A Deer In The Headlights: Update

Thomas Kreutzer
by Thomas Kreutzer

Last week I wrote an article called A Deer In The Headlights about my parents hitting a deer a few days prior. In the story, I talked about the impact and reported that the RAV4 they were driving caught fire as they were being pulled out. Fortunately the good men and women of the Monroe, WA Fire Department arrived on the scene and, in short order, got things under control before the entire car melted down.

I sent a link to that article to my stepfather, Guy, and he responded yesterday with the attached photos. I thought I would go ahead and post them up so any of you who were interested in seeing the results for yourselves could take a look. It looks like a bad accident, but both my mother and Guy were uninjured. They were released without a trip to the hospital after being checked over by paramedics at the scene of the accident.

Thanks to all of you who expressed your concerns and best wishes, my entire family appreciates your kind thoughts. The good news, if there can be anything of the sort in an event like this, is that this is the first buck anyone in my family has managed to get since my father took one out armed with nothing but stealth and a ball peen hammer back in ’75.



Thomas Kreutzer
Thomas Kreutzer

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  • 71 MKIV 71 MKIV on Jul 16, 2013

    Where in the RAV is the battery? If it's in the RF corner, it likely shorted out causing the fire. Glad to hear everyone is ok.

  • Scribe39 Scribe39 on Jul 17, 2013

    Happy to hear the folks are OK. A second plus -- another Toyota is off the road. . .

  • Brandon I would vote for my 23 Escape ST-Line with the 2.0L turbo and a normal 8 speed transmission instead of CVT. 250 HP, I average 28 MPG and get much higher on trips and get a nice 13" sync4 touchscreen. It leaves these 2 in my dust literally
  • JLGOLDEN When this and Hornet were revealed, I expected BOTH to quickly become best-sellers for their brands. They look great, and seem like interesting and fun alternatives in a crowded market. Alas, ambitious pricing is a bridge too far...
  • Zerofoo Modifications are funny things. I like the smoked side marker look - however having seen too many cars with butchered wire harnesses, I don't buy cars with ANY modifications. Pro-tip - put the car back to stock before you try and sell it.
  • JLGOLDEN I disagree with the author's comment on the current Murano's "annoying CVT". Murano's CVT does not fake shifts like some CVTs attempt, therefore does not cause shift shock or driveline harshness while fumbling between set ratios. Murano's CVT feels genuinely smooth and lets the (great-sounding V6) engine sing and zing along pleasantly.
  • JLGOLDEN Our family bought a 2012 Murano AWD new, and enjoyed it for 280K before we sold it last month. CVT began slipping at 230K but it was worth fixing a clean, well-cared for car. As soon as we sold the 2012, I grabbed a new 2024 Murano before the body style and powertrain changes for 2025, and (as rumored) goes to 4-cyl turbo. Sure, the current Murano feels old-school, with interior switchgear and finishes akin to a 2010 Infiniti. That's not a bad thing! Feels solid, V6 sounds awesome, and the whole platform has been around long enough that future parts & service wont be an issue.
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