NHTSA Complaint #10994064 — 2016 VOLVO XC90

MY HUSBAND, MOTHER-IN-LAW, AND THREE YEAR OLD SON WERE DRIVING IN THE VEHICLE SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 18TH, 2017. AS MY HUSBAND TURNED DOWN OUR ROAD HE STATED HE SMELLED SMOKE, BUT DIDN'T REALIZE IT WAS COMING FROM THE VEHICLE. HE PULLED INTO OUR DRIVEWAY AND PARKED. THEY THEN SAW SMOKE SEEPING OUT OF THE HOOD. MY MOTHER-IN-LAW EXITED AND MY HUSBAND REMOVED MY SON FROM THE BURNING CAR. I CAME OUTSIDE TO GREET THEM AND WITNESSED THIS. HE THEN OPENED THE HOOD AND THERE WERE SIGNIFICANT FLAMES ON THE DRIVER SIDE POSTERIOR AREA OF THE ENGINE. HE RAN FOR OUR FIRE EXTINGUISHER WHILE I CALLED 911. HE PUT OUT THE FIRE WITH THE EXTINGUISHER AND THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED WITHIN FIVE MINUTES. THEY INSPECTED, OPENED THE TOP COVER OF THE BATTERY AND DISCONNECTED IT. THEY REPORTED TO US THAT IT APPEARED TO BE AN ELECTRICAL FIRE OCCURRING AT THE AREA OF THE BATTERY. AFTER INSPECTION BY VOLVO AND OUR INSURANCE COMPANY, THE DAMAGE WAS DETERMINED TO BE CAUSED BY RODENTS CHEWING ON THE ELECTRICAL WIRING INSIDE THE ENGINE CAUSING THE SHORTAGE AND SUBSEQUENT FIRE. THE DAMAGE WAS VALUED AND PAID AT A COST OF $11,000 (COVERED BY INSURANCE AFTER DEDUCTIBLE). THERE ARE MULTIPLE ARTICLES INDICATING ATTRACTION OF RODENTS TO THE NEWER SOY-BASED ELECTRICAL WIRE INSULATION. HTTPS://WWW.FORBES.COM/SITES/MICHAELDUNNE/2017/02/19/RATS-NEW-CARS-SOY-COATED-WIRES-GIVE-RODENTS-PLENTY-TO-CHEW-ON/#2C8BCBD780AB HTTP://WWW.NBCLOSANGELES.COM/NEWS/LOCAL/CLASS-ACTION-LAWSUIT-ALLEGES-RODENTS-CHEWING-EATING-CAR-WIRING-393480601.HTML WE ARE CONCERNED FOR FUTURE USE AND FOR THE SAFETY OF OTHERS.