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Recalls surge for millions of vehicles as more parked cars burst into flame

Modern vehicles have a terrifying knack for spontaneous combustion, at least that’s what it looks like when it happens.

According to a recent Carfax estimate, about 3.2 million vehicles nationwide are under a “park outside” recall order due to a fire hazard, numbers confirmed by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

Due to complications associated with high-tech batteries and other electronics, some cars are even catching fire while parked and turned off.

Here & Now‘s Indira Lakshmanan speaks with Washington Post reporter Todd Frankel about why modern cars are so prone to bursting into flames, and what it’s like being the unlucky owner when your car self-immolates.

This article was originally published on WBUR.org.

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