NHTSA Complaint #10133294 — 1999 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

DT: WHILE DRIVING AT 30 MPH AND SUDDENLY THERE WAS A JERKING OF THE CAR AS IF THE TIRE WAS FLAT. PULLED OVER , INSPECTED THE VEHICLE FOR A FLAT AND NONE WAS FOUND. CONSUMER GOT BACK INTO THE VEHICLE AND NOTICED THE MALFUNCTION ENGINE LIGHT WAS BLINKING. AT THIS POINT CONSUMER CONTINUED TO DRIVE DOWN THE SERVICE ROAD OF THE HIGHWAY OF ABOUT 15 MPH. THERE WAS A STRONG ODOR OF SOMETHING BURNING, NO SMOKE WAS SEEN. THIS SMELL WAS LIKE BURNED RUBBER. CONSUMER CALLED VOLKSWAGEN, AND THEY SUGGESTED THAT IF THE MALFUNCTION ENGINE"LIGHT WAS BLINKING TO SHUT OFF THE ENGINE IMMEDIATELY. AFTER PULLING OVER, CONSUMER CALLED TOW TRUCK. TOW TRUCK ARRIVED , INSPECTED UNDER THE HOOD AND DISCOVERED THERE WAS FIRE FROM UNDERNEATH THE ENGINE ITSELF. THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER TRIED TO EXTINGUISH FIRE WITH WATER AND LATER A FIRE EXTINGUISHER-THIS DID NOT PUT THE FIRE OUT. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD TO BE CALLED.,IN THE MEANTIME THE FIRE GREW LARGER. AT THAT TIME, FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND PUT FIRE OUT. FIRE CREW NOTED THIS WAS MOST LIKELY AN ELECTRICAL FIRE, PERHAPS DUE TO THE INTENSITY OF THE HEAT FROM SUMMER AND A MIX OF ELECTRICAL WIRING STARTED THE FIRE. THE CAR WAS THEN TOWED TO AN INSURANCE COMPANY LOT FOR FURTHER INVESTIGATION. CURRENTLY, THE CONSUMER DID NOT KNOW WHY THIS H HAPPENED. THE VEHICLE WAS REGULARLY SERVICED AND MAINTAINED. THE VEHICLE HAD ONLY 60,500 MILES. THE WAS THE FIRST PROBLEM EXPERIENCED WITH THIS VEHICLE. *AK