2006 MERCURY MARINER HYBRID DRIVEN TWICE ON DEC. 19 TOTAL OF ABOUT 70 MILES OVER THE COURSE OF THE DAY. NO APPARENT PROBLEMS OR WARNINGS DURING THE TRIPS. LAST DRIVEN AT 4:30 P.M. WE WERE AWAKENED AT 1:30 A.M. BY OUR SON WHO WAS VISITING ASKING FOR OUR OTHER VEHICLE KEYS AS THE MARINER HAD EXPLODED IN OUR DRIVEWAY. HE SAW FLICKERING FLAMES IN THE BACK CARGO AREA. THE ADJACENT TRUCK WAS MOVED OUT OF HARMS WAY AND THE CAR WAS BY THEN ENGULFED IN FLAMES IN THE INTERIOR WITH FLAMES SHOOTING OUT OF THE BATTERY VENT. THE WINDOWS BLEW OUT AND TWO MORE BLUISH EXPLOSIONS CAME FROM THE BACK OF THE CAR. THE CAR IS A TOTAL LOSS. IT DEFINITELY BURNED MORE HEAVILY IN THE BACK WHERE THE HYBRID BATTERIES ARE LOCATED. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT AND SHERIFF RESPONDED. WE ARE AWAITING A DECISION FOR OUR NEXT STEP FROM THE DEALERSHIP AND OUR INSURANCE CARRIER. *TR