I was driving my car when all of a sudden my check engine light came on and was flashing and my battery light came on. I was about to switch lanes to pull over and I lost power, brakes, and steering. I just made it into a parking lot about five feet from a building when my car all of a sudden started smoking. I popped my hood but it wouldn't come open. Within about a minute and a half my hood started melting sparks were falling from the underneath of my car and through the grill I could see a small fire. Within two minutes my car was on fire! I had to call to fire department and my car is completely totaled and burnt to a crisp ! before the fire department came a volunteer fire fighter just happened to drive by and fire extinguished it but it didn't do a thing. Now I am out my car...my lively hood..and the $4500 I spent 1 year ago.

- Butler, PA, USA

The contact owns a 2002 Volkswagen Jetta. The contact stated the vehicle engulfed into flames while parked and unoccupied. In addition, one or two days prior to the failure the ABS warning indicator illuminated. The fire department extinguished the flames and advised that the fire originated near the ABS control module. The engine compartment was completely damaged and the vehicle was towed to the contact's residence. There was a recall associated with the failure under NHTSA campaign id number 02V031000 (service brakes, hydraulic) however, the contact's VIN was not included. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the problem. The approximate failure mileage was 220,000.

- Cuyhoga Falls, OH, USA