NHTSA Complaint #10413841 — 2004 VOLKSWAGEN TOUAREG

I WAS DRIVING A SHORT DISTANCE FROM MY HOUSE (2 MILES) WHEN I NOTICED MY CAR NOT DRIVING NORMALLY. I HAD DRIVEN IT THE 3 PREVIOUS DAYS WITH NO PROBLEM. I FINISHED MY ERRAND, THEN PROCEEDED TO HEAD HOME. IT WAS NOTICEABLY GETTING WORSE. I SMELLED SOMETHING AT A STOPLIGHT, NOT SURE IF IT WAS MY CAR, OR CAR ALONGSIDE OF ME. I SAW A LIGHT HAD COME ON, ON MY DASHBOARD (CK. ENGINE?) AND LOOKED AT THE GAUGES, EVERYTHING WAS NORMAL. I DECIDED TO HEAD HOME FIRST TO HAVE MY NEIGHBOR FOLLOW ME UP TO REPAIR SHOP. PARKED IN DRIVEWAY, WENT INSIDE MY HOME TO CALL HER, LOOKED OUT MY OPEN FRONT DOOR ABOUT 5 MINUTES LATER WHERE I SAW SMOKE AND SMELLED IT. RAN OUT, MY AUTO WAS SERIOUSLY SMOKING HEAVY BROWN SMOKE, RAN NEXT DOOR TO CALL 911, AND AUTO BURST INTO FLAMES AND CAUGHT HOUSE ON FIRE ALSO. I AM NOW IN A HOTEL BECAUSE OF MAJOR FIRE AND SMOKE DAMAGE. *KB