Mar 12, 2026EngineFuel systemFire
I was driving down the highway with heater on and defrost. All of a sudden I hear a pop and my car started bogging down. I exited the highway to get out of danger, it then had a wrench light ( transmission) pop up and when I parked the car on the access road it started smoking a lot. I turned the vehicle off immediately and when I seen smoke coming from under the hood and into the cab of the car. I lifted the hood after seeing fire in the passenger wheel well. And then in the engine block towards the windshield in the middle of the engine. I am a fire fighter and it appeared to me that the fire was being fed by some kind of substance. Fort Worth Fire department showed up and put the fire out and took a report.
NHTSA ODI 11723807
Dec 18, 2025EngineFire
“Charge system service now” came on the dash, battery lost power after about 10 seconds, screen went black, dash went black, car locked up, opened the hood and the engine was on fire, called 911 who came quickly and put the fire out without the entire car burning, insurance later total losses the car. I don’t know if it was the battery or the engine responsible for the failure, because the flames were on the engine and not the battery, but the incident was triggered by a battery warning. I was on the interstate driving 60mph when the car shut off and everything including my headlights and even hazard lights went black. Not only could I have been struck by a car on the interstate, I could have died in a car fire. Because the car locked up, I couldn’t open the trunk or use any electronics. The door could have just as easily locked and trapped us inside a burning car. The car is on a salvage yard, no attempt to replicate has been made. Progressive insurance, and Columbia fire inspected it and found that it was undetermined. “Charge service system now” was the only warning before the infotainment screen shut down to reduce battery usage. Every light on the dash flashed right before everything on the dash went black and power was lost to the entire vehicle.
NHTSA ODI 11705769
Mar 13, 2021Electrical systemEngineFire
I WAS DRIVING MY 2015 TWIN ECO-BOOST CAR ON A CITY STREET,WHEN I I HEARD SOMETHING UNDER HOOD.AND RIGHT AT THAT MOMENT SMOKE WAS ROLLING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD.WHEN I STOPPED AND GOT OUT,THATS WHEN A WITNESS TOLD ME SHE SAW FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE CAR IT MELTED EVERYTHING UNDER THE HOOD.EVERY WIRE WAS EXSPOSED.I AM WAITING FOR REPORT FROM FIRE DEPARTMENT.I DO HAVE A PICTURE OF IT.FIRE CHIEF SAID BATTERY EXPLODED.
NHTSA ODI 11402717
Apr 24, 2018EquipmentEngine1 injury
TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2015 FORD MUSTANG. WHEN THE AIR CONDITIONER WAS ACTIVATED, A FOREIGN OBJECT PROJECTED OUT OF THE VENT. THE CONTACT SUSTAINED INJURIES TO THE EYES THAT REQUIRED MEDICAL ATTENTION. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT DIAGNOSED OR REPAIRED BY THE DEALER. THE MANUFACTURER INFORMED THE CONTACT TO HAVE THE VEHICLE DIAGNOSED AND REFERRED THE CONTACT TO NHTSA. THE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS APPROXIMATELY 51,000.
NHTSA ODI 11089958