NHTSA Complaint #10455513 — 1998 OLDSMOBILE INTRIGUE

I AM WRITING THIS FOR MY HUSBAND. MY DAUGHTER'S CAR (WHICH IS IN MY NAME) WAS PARKED IN HER DRIVEWAY FOR 3 WEEKS WHILE SHE WAS OUT OF THE COUNTRY. THIS MORNING APPROX. 10:30AM., TUE. 17TH. 2012, HER DAD WANTED TO GET IT CLEANED UP FOR HER BEFORE SHE CAME HOME TONIGHT. HER DAD PUT THE KEY IN BUT THE CAR WOULD NOT START. HE FIGURED THAT THE BATTERY WAS DEAD (THE BATTERY WAS ONLY A FEW MONTHS OLD). HE PULLED HIS VEHICLE NEXT TO THE 1998 OLDS INTRIGUE AND HOOKED UP THE BATTERY CABLES. WHEN HE WENT TO START THE INTRIGUE, THERE WAS A VERY LOUD BOOM (HE DESCRIBED IT LIKE AN M-80 GOING OFF) AND HE THEN SAW FLAMES!!! UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. HE RAN AND GOT A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. AS THE SMOKE CLEARED, HE SAW PIECES OF BROKEN PLASTIC/METAL ON THE DRIVEWAY IN FRONT OF THE CAR AND THE INTAKE MANIFOLD HAD BLOWN 10 TO 15 FEET INTO THE GARAGE!!! IF SOMEONE HAD BEEN STANDING NEAR THE FRONT OF THE CAR, THEY MIGHT HAVE BEEN VERY SERIOUSLY INJURED OR EVEN KILLED. MY HUSBAND TALKED TO A COUPLE OF PEOPLE HE KNOWS (ONE IS A MECHANIC), AFTER THE EXPLOSION, AND THEY HAD NEVER HEARD OF ANYTHING LIKE THIS HAPPENING TO A VEHICLE! I JUST THANK GOD NO ONE WAS STANDING IN FRONT OF THAT CAR!!!!!!!!!!!!! *JS