I DEVELOPED A REAR FLAT TIRE. I WAS NOT ABLE TO GET THE SPARE TIRE DOWN AS THE RELEASE MECHANISM WAS RUSTED. AS I WAS PULLING TO TRY TO FREE THE SPARE TIRE THE VEHICLE ALMOST FELL OFF THE JACK. EXCESSIVE FORCE IS NEEDED TO RELEASE THE SPARE TIRE WITH THE VEHICLE ON THE JACK. *TR
2000
VISIBILITY:POWER WINDOW DEVICES AND CONTROLS
EXITING HIGHWAY AT 30 MPH WHEN RAIN STARTED. ATTEMPTED TO ENGAGE ELECTRIC CONTROL BUTTON TO RAISE DRIVERS SIDE WINDOW; WINDOW JAMMED ABOUT ONE INCH FROM TOP. PUSHED CONTROL BUTTON AGAIN BUT WINDOW DID NOT MOVE. WITHIN ABOUT 20 TO 30 SECONDS SMOKE BEGAN ENTERING INTERIOR OF CAR FROM UNDER THE CONTROL BUTTONS PANEL; ALSO DISTINCT ODOR OF BURNING PLASTIC AND/OR RUBBER STARTED COMING FROM INSIDE MY LEFT FRONT DRIVERS DOOR PANEL. SMOKE AND ACRID FUMES BECAME VERY STRONG AS I PULLED OVER AND STOPPED. I THREW OPEN MY DOOR, GOT OUT AND IMMEDIATELY USED MY ALWAYS PRESENT RATCHET SCREWDRIVER TO REMOVE THE CONTROL BUTTON COVER AND WAS ABLE TO DISCONNECT THE TWO ELECTRIC PLUGS WHICH I OBSERVED AND LUCKILY WITHIN ABOUT 2-3 MINUTES THE SMOKE ENDED. ABOUT THIRTY MINUTES LATER I RESTARTED MY CAR AND DROVE IMMEDIATELY TO MY DEALERS SERVIVE CENTER. AFTER ABOUT THREE HOURS THE SERVICE MGR. INFORMED ME THAT A SHORT CIRCUIT IN THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM HAD TAKEN PLACE AND HAD "FRIED" SEVERAL OF THE COMPUTERS WITHIN THE SYSTEM. AS I HAD PURCHASED THE EXTENDED SERVICE CONTRACT, I WAS TOLD THAT THE REPAIRS WERE TOTALLY COVERED. IT WAS OVERHEARD BY ME WHEN THE MECHANIC WAS SPEAKING TO THE SVCE. MGR. THAT THEIR WAS EVIDENCE OF WATER WITHIN THE INNER DOOR AND ALSO IN AND AROUND THE CONTROL BUTTONS ON THE INSIDE. IS IT POSSIBLE THAT THE REAL PROBLEM IS WITH BODY DESIGN WHICH ALLOWS RAIN WATER TO SOMEHOW LEAK INTO THE INTERIOR OF THE DRIVERS DOOR UNNOTICED AND THERBY CAUSING THIS EMERGENCY? PERHAPS THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM IS OK BUT NOT THE CHANNELING AWAY OF RAIN WATER OR EVEN CAR WASH WATER. ALSO, WHEN THEY REPAIR THE ELECTRICAL COMPONENTS ON MY CAR, DO I HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT THIS HAPPENING AGAIN WHENEVER IT RAINS? I REALLY COULD HAVE BEEN SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED AS WELL AS OTHER PEOPLE NEAR ME ON THE ROAD HAD THE SMOKE AND FUMES OVERCOME ME BEFORE I HAD THE CHANCE TO PULL OFF THE ROAD.*AK