MY SON DROVE HOME FROM SCHOOL, PARKED THE 1999 PONTIAC GRAND PRIX IN OUR FRONT YARD, WENT INSIDE FOR A FEW MINUTES BEFORE COMING OUT AGAIN TO FEED OUR ANIMALS AND NOTICED THAT SMOKE WAS COMING FROM UNDERNEATH THE HOOD. TRIED TO LIFT HOOD, BUT THEN NOTICED SMALL FLAMES AND DID NOT CONTINUE TO OPEN, BUT WENT AROUND THE HOUSE TO GET A WATER HOSE TO SPRINKLE ON THE CAR. LONG STORY SHORT, THE ENTIRE FRONT END OF THE CAR BURNED AND IS A TOTAL LOSS. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT CAME AND EXTINGUISHED THE FIRE AS IT WAS FAR BEYOND WHAT OUR HOME FIRE EXTINGUISHER COULD HANDLE. THE FLAMES AND DRIPPING MELTED PLASTIC IGNITED THE SHRUBS IN MY FRONT YARD IN FRONT OF THE DECK, AND IF THE FIRE DEPARTMENT HAD NOT GOTTEN THERE WHEN THEY DID, MY DECK AND HOME WOULD HAVE BEEN BURNED DOWN AS WELL. I HAVE FILED A CLAIM WITH MY INSURANCE COMPANY, BUT BELIEVE THIS SHOULD NEVER HAVE HAPPENED. I HAVE NOW FOUND A RECALL #08V118000 WHICH DESCRIBES WHAT MAY HAPPEN AS A CONSEQUENCE OF THE DEFECT, AND IT MATCHES VERY NEARLY WITH WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED IN MY YARD. GM SHOULD BE HELD LIABLE FOR THE REPLACEMENT OF MY VEHICLE, CLEANUP OF MY YARD, REPLACEMENT OF MY HEDGES, AND FOR SCARING (TRAUMATIZING) MY SON, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF MY FAMILY. I AM THANKFUL THAT THE CAR WAS NOT BEING DRIVEN WHEN THIS HAPPENED AND THAT NO ONE WAS INJURED, BUT AM ANGRY THAT GM WAS AWARE THAT THIS COULD HAPPEN AND WE NEVER RECEIVED ANY NOTIFICATION OF THIS THROUGH THE MAIL OR THROUGH THE DEALERSHIP WHERE WE PURCHASED THIS VEHICLE USED IN 20