# 2003 WINNEBAGO JOURNEY — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
> NHTSA complaint `510299` · 2004-12-07 · Winnebago Industries, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** Yes
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** WINNEBAGO
- **Model:** JOURNEY
- **Year:** 2003
- **Manufacturer:** Winnebago Industries, Inc.
- **Component:** ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM:MANIFOLD/HEADER/MUFFLER/TAIL PIPE
- **Miles at failure:** 18,900
- **Speed:** 65 mph
## Narrative
VEHICLE CAUGHT ON FIRE AS A RESULT OF 2 SCREWS THAT MOUNTED AN ELECTRICA TRANSFER SWITCH, WERE INAPPORPERATELY SCREWED INTO THE ENGINES EXHAUST MUFFLER. AFTER ABOUT 18,000 MILES OF ENGINE TORQUE AND VIBRATION, THE SCREWS ENLARGED THE HOLES ON THE REAR OF THE ELECTRICAL COMPARTMENT AND IN THE MUFFLER, ALLOWING FIRE HOT DIESEL ENGINE EXHAUST FLAMES & GASES TO ENTER THE ELECTRICAL COMPARTMENT AND TORCH THE WOOD TRANFER SWITCH STRUCTURE., AS WELL AS SEND CORBON MONOXIDE INTO THE COACH. THIS PROBLEM CAUSE ME TO STOP MY VEHICLE ON A MAJOR US INTERSTATE, BACK UP TRAFFIC FOR MORE THEN A MILE, AND DO AN EMERGENCY EVACUATION OF MY WIFE AN OUR TWO YORKIES. THIS EVENT CAUSE EXTENSIVE SMOKE DAMAGE TO THE INTERIOR OF OUR COACH, CAUSED HEAT DAMAGE TO THE ELECTRICAL COMPARTMENT, AND MADE THE MUFFLER UNSAFE.*AK
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · MORVS · CC0 1.0*