NHTSA Complaint #10508711 — 2000 LAND ROVER RANGE ROVER

I WAS DRIVING AT ~10-15 MPH AROUND LAKE MEAD IN NV. AS I PULLED TO A STOP SIGN SMOKE BEGAN TO COME FROM UNDER THE HOOD OF THE CAR. AT FIRST I THOUGHT THE CAR WAS OVERHEATING AND TRIED TO NAVIGATE IT TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD. ALL THE CARS SYSTEMS WENT OUT BEFORE I GOT IT OFF THE ROAD (30 SECONDS FROM THE FIRST SMOKE) AND THE SMOKE WAS BILLOWING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I JUMPED OUT AND TRIED TO OPEN THE HOOD, STILL THINKING IT WAS OVERHEATING, BUT I WAS UNABLE TO FIND THE CATCH. I DECIDED TO MOVE AWAY FROM THE CAR JUST IN CASE. I WALKED ABOUT 10 PACES AWAY FROM THE CAR AND TURNED TO SEE FIRE DRIPPING DOWN FROM THE FRONT. I DECIDED TO CALL 911. THE FRONT OF THE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES BEFORE I COULD DIAL. BY THE TIME THE 911 OPERATOR PICKED UP THE CAR WAS ENGULFED UP TO THE MIDDLE OF THE BODY AND THE TIRES BEGAN EXPLODING (THIS COULD BE HEARD BY THE 911 OPERATOR). BY THE TIME I GOT OFF THE PHONE THE CAR WAS COMPLETELY ENGULFED (THIS WAS LESS THAN 3 MIN FROM SEEING THE FIRST SMOKE). THE CAR BURNED COMPLETELY, LEAVING NO TRACE OF ANYTHING BUT THE METAL FRAME. WHAT IS MOST DISTURBING IS THAT THE BODY/INTERIOR BURNED AS IF THEY HAD BEEN DOUSED WITH AN INCENDIARY. THEY WENT UP SO FAST AND SHOULDN'T BE FLAMMABLE AT ALL. JUST TO EMPHASIZE THIS, I WAS HAULING A SM TRAILER THAT HAD A CANVAS COVER AND THE TARP WAS ONLY SCORCHED AT THE FRONT; NOT BURNING AT ALL. I FOUND MANY OTHER FIRES OF THIS RANGE ROVER JUST LIKE MINE REPORTED ON THE INTERNET. I AM FAIRLY CERTAIN THAT THESE FIRES ARE CAUSED BY A VERY FLAMMABLE HOOD LINER AND THAT THESE CARS ARE EXTREMELY DANGEROUS. WHEN I BOUGHT MY RANGE ROVER USED I HAD NOTICED THAT THE HOOD LINER WAS BURNED WHERE IT WAS CLOSEST TO THE TOP OF THE ENGINE AND IT SEEMED TO BE CAUSED BY THE ENGINE HEAT, BUT I HADN'T RULED OUT HUMAN ACTION. I WAS CONSIDERING TEARING THE LINER OUT WHEN MY CAR BURNED UP (I HAD NOT OWNED THE CAR LONG). *TR