IllustrationWhile driving on the highway, a strong burning smell began inside the vehicle, similar to a brush or forest fire. At first it was unclear whether the smell was coming from outside, but when traffic slowed, smoke was seen coming from the driver-side wheel well and from under the front hood. No warning lights, alerts, temperature …
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While driving on the highway, a strong burning smell began inside the vehicle, similar to a brush or forest fire. At first it was unclear whether the smell was coming from outside, but when traffic slowed, smoke was seen coming from the driver-side wheel well and from under the front hood. No warning lights, alerts, temperature warnings, or malfunction messages appeared before or during the smoke. The vehicle was moved off the highway to a side road. Upon opening the hood, light but steady smoke continued from the engine area. The coolant reservoir was full and there were no visible leaks. The vehicle continued to smoke consistently for approximately 50 minutes while waiting for a tow truck. After the vehicle was loaded onto the flatbed and transported back toward the highway, an orange glow became visible inside the cabin, indicating an active fire had started inside the interior. The tow truck driver immediately pulled over, used a fire extinguisher, and unloaded the vehicle from the flatbed for safety. Smoke increased significantly from the cabin and wheels. Both white and black smoke were present. Police and fire department personnel responded to the scene and extinguished the fire. The vehicle was a nearly new plug-in hybrid with low mileage, and there were no dashboard warnings or prior symptoms of failure. The cause of the fire is unknown, but it appears related to a malfunction involving the electrical, battery, thermal-management, or propulsion systems. The event presented a significant safety hazard to occupants, the tow operator, and other motorists.