NHTSA Complaint #719951 — 1990 VOLKSWAGEN CORRADO

ON JAN. 13, 2000 I CALLED A 1-8OO# TO VOLKSWAGEN OF AMERICA TO ASK FOR AN INVESTIGATOR TO COME AND INVESTIGATE[AS A COURTSEY] WHY ON JAN. 6, 2000 MY 1990 CORRADO WITH 39006 MILES STARTED AN ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE WHILE RUNNING 60 MILES AN HOUR ON AN INTERSTATE. THE CAR HAD BEEN DRIVEN 11 MILES ON THE DAY WHEN THE FIRE STARTED. THE POWER AND BRAKING SYSTEMS WERE GONE. THE RETRACTABLE SHOULDER HARNESS AND SEAT BELTS WOULD NOT RELEASE. THREE FIRE ENGINES FROM THREE DIFFERENT LOCATIONS RESPONDED, A CHP STOPPED TO HELP. THERE IS A REPORT THAT STATES WELL INVOLVED VEHICLE ENGINE COMPARTMENT FIRE. UNABLE TO DETERMINE THE CAUSE OF FIRE WHICH INCLUDED FORM OF HEAT. I WAS TOLD I HAD TO MANY MILES ON MY CAR.I BOUGHT AN EXTENDED WARRANTY ON MY CAR FOR SEVEN YEARS OR SEVENTY THOUSAND MILES.ALL RECALLS THAT WE EVER RECEIVED NOTICE OF WERE TAKEN IN FOR RECALL CHECKS. MY WINDSHIELD HAD A FLAT SPOT IN IT THAT I COULD NEVER GET THEM TO EXCHANGE.THE WIPERS NEVER WORKED PROPERLY.JUST BEFORE THIS FIRE . MY CAR HAD BEGAN TO BUCK AND SHUT OFF ONLY TO REFIRE AND START AND CONTINUE RUNNING. THE INSURANCE ADJUSTER WOULD NOT LISTEN TO ME ABOUT HAVING AN INVESTIGATION.AS I HAD JUST BURIED A FAMILY ON THE JAN. 3, AND MY SON AND GRANDSON WERE TRAMATIZED BY THE FIRE AND THE HEAT, PLUS BEING UNABLE TO GET THE SEAT BELTS AND HARNESSES RELEASED. I DON'T WANT ANOTHER THREE YEAR OLD CHILD TO EXPERIENCE WHAT NICKOLUS DID.EVERY DAY HE PLAYS OUT THE CARS BURNING AND THE CHILDREN BEING STUCK IN THE CAR. PERSONALLY, I WAS AMAZED BY THE RESPONSE THAT I GOT FROM VOLKSWAGON OF AMERICA. TWENTY THOUSAND DOLLARS SEEMED ENORMOUS WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR BUT I WAS SOLD ON A VW HAVING OWNED SEVERAL OTHERS OVER THE YEARS. AT PRESENT I OWN A 1990 TOYOTA TRUCK, 1946 FORD SEDAN AND A 1931 MODEL A RODSTER. I NEED SOME HELP AND I NEED THE MESSAGE TO GET OUT TO OTHER CORRADO OWNERS. AS A PREVIOUS BURN SURVIVOR WITH OVER SEVENTY[70] PERCENT SCARING AND DISFIGUREMENT I BELIEVE IN PREVENTION.SHERI THURMAN