NHTSA Complaint #10785569 — 2015 HYUNDAI ELANTRA

I BEGAN MY LEASE ON MY ELANTRA IN SEPT OF 2014. AT MY YEAR ANNIVERSARY I HAD IT SERVICED BY THE DEALER OF THE LEASE AND WAS GIVEN A CLEAN BILL OF CAR HEALTH. HOWEVER, ON SEVERAL OCCASIONS THE CAR HAD, AS I CALLED IT, "A MIND OF ITS OWN" MEANING THAT WHILE I WAS DRIVING, USUALLY SOMEWHERE AROUND 40-55 MPH WITHOUT ME PUSHING DOWN ON THE GAS PEDAL THE CAR WOULD ACCELERATE ON ITS OWN. IT WOULD STOP AS SOON AS I COMPLETELY LET OFF THE GAS PEDAL BUT IT HAPPENED ENOUGH TO BE CONSIDERED STRANGE. I WAS PLANNING TO ASK THE DEALER ABOUT IT AT MY NEXT OIL CHANGE. NOT NECESSARY NOW! SUNDAY AFTERNOON 10/18/15, I WENT TO START THE CAR AND IT SPUTTERED AND STALLED OUT. I TURNED THE KEY IN THE IGNITION AGAIN AND IT REPEATED. AFTER THE 3RD TIME AND GIVING IT SOME GAS THE CAR STARTED AND RAN OK. I HAD 3 STOPS THAT I MADE, EACH TIME THE CAR WAS TURNED OFF AND BACK ON WITH NO ISSUE. I RETURNED HOME AND NOT EVEN 5 MINUTES AFTER THE CAR WAS PARKED AND SHUT OFF, THERE WERE FLAMES SHOOTING OUT BETWEEN THE HOOD AND WINDSHIELD. I HIT THE FIRE EMERGENCY ON MY HOUSE ALARM SYSTEM TO SIGNAL FOR THE FIRE DEPT AND THEN RAN OUTSIDE WITH MY HUSBAND AND 2 FIRE EXTINGUISHERS, EMPTYING ONE AND HAVING ZERO EFFECT ON THE FIRE. MY HUSBAND THEN TURNED THE HOSE ON AND WAS TRYING TO CONTAIN THE FIRE WITH THE HOSE WATER. IN THE 10 MINUTES IT TOOK FOR THE FIRE DEPT TO GET THERE, THE ENTIRE FRONT END WAS LITERALLY A SHELL OF REMAINING METAL AND DRIPPING MELTED PLASTIC. THE ENTIRE WINDSHEILD EXPLODED FROM THE HEAT OF THE FIRE AND WAS INSIDE THE CAR. INSURANCE INSPECTOR SAYS THE SOURCE CAME FROM BEHIND THE BATTERY - WHICH HE SAID WAS EITHER THE ELECTRIC OR COMPUTER PANEL. EITHER WAY.. IT WAS A SCARY SITUATION. 10 MINUTES IS NOT A VERY LONG TIME TO HAVE THE ENTIRE FRONT END DISINTEGRATE FROM FIRE