Recalled car explodes, torching vehicles in Cape Coral

CAPE CORAL, Fla. – A car under a 17-year-old recall exploded, torching two other cars, just minutes after its owner parked it in the driveway Saturday afternoon.

The owner said he had no idea his 1992 Lincoln Town Car needed its cruise control unit replaced. Ed Zepeda, who lives in the neighborhood, said he originally believed someone had committed arson, igniting the flames that engulfed the front part the car.

“That’s mind-blowing, a fire like that, the car just sitting there and not running or anything? That’s pretty shocking,” he said.

Before it went up in flames, the car was one of nearly 25 percent of vehicles on the road with unaddressed recalls.

Cape Coral Fire Marshal Dave Raborn said there are two kinds of people who are driving these potential hazards: those who are unaware of the recalls and drivers who procrastinate or ignore recall notices. Some of the people who fall into the first category purchased a used car from a private seller.

“Let’s say you have bought a car from a friend or just a private seller, how can you check?” Raborn said. “Well there’s a simple website, called safercar.gov, where you can put in your make, model and year, and any open recalls will pop up.”

In the case of the 1992 Lincoln, the information on safercar.gov revealed that the cruise control system could cause a short in the electrical system that would result in a fire. The fire, the 1999 recall notice says, would occur in the “left front underhood area,” which is precisely where Saturday’s car fire began.

Quick facts on recalled cars

• In 2014, there were a record-breaking 74.2 million cars recalled
• There were fewer cars recalled in 2015, with 51 million needing repairs.
• There have been 48 new vehicle recalls since Nov. 1 this year, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
• There were three recalls issued for cars in the last 24 hours.

Experts recommend that car owners check online for recalls for their vehicle twice a year, using Daylight Saving Time as a reminder.