A Katikati woman's trip home has turned to disaster as a fire broke out destroying the interior of her car.

Katikati Volunteer Fire Brigade was called to a Mitsubishi Lancer on fire on Tetley Road, Katikati about 12.25pm.

Katikati station officer Brendan Gibbs says the fire was sparked by an electrical fault in the dash near the steering wheel after the woman pulled the car onto the side of the road.

'All the insides are cooked and it cracked the main windscreen with the heat,” says Brendan.

'She got out and managed to undo the bonnet and unclip the battery; she did quite well really.”

He says the woman was 500m from her home when she noticed smoke starting to pour from the dash.

When firefighters arrived the woman was next to the vehicle and the fire was contained inside of the vehicle.

'It wasn't too bad [when firefighters arrived], it was still smoking inside but all the windows and doors were shut. When we opened there were a few flames coming out.

'The body of the car itself isn't too bad. The dash is melted and the flames when up into the roof lining.”