I WAS DRIVING HOME FROM WORK IN THE EARLY AFTERNOON ON AUGUST 21, 2014 WHEN MY CAR SEEMED TO LOSE THROTTLE. I HAD NOTICED IT WAS SLUGGISH TO PICK UP SPEED AROUND 5 MILES BEFORE. IMMEDIATELY BEFORE THE CAR LOST THROTTLE, AS IF IT WERE IN NEUTRAL, THE CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON, AN AUDIBLE ALERT WAS MADE, AND THEN MOST OF THE SERVICE LIGHTS CAME ON. I MANAGED TO PULL THE CAR OVER IN ABOUT 30 SECONDS, AND ONCE I WAS PARKED I COULD SEE FLAMES COMING OUT OF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE HOOD. I TURNED THE CAR OFF AT THAT POINT, GOT OUT, AND CALLED 911. UNFORTUNATELY THE FRONT OF THE VEHICLE WAS COMPLETELY ENGAGED BY THE TIME THE FIRE CREW ARRIVED. THE VEHICLE WAS A TOTAL LOSS.