NHTSA Complaint #10597939 — 2012 TOYOTA HIGHLANDER

VEHICLE GOT STUCK IN SHALLOW WET SAND, WITHIN LESS THAN A COUPLE MINS OF ATTEMPTS TO MOVE FORWARD AND BACKWARD BY SPINNING WHEELS , THE CAR STARTED SMOKING AND BECAME FULLY ENGULFED IN FLAMES. IT WAS A TOTAL LOSS. THE ISSUE IS THE LITTLE THAT IT TOOK TO START A FIRE LIKE THIS - PERHAPS SOME COMPONENT NEEDS TO HAVE SAFETY FEATURE ADDED OR STERN WARNING COMMUNICATED AND POSTED IN THE CAR OF THIS DANGER. WE LEARNED THAT LESSON THE VERY HARD WAY. INTERNET SEARCHES AFTER THE FACT SHOW OCCURRENCES OF THIS SAME SCENARIO ON ICE, ETC ON MODERN CARS. *TR