NHTSA Complaint #11114596 — 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN

TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2011 VOLKSWAGEN ROUTAN. WHILE DRIVING APPROXIMATELY 35 MPH, ALL THE WARNING INDICATORS ILLUMINATED AND WHITE SMOKE AND FLAMES EMERGED FROM THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THE CONTACT PULLED THE VEHICLE OVER TO THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND REMOVED THE THREE CHILD PASSENGERS FROM THE VEHICLE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS NOT PRESENT. NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED. THE FIRE EXTINGUISHED ITSELF WHEN THE VEHICLE WAS TURNED OFF. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO AN INDEPENDENT MECHANIC WHO DETERMINED THAT THE BATTERY AND THE ALTERNATOR WERE BURNT AND NEEDED REPLACEMENT. THE VEHICLE WAS REPAIRED, BUT THE REPAIRS WERE INSUFFICIENT. THE VEHICLE WAS TOWED TO THE DEALER (NEFTIN WESTLAKE VOLKSWAGEN, 3550 AUTO MALL DRIVE, THOUSAND OAKS, CALIFORNIA 91362) WHERE IT WAS DIAGNOSED THAT THE TOTALLY INTEGRATED PROGRAM MODULE AND TRANSMISSION CONTROL MODULE NEEDED TO BE REPLACED. THE VEHICLE WAS NOT REPAIRED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS NOTIFIED OF THE FAILURE. THE APPROXIMATE FAILURE MILEAGE WAS 50,000.