NHTSA Complaint #11564454 — 2016 VOLVO XC90

I OWNED A 2016 VOLVO XC 90 IN VERY GOOD CONDITION. IN EARLY SEPTEMBER 2023, I TOOK IT FOR AN OIL SERVICE. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, I NOTICED A WARNING LIGHT FOR LOW COOLANT AND WAS SURPRISED THAT I HAD TO POUR MORE THAN A HALF GALLON TO REFILL (THIS SOON AFTER SERVICE). A FEW DAYS LATER, I TOOK THE CAR TO HAVE BRAKES CHANGED AND THEY ALSO NEEDED TO REPLACE AN OIL/AIR SEPARATOR PART. AFTER GETTING THE CAR BACK, IT SAT ON DRIVEWAY FOR WEEK. UPON RETURNING FROM OUR TRIP, MY WIFE DROVE THE CAR AND IT STARTED SMOKING FROM HOOD WHILE ON [XXX] IN CHICAGO, NO WARNING LIGHTS SEEN. SHE WAS ABLE TO TAKE AN EXIT RAMP AND FIND AN EMPTY CURBSIDE SPACE TO PULL OVER. WITHIN MINUTES THE SMOKE TURNED TO FIRE AND VEHICLE BURNED EXTENSIVELY BEFORE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED (~15 MINUTES LATER). THE INSURANCE COMPANY (STATE FARM) DECLARED IT A TOTAL LOSS AND SETTLED OUR CLAIM, HOWEVER WE DO NOT BELIEVE THEY TOOK ANY FURTHER ACTION ON INVESTIGATING THE REASON FOR FIRE. WE BELIEVE THE FIRE WAS LIKELY RELATED TO ISSUE WITH COOLANT SYSTEM. WE NOTICED A PUDDLE ON DRIVEWAY WHERE THE CAR WAS PARKED THAT LOOKED LIKE OIL, BUT IT DRIED QUITE QUICKLY SO WAS MORE LIKELY TO HAVE BEEN COOLANT. ON SEARCHING THE INTERNET FOR FIRE RELATED ISSUE FOR VOLVOS, WE FOUND A FORUM THAT DISCUSSED A SERIES OF FIRES (10-12) FOR 2016 VOLVO XC90 RELATED TO COOLANT SYSTEM ISSUE. APPARENTLY THERE WAS A RECALL FOR THIS, THOUGH APPEARS TO BE FOCUSED ON EUROPEAN DIESEL MODELS. IN DISCUSSING THE ISSUE WITH THE REPAIR SHOP THAT LAST SERVICED THE CAR, THEY INSISTED IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN OIL RELATED AND MENTIONED PROBLEM COULD HAVE BEEN FROM RODENTS EATING THROUGH WIRES, BUT THAT SEEMS UNLIKELY TO ME. INFORMATION REDACTED PURSUANT TO THE FREEDOM OF INFORMATION ACT (FOIA), 5 U.S.C. 552(B)(6)