DRIVING ON I-40 APPROXIMATELY 60 MPH. VEHICLE BEGAN TO EMIT DARK SMOKE FROM REAR OF VEHICLE. WHEN SLOWING THE VEHICLE DOWN TO SAFELY EXIT HIGHWAY, DASH LIGHTS FLASHED AND ENGINE STOPPED RESULTING IN LOSS OF ALL POWER AND STEERING. WAS FORCED TO STEER VEHICLE TO SIDE OF OFF RAMP AND WHEN COMING TO A COMPLETE STOP, THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT BY THE FRONT WINDOW BURST INTO FLAMES. FORTUNATELY A TOW TRUCK COMPANY WAS VERY CLOSE BY, WITNESSED THE INCIDENT, AND ATTEMPTED TO EXTINGUISH THE FIRE ALONG WITH A DRIVER FROM A LOCAL CABLE COMPANY. BLAZE WAS EVENTUALLY CONTROLLED ONCE THE FIRE DEPARTMENT ARRIVED ON SCENE. AFTER RESEARCHING THIS INCIDENT, I AM VERY THANKFUL NO ONE WAS PHYSICALLY INJURED. GIVEN THE NUMBER OF SIMILAR REPORTS, IT WOULD SEEM THE PUBLIC SHOULD BE NOTIFIED OF THE REAL RISK WITH THESE VEHICLES BEFORE ANYONE ELSE IS INJURED OR KILLED. *TR