NHTSA Complaint #10105818 — 2000 VOLVO S80

SUBJECT: ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE, RESULT: TOTAL LOSS, EHICLE: 2000, VOLVO, S80 2.9, VIN: [XXX]. SHORTLY BEFORE 3:00PM MY WIFE AND I DEPARTED BRIDGEPORT, CONNECTICUT FOR THE TRIP HOME TO MASSACHUSETTS. THE FIRST 7 OR 8 MINUTES WERE LOCAL STOP AND GO DRIVING (MAXIMUM SPEED 25MPH). AT THIS POINT WE ENTERED THE MERRITT PARKWAY (EASTBOUND ENTRANCE 48). WE JOINED THE RIGHT LANE TRAFFIC FLOW, WHICH VARIED BETWEEN 55 AND 60 MPH. APPROXIMATELY 2 MINUTES LATER ? JUST BEFORE THE MERRITT PARKWAY EASTBOUND ENTRANCE 49 OR 50 THE CAR ENGINE LOST POWER. I WAS ABLE TO COAST THE VEHICLE OFF THE HIGHWAY TO THE ISLAND BETWEEN THE HIGHWAY AND THE ON-RAMP. IT LOOKED LIKE STEAM WAS COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD NEAR THE RADIATOR. I LOOK AT THE DASHBOARD TEMPERATURE GAUGE AND WAS SURPRISED TO SEE IT READING NORMAL. I PULLED THE HOOD RELEASE LEVER INSIDE THE VEHICLE, GOT OUT OF THE VEHICLE, WENT TO THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE AND ATTEMPTED TO RELEASE THE HOOD SAFETY LATCH WHICH WAS SO HOT THAT MY HAND WITHDREW INVOLUNTARILY. AT THIS POINT I BECAME AWARE THAT SMOKE WAS COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT OF THE HOOD, NOT STEAM. I ALERTED MY WIFE TO GET OUT OF THE CAR. SHE DID, AND AFTER MOVING AWAY FROM THE VEHICLE, LOOKED BACK AND NOTICED FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE FRONT OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. MY WIFE AND I WITNESSED TWO EXPLOSIONS, EMINATING FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE FIRST EXPLOSION CAUGHT MY ATTENTION BECAUSE IT WAS LOUD AND SHOT FLAME AND SMOKE ABOUT 15 FEET INTO THE AIR.*AK UPDATED 07/27/2012 *JS INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)