1997 Nissan Maxima Electrical System

PE-02-034; VEHICLE WAS DRIVEN 30 MINUTES BEFORE TURNED OFF AND PARKED. CONSUMER WAS NOTIFIED THAT VEHICLE WAS ON FIRE. SMOKE CAME FROM BENEATH THE HOOD, AND FLAMES BLAZED WHEN HOOD WAS OPENED. VEHICLE WAS NOT TOTALED. DEALER REPLACED ALTERNATOR DUE TO IT GOING BAD. PLEASE PROVIDE MORE INFORMATION.*AK

CAR WAS PARKED IN DRIVEWAY FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR BEFORE FIRE STARTED, OR WAS NOTICED. FIRE DEPT. SUSPECTED ELECTRICAL PROBLEM. I FOUND RECALL ON WEB, WHICH I HAD NOT BEEN NOTIFIED OF!!!! POOR WORK ON NOTIFICATION NISSAN! ARE THEY REALLY SENDING NOTICES OUT?*AK

I PUT THE CAR IN THE GARAGE AND WENT INSIDE THE HOUSE. I CAME BACK OUT TO THE GARAGE TO GET SOMETHING ELSE OUT OF THE CAR AND I SMELLED A HORRIBLE SMELL, LIKE PLASTIC BURNING. I OPENED THE HOOD AND SAW THE FLAMES. MY NEIGHBOR HELPED ME PUSH THE CAR OUT FHE GARAGE. I RAN A HOSE OVER THE ENGINE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT. HAD I NOT GOTTEN THE CAR OUT OF THE GARAGE, MY CAR COULD HAVE CAUGHT FIRE, BURNED MY BRAND NEW HOUSE DOWN AND POSSIBLY KILLED ME. I AM APALLED THAT I FOUND OUT ABOUT THIS RECALL MORE THAN 1 YEAR AFTER MY INCIDENT. I THOUGHT IT WAS ISOLATED UNTIL I READ ABOUT IT IN THE NEWPAPER. IT COST MORE THAN $650 TO REPLACE THE ALTERNATOR AND FIX THE DAMAGE TO MY CAR. I AM GOING TO CONTACT NISSAN FOR REIMBURSEMENT. I AM VERY LUCKY THAT MY SITUATION DID NOT END UP KILLING ME.*AK

ALTERNATOR JUST CAUGHT ON FIRE, MECHANIC DOES NOT KNOW WHY. THERE WAS NO WARNING, I DROVE FROM THE 6TH FLOOR TO THE 3RD FLOOR OF THE PARKING GARAGE SHUT OFF THE ENGINE, SMELLED SMOKE LIFTED UP THE HOOD NOTICED THE ORANGE AND RED FLAMES. HAD THE CAR TOWED TO CONCORD NISSAN WAS TOLD THAT THE ALTERNATOR HAD CAUGHT FIRE & BURNED THE WIRING HARNESS AND FAN BELT. ACCORDING TO THE SERVICE MANAGER AT NISSAN THERE IS NO KNOWN CAUSE FOR THIS INCIDENT.

I OWN 2 OF THE SAMES CARS MAKE YEAR AND MODEL AND THE SAME THING HQAPPENED 2 BOTH CARS BUT ONE OF THEM WAS REALLY SERIOUS IT CAUGHT ON FIRE AS I WAS DRIVING I DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO I THINK THERE SHOULDVE BEEN A RECALL OR SOMETHING PLEASE HELP THNK YOU. NO SAFETY DEFECT. *AK

ALTERNATOR NOT CHARGING-AFTER STARTING CAR IN SHOP-ALTERNATOR CAUGHT FIRE. SECOND 1997 MAXIMA WE HAVE WITNESS WITH THIS CONDITION-WILL SEND FILL OUT SEPERATE FORM ON OTHER CAR ALSO.*AK

SMOKE NOTICED FROM UNDERHOOD WHILE VEHICLE PARKED IN GARAGE. FIRE INSIDE ALTERNATOR-PUT OUT WITH FIRE EXTINGUISHER. *AK

SMELLED SMOKE IMMEDIATLY AFTER STARTING CAR TURNED CAR OFF,INVESTIGATED AND SAW 3INCH FLAME EMITTING FROM ALTERNATOR NO WORK EVER DONE WITH ALTERNATOR IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM CONTACTED MANU. UNRESOLVED AS OF THIS TIME COMPLETE FAILURE RESULTED IMMEDIATLY. *AK

NO SUMMARY LISTED FOR ABOV EVEHICLE. *AK