NHTSA Complaint #11359869 — 2019 VOLKSWAGEN E-GOLF

THE CAR WAS LAST DRIVEN 9/16/2020 AROUND 5:30PM. IT HAD APPROXIMATELY 90 MILES LEFT AS AN ESTIMATED BATTERY CHARGE. IT WAS PARKED IN MY DRIVEWAY. ON 9/17 3:20PM OR SO I WALKED OUT OF MY HOUSE AND SMELLED SOMETHING BURNING. I OPENED THE CAR DOOR AND HEARD AN ALERT AND THE DISPLAY SAID ELECTRICAL SYSTEM ERROR. I TRIED TURNING THE CAR ON AND OFF A FEW TIMES, NOTICED A LIGHT SMELL INSIDE THE CAR. I CONTINUED TO GET THE ELECTRICAL ERROR MESSAGE. I CALLED FOR VW ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE, TOOK THE CAR SEATS OUT, AND WHILE WAITING TO BE CONNECTED TO ROADSIDE ASSISTANCE I HEARD A SMALL POP SOUND AND A LITTLE SMOKE COME FROM THE HOOD AREA. MY HUSBAND CALLED 9-1-1. WITHIN ABOUT 5 MINUTES, WE HEARD MORE POPPING, SAW MORE SMOKE, AND THEN SAW FLAMES COMING FROM BENEATH THE CAR. A FIRE ENGINE ARRIVED AND WORKED ON PUTTING OUT THE FIRE. THE BATTERY HEATED/SMOKED/FLARED UP FOR ABOUT 3 HOURS UNTIL IT WAS DEEMED SAFELY OUT, AND FIREFIGHTERS LEFT. AS OF NOW, 3:30PM ON 9/18/2020, THERE ARE STILL FLARE UPS ON THE BATTERY AND IT IS UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT. PLEASE HELP WITH THIS INVESTIGATION AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. THIS CAR IS EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.