BEEN THE CAUSE. I CALLED DODGE HEADQUARTERS AND EXPLAINED THE EVENT. I AM STILL WAITING FOR A CALL BACK. *TR

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10469169
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown