← NHTSA complaints

2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSAT — ELECTRICAL SYSTEM

fire · 783146 · 2010-04-22

Vehicle

Make
VOLKSWAGEN
Model
PASSAT
Year
2003
Manufacturer
Volkswagen Group of America, Inc.
Component
ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Miles at failure
92,000

Severity

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

Narrative

ON APRIL 20, 2010 MY 2003 VOLKSWAGEN PASSATS CHECK ENGINE LIGHT CAME ON AT AROUND 4:45 PM. I IMMEDIATELY CALLED THE PLACE WHO DOES ALL MY REPAIR WORK, AND WAS TOLD I COULD DROP OFF THE CAR THAT NIGHT, AND THEY WOULD CHECK IT OUT THE FOLLOWING MORNING. I ARRIVED AT THE LOCATION AROUND 5:10, PARKED THE CAR AND WENT TO PLACE MY KEY IN THE NIGHT DROP BOX. WHEN I WALKED BACK TO THE CAR I SAW SMOKE COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE HOOD. I RAISED THE HOOD AND SAW FLAMES COMING FROM WHAT LOOKED LIKE UNDER THE BACK OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT. THEN I NOTICED THAT THERE WERE FLAMES COMING OUT FROM UNDER THE DASHBOARD INSIDE THE CAR. I CALLED 911 AND RAN TO A NEARBY GAS STATION TO GET A FIRE EXTINGUISHER. WHEN I GOT BACK TO THE CAR THERE WERE FLAMES VISIBLE INSIDE THE CAR. I USED THE ENTIRE FIRE EXTINGUISHER AND IT DID NOT EVEN PHASE THE FIRE. WITHIN 1 MINUTE THE ENTIRE CAR WAS ENGULFED IN FLAMES. THE FIRE DEPT. ARRIVED WITHIN 6 MINUTES AND THE CAR WAS GONE. *TR

Source

Authoritative
NHTSA ODI Flat-File Downloads
ODI Number
10327020
Machine
JSON-LD · Markdown