1993 Dodge Dakota

I HAD BEEN RUNNING A FEW ERRANDS AND HAD JUST LEFT MY CELLULAR PHONE COMPANY WHEN I AND A PASSENGER SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. WE PROCEEDED TO LOOK OUT THE WINDOWS FOR A BUILDING ON FIRE WHEN I NOTICED THAT MY PICKUP BEGAN TO SLOW. I TRIED SHIFTING THE AUTOMATIC TRANSMISSION DOWN TO ANOTHER GEAR BUT THERE WAS NOTHING THERE. I WENT FROM PARK TO LOW AND IT ACTED LIKE THERE WAS NOTHING CONNECTED TO THE SHIFTER. I THEN TRIED DEPRESSING THE ACCELERATOR AND GOT NO RESPONSE. I PULLED OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED. I THEN TRIED OPENING MY DRIVERS DOOR WHEN FLAMES SHOT UP BETWEEN THE DRIVERS DOOR AND THE CAB. I TURNED OFF THE TRUCK AS SMOKE STARTED TO FILL THE CAB AND I BAILED OUT THE PASSENGER SIDE DOOR. MY PASSENGER AND I MOVED WELL BEHIND THE PICKUP AND WATCHED AS FLAMES SHOT OUT FROM UNDER THE PICKUP AND SMOKE BILLOWED OUT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. I CALLED 911 ON MY CELL PHONE. IN THE MEAN TIME A WITNESS HAD PULLED UP BEHIND US AND INFORMED ME THAT HE WAS TRYING TO FLAG US DOWN BECAUSE HE HAD SEEN FIRE UNDER THE TRUCK FOR AT LEAST 3 CITY BLOCKS. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE CAUSED THIS TO HAPPEN. I HAVE OWNED THE VEHICLE SINCE IT WAS NEW. IT HAS BEEN WELL MAINTAINED AT THE DEALERSHIP WHERE I BOUGHT IT. IT IN FOR SERVICE IN DEC. OF 2000 FOR AN OIL CHANGE AND INSPECTION, NO PROBLEMS WERE NOTED. THE VEHICLE HAS NEVER BEEN OFF ROAD, FOR IT IS A TWO WHEEL DRIVE. THERE HAS BEEN NO MAJOR MECHANICAL WORK DONE, JUST SOME MINOR ITEMS SUCH AS A WATER PUMP FALL OF 2000, BRAKE WORK SUMMER OF 200, FUEL PUMP JANUARY OF 1999. NO WARNING LIGHTS CAME ON OR DID ANY GAUGES REFLECT ANY PROBLEMS. IT DISTRESSES ME GREATLY THAT I MAY NEVER KNOW EXACTLY WHAT CAUSED THIS FIRE, IT COULD HAVE BEEN CATASTROPHIC CAUSING MYSELF AND MY PASSENGER GREAT HARM OR EVEN DEATH. I REVIEWED NHTSA'S COMPLAINT SECTION AND DID FIND A FEW OTHER FIRE RELATED PROBLEMS. I HOPE ONE MORE WILL GET SOME ACTION TAKEN TO SEE WHAT CAUSE THESE THINGS TO HAPPEN. THANK YOU. *AK

THE PAINT IS PEELING OFF THE BODY IN HUGE CHUNKS. I HAVE READ THAT THE PAINT COMING LOOSE AND FALLING OFF CAN BE A HAZARD AS THE WINSHEILD CAN COME OFF EASILY IF THE PAINT LOOSENS. I WANT CHRYSLER TO PAY FOR THE COST OF REPAINTING MY ENTIRE VEHICLE. PLEASE CONTACT ME AT MCSTARRETT@SOFTHOME.NET OR 715-426-9974 THANKS, MIKE STARRETT. *NO SAFETY DEFECT LISTED IN SUMMARY. *AK

I WAS IN AN ACCIDENT IN WHICH I WAS REAR-ENDED. AT THAT TIME, BOTH OF THE FRONT SEATS BROKE, AND WE WERE THROWN BACKWARD. SUBSEQUENTLY, I COULD NOT SEE WHERE I WAS GOING NOR REACH THE BRAKE PEDAL, SO I HIT THE CAR IN FRONT OF ME. THE POOR QUALITY OF THE SEAT DESIGN CONTRIBUTED TO HEAD AND NECK INJURIES, ACCORDING TO THE EMERGENCY ROOM PHYSICIAN. *AK

TIRE TREAD BLEW APART AFTER DRIVING 100 MILES IN 80 DEGREE WEATHER CAUSING TRUCK TO VEAR OFF THE HIGHWAY. SHREADED TIRE TREAD WHICH JUST SEPERATED FROM THE REST OF THE TIRE AND BEAT AGAINST THE FENDER CAUSING DAMAGE TO THE VEHICLE IN EXCESS OF $1000 . I CONTACTED (2) SEPERATE FIRESTONE DEALERS AND WAS TOLD THERE WAS NOTHING THEY COULD DO, NEITHER FACILITY OFFERED ANY INFORMATION ABOUT THE DEFECT IN THESE TIRES AND IN FACT IMPLIED IT WAS MY FAULT. I SUFFERED DAMAGE TO MY RIGHT ARM, LEG AND FOREHEAD AS A RESULT OF THESE DEFECTIVE TIRES.( DOT NUMBER: TIRE SIZE: 30X9.50R15 )