THE 2004 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT 1.8 T CAR ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE TODAY WHILE DRIVING THE DRIVER BARELY SAVED HIS LIFE FROM THE FLAMES. THE CAR WOULD CERTAINLY BURN COMPLETELY IF LUCKILY THERE WAS NO FIRE EXTINGUISHER AVAILABLE AT THE NEARBY STORES. ALTHOUGH THE INCIDENT WAS IN ISTANBUL, TURKEY I HAPPENED TO LEARN FROM THE INTERNET THAT NHTSA WAS CONDUCTING AN INVESTIGATIONS ON THE SAME PROBLEM FOR 19 VOLKSWAGEN PASSATS. VOLKSWAGEN DEALER IN TURKEY TOLD ME THAT AN ENGINEER FROM VOLKSWAGEN GERMANY WILL COME TO TURKEY TO PERFORM AN INSPECTION ON THE CAR. NOBODY TOUCHED THE CAR YET. SINCE THE INCIDENT WAS TODAY ANT THE CAR WAS STILL AT THE VOLKSWAGEN AUTHORIZED DEALER SERVICE. I THOUGHT THIS INFORMATION MIGHT BE USEFULL FOR YOUR INVESTIGATION, AND WOULD LIKE TO LEARN YOUR SUGGESTIONS THAT YOU MAY WANT TO SHARE WITH ME. PLEASE WRITE TO MY E-MAIL ADRESS IN CASE YOU NEED DETAILED INFORMATION OR WOULD LIKE TO GET THE PHOTOES OF THE ENGINE CAUGHT ON FIRE. THANKS. *AK