I WAS DRIVING MY 1997 PASSAT WHEN IT STARTED TO OVER HEAT. THE TEMPERATURE GAGE ROSE VERY QUICKLY AND I IMMEDIATELY TOOK THE NEXT EXIT OFF OF THE FREEWAY ( 1/8 OF A MILE IN DISTANCE). WHEN THE TEMPERATURE GAGE REACHED 240 DEGREES MY RED DASHBOARD LIGHT STARTED TO FLASH. I DECIDED THAT I NEEDED TO PULL OVER IMMEDIATELY. WITHIN SECONDS, NOT MINUTES, I HEARD A LOUD POP SOUND, LIKE AN EXPLOSION. STEAM SHOT OUT AT MYSELF AND MY DAUGHTER INSIDE THE CAR AND WE WERE SPRAYED WITH BOILING LIQUID ON OUR FEET AND LOWER LEGS. VISABLILITY WAS ALMOST ZERO FROM THE SPRAYING STEAM AS I SWERVED INTO THE NEAREST PARKING LOT. I TRIED TO COME TO A STOP IN THE NEAREST PARKING SPACE BUT I COULD NO LONGER KEEP MY FOOT ON THE BRAKE PEDAL BECAUSE MY FOOT WAS BEING SPRAYED WITH BOILING WATER. I THREW THE CAR INTO PARK AND TRIED TO GRAB THE EMERGENCY BRAKE, BUT WE HAD ALREADY JUMPED THE PARKING SPACE CURB AND HIT A LARGE BUSH. THE ENTIRE FRONT INSIDE OF MY CAR IS DAMAGED FROM WATER AND COOLANT, AND THE FRONT OF MY CAR ON THE OUTSIDE HAS A DENT AND PUNCTURE IN THE BUMPER. THE MECHANIC THAT CAME TO MY AID TOLD ME THAT THE HEATER CORE HAD EXPLODED. I DON'T KNOW WHAT WOULD HAVE HAPPENED IF I HAD NOT NOTICED MY CAR OVER HEATING, AND I HAD STILL BEEN ON THE BUSY FREEWAY DRIVING 55 MPH WHEN THIS EXPLOSION OCCURED! REPAIRS HAVE NOT BEEN MADE. THE CAR IS AT A REPAIR SHOP. I'M NOT SURE WHAT TO DO NEXT.