# 2002 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
> NHTSA complaint `609019` · 2007-01-09 · Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
## Severity
- **Deaths:** 0
- **Injured:** 0
- **Fire:** Yes
- **Crash:** No
- **Police report:** No
- **Medical attention:** No
- **Vehicle towed:** No
## Vehicle
- **Make:** VOLKSWAGEN
- **Model:** PASSAT
- **Year:** 2002
- **Manufacturer:** Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
- **Component:** ENGINE AND ENGINE COOLING:EXHAUST SYSTEM
## Narrative
OWNER STARTED UP ENGINE OF VOLKSWAGEN, RAN BACK INSIDE HOUSE TO GET WALLET. CAME BACK 2-3 MINUTES LATER AND SAW SMOKE AND FLAMES FROM CENTER OF DASHBOARD AREA. CALLED 911 AND RAN BACK INSIDE TO SHUT WINDOWS BECAUSE SMOKE WAS COMING INTO THE HOUSE. RADIO HAD NOT BEEN WORKING FOR SEVERAL WEEKS PRIOR TO THE FIRE INCIDENT. WITHIN ONE WEEK PRIOR TO THE FIRE INCIDENT, THE DIGITAL READOUT IN THE CLIMATE CONTROL PANEL FLASHED AND LOOKED SCRAMBLED. VEHICLE BURNED THROUGHOUT PASSENGER COMPARTMENT, SCORCHING TO UNDERSIDE OF FRONT FLOOR AND TRANSAXLE NEAR EXHAUST SYSTEM.  *NM
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*Source: [NHTSA ODI](https://www-odi.nhtsa.dot.gov/downloads/) · AI Analytics · CC0 1.0*