2009 Volkswagen Fox reviews

Volkswagen Fox 1.4i 2009

Travelling home from a meeting on Friday 7/5/2010, I was travelling eastbound on the M4 from Bath, when going past junction 13 I noticed in the rear view mirror outside of the car a large plume of white smoke completely covering the rear window. I immediately pulled over to the make an emergency stop on the hard shoulder. I noticed the oil warning light on the dashboard and then smoke appeared from the engine. A passing motorist on the westbound side of the M25 raised the alarm on the extent of the fire, so I immediately tried to escape from the car (jarring my back at the time). I have had a back problem over the last few months which the pain has been easing, and now since trying to get out of the vehicle as fast as humanly possible, I have jarred my back yet again!!!! The motorist was 100% correct in raising the alarm as fluid was leaking profusely from the engine compartment and the flames were getting stronger. I called the fire brigade and they were on the scene within ten minutes. By the time the fire brigade went to work the flames had engulfed the entire front of the car, melting everything including the tyres. Now obviously I did not have time to remove any personal stuff, therefore after the fire brigade doused the flames my belonging in the car were soaked. At the time of the incident I called VW assistance for help. Initially they said there was nothing they could do as my car was on fire and a potential write-off. To my horror they advised me to get the car salvaged and arrange a taxi. I reminded them that my car was only five months old and recently serviced by an authorised VW dealer. I may have been in shock so I hung up and rang back. Again I was advised that the recovery team would not come out to assist me. I had to have a lengthy conversation with someone before the option that VW recovery would arrange a taxi to take me home. Trying to get hold of VW over the weekend was futile. Today they were most ungelpful and even suggested that I may have been smoking! Have there been other cases of a five month old car simply self combusting?