NHTSA Complaint #10475910 — 2000 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT

I AM THE SECOND OWNER OF THIS 00 VW PASSAT . THIS CAR HAS BEEN A GREAT RUNNING AND DRIVING CAR. I BOUGHT IT IN FEB 10 2012 . ON SEPT 17 2012 MY WIFE WAS DRIVING THIS CAR TO MY SONS FOOTBALL GAME WITH MY MOTHER IN LAW. SHE WAS GOING ABOUT 50 MPH WHEN IT SHUTTERED AND SHUT OFF . SHE WAS ABLE TO GET IT OFF THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND STOPPED AND WHEN SHE OPENED THE CAR DOOR THERE WERE FLAMES COMING FROM UNDER THE HOOD SHE WENT TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CAR AND HELPED HER MOTHER OUT OF THE CAR. THE FLAMES WERE SPREADING SO FAST THEY WERE NOT ABLE TO GET ANYTHING OUT OF THE CAR. BY THE THE TIME THEY GOT TO THE OTHER SIDE OF THE ROAD AWAY FROM THE CAR THE WHOLE CAR WAS ON FIRE. AND WHEN THE FIRE DEPARTMENT GOT THERE THERE WAS NOTHING LEFT BUT SOME MELTED THINGS IN THE TRUNK. I AM JUST HAPPY THEY MADE IT OUT OK BUT WHAT WORRIES ME IS THAT IT HAPPENED SO FAST AND THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF ANYTHING WRONG WITH THE CAR .I HAVE SEEN ON THE INTERNET THAT THIS IS NOT A ISOLATED INCIDENT WITH THIS 00 PASSAT. I HAVE SEEN PICTURES AND VIDEO OF THE SAME CAR WITH THE SAME RESULTS. SO RIGHT NOW I AM AT A TOTAL LOSS THIS BEING A SECOND CAR I ONLY HAD LIABILITY INSURANCE ALL I CAN DO IS HOPE THAT SOMEONE CAN STOP THIS FROM HAPPENING TO SOMEONE ELSE AND IT SHOULD BE VOLKSWAGEN'S RESPONSIBILITY TO FIND WHO OWNS THESE VEHICLES AND FIX THE PROBLEM..... *TR