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2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE

fire · 579322 · 2006-04-16

Vehicle

Make
VOLKSWAGEN
Model
JETTA
Year
2003
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Component
ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:ENGINE
Miles at failure
47,000

Severity

Deaths
0
Injured
0
Fire
Yes
Crash
No
Police report
Yes
Medical attention
No
Vehicle towed
No

Narrative

2003 VOLKSWAGEN JETTA CAUGHT ON FIRE WHILE DRIVING. A VEHICLE FOLLOWING MY SONS CAR ON A MAJOR INTERSTATE (MY SON WAS OUT OF STATE RETURNING HOME) NOTICED SMOKE COMING FROM UNDER THE CAR AND BLOW HORN AND FLICKERED LIGHTS. MY SON LOOKED IN HIS REAR VIEW MIRROR AND SAW SMOKE AND IMMEDIATELY PULLED OFF THE ROAD. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CALLED BY VEHICLE FOLLOWING. THE JETTA NEVER LOST POWER AND WHEN HE PULLED OFF THE ROAD AND HE HAD TO TURN THE IGNITION OFF. THE JETTA WAS SMOKING AND THE FIRE STARTED IMMEDIATELY AND WITH IN MINUTES FULL FLAMES. THERE WAS A LOUD BOOM AND IT CAME FROM THE FRONT OF THE JETTA. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT COULD NOT GET THE FIRE OUT AND HAD TO BREAK THROUGH THE HOOD. THE WHOLE FRONT (ENGINE AREA) WAS BURNED. THE JETTA WAS STILL UNDER WARRANTY THEREFORE WE PERSONALLY WENT TO THE DEALERSHIP TO REPORT (THINKING STILL UNDER WARRANTY THEY WOULD PROVIDE A RENTAL AND WANT TO INVESTIGATE) ALL THEY DID WAS REFER US TO VOLKSWAGEN. I CONTACTED VOLKSWAGEN ON MARCH 27, 2005 AND TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT I HAD TO REPORT TO MY INSURANCE. VOLKSWAGEN ALSO TOLD ME THAT IF IT WAS A MANUFACTURER DEFECT.... THEY WOULD ONLY PAY WHAT INSURANCE WOULD PAY??????? MY SON ALSO TALKED TO THE OWNER OF THE DEALERSHIP AND ALL THAT WAS SAID IS HE (THE DEALERSHIP OWNER) WAS SORRY AND GOOD THING HE (MY SON ) HAD INSURANCE. THE DEALERSHIP DIDN'T EVEN OFFER TO TRY AND HELP US GET BACK INTO A VEHICLE. THERE WAS NO INDICATION (NO ENGINE WARNING, NO POWER LOSE, SMELL ETC.) THERE WAS ANYTHING W

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10155426
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown