NHTSA Complaint #10565430 — 2010 BUICK LACROSSE

I MOVED MY CAR OUT OF THE DRIVEWAY SO MY NEIGHBOR COULD PLOW. HE SAID HE SMELLED SOMETHING WHILE I WAS IN MY CAR ACROSS FROM OUR DRIVEWAY. I PUT THE VEHICLE IN PARK, PUSHED SHUT OFF/TURN OFF BUTTON, VEHICLE INSTANTANEOUSLY FILLED WITH DARK ROLLS OF SMOKE COMING FROM THE PASSENGER SIDE FROM THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE UNDER THE HOOD. I GRABBED THE DOOR HANDLE JUMPED OUT. MY NEIGHBOR CAME RUNNING TELLING ME TO DISENGAGE THE HOOD, I COMPLIED. FLAMES SHOT UP AND OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD AS IT WAS BEING RELEASED. HE THREW A LOT OF SNOW ON THE FIRE EXTINGUISHING IT. WE INHALED THE MOST OBNOXIOUS FUMES FROM ANY AUTOMOBILE I HAVE HAD THE DISPLEASURE OF HAVING IN MY COMPANY. CAR WILL NOT START. AFTER THIS, MY HUSBAND CAME OUT TO SEE WHAT ALL THE YELLING WAS ABOUT. MY NEIGHBOR EXPLAINED IT TO HIM AND HE UNHOOKED THE BATTERY. THE CAR IS STILL PARKED AT THE SCENE OF THE FIRE. TODAY IS 2/22/2014 AND NO INSURANCE ADJUSTER HAS BEEN HERE YET. OUR TOWN FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED AND THE FIRE CHIEF ASSISTANT CAME THE VERY DAY INCIDENT OCCURRED AND FILLED OUT A FORM, I CONTACTED BUICK AND I HAVE A CLAIM NUMBER AND AM AWAITING FURTHER CONTACT FROM THEM. OUR TOWN HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT PLACED CONES AROUND MY VEHICLE. *TR