NHTSA Complaint #10217645 — 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

LAST SATURDAY (FEB.9, 2008) AROUND 11:00AM, WHILE I WAS PICKING UP MY TWO DAUGHTERS FROM BALLET SCHOOL (BOSTON BALLET, 19 CLARENDON STREET, BOSTON), THE CHECK ENGINE LAMP STARTED TO BLINK AND I COULD FEEL MY CAR (2002 PASSAT WAGON, ALL WHEEL DRIVE) WAS A LITTLE BIT SHAKING. AS THE CAR MANUAL SAYS, I DROVE IN LOW POWER TO THE CLOSEST VOLKSWAGEN DEALERSHIP (BOSTON VOLKSWAGEN, 168 WESTERN AVENUE, ALLSTON). WHILE I WAS DRIVING TO THE DEALERSHIP, I SAW SOME SMOKE COMING OUT FROM THE FRONT HOOD (RIGHT FRONT SIDE). WE (MY DAUGHTERS, MY WIFE, AND MYSELF) GOT THE DEALERSHIP AROUND 11:30AM. A SALES CONSULTANT (MICHAEL PETERSANTE) AND ANOTHER PERSON THERE SAW MY CAR, AND SAID THAT MY CAR POSSIBLY WOULD CATCH ON FIRE. WE EVACUATED FROM THE CAR, THEY MOVED ALL THE CARS AROUND MY CAR TO THE OTHER PLACE. THE DEALER CALLED FOR A FIRE DEPARTMENT. BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME IN, WHILE I WAS LOOKING AT MY CAR FROM THE INSIDE OF THE DEALERSHIP BUILDING, I COULD SEE THE FLAME COMING OUT ABOVE THE RIGHT FRONT WHEEL IN THE CAR (SOMEWHERE THE ENGINE IS LOCATED) AND SMOKE FILLING UP INSIDE OF MY CAR. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT (BOSTON FIRE-ENGINE 41, LADDER 14, UNIT D11) CAME AND PUT OUT THE FIRE. A POLICE OFFICER (BOSTON POLICE DISTRICT 14, 301 WASHINGTON STREET, BRIGHTON) CAME AFTER THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED (ARRIVED AT 11:53AM), AND CHECKED OUT THE SCENE AND HAD MY CAR, WHOSE FRONT PART (ENGINE COMPARTMENT) WAS ALL BROKEN AND CRUSHED WHILE THE WIRE WAS PUT OUT, BE TOWED. IT WAS HARD TO BELIEVE THAT A 5-6 YEARS OLD CAR CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE I WAS DRIVING AND IN JUST 30 MINUTES REACHED TO SUCH SITUATION. FORTUNATELY, WE WERE CLOSE TO THE DEALERSHIP AND WERE ABLE TO GET THERE BEFORE THE WORST THING HAPPENS. AND AGAIN, VERY FORTUNATELY, MY FAMILY WAS ABLE TO GET AWAY TO THE SAFE PLACE BEFORE THE WORST THING HAPPENS. BUT IF IT HAPPENED 10 MINUTES EARLIER OR IF IT TOOK 10 MINUTES LONGER THAN ACTUALLY IT DID TO GET THERE, THINGS THAT I DON'T EVER WANT TO IMAGINE COULD HAPPEN TO MY FAMILY. *TR