Last week, we reported on the steadily growing number of 2013 Scion FR-S and Subaru BRZ owners reporting engine failures shortly after taking their cars in for a valve spring-related recall. The story centered around a registry thread on the FT86Club forums containing owner accounts of their sports cars failing—often on the side of the road. Full disclosure: I am one of those owners. Last time we checked, the thread contained 17 incidents (15 Scions and 2 Subarus). As of Friday morning, the count is at 30 (27 Scions and 3 Subarus).

Included in that list is forum user kimkong1981, who goes by Mike in most other real-life forums and whose FR-S reportedly went up in flames two weeks after doing the valve spring recall.

According to Mike, he took his car in to Toyota of Berkeley for the service on January 29, got the car back and, much like myself, didn't think anything of it for a couple of weeks. On February 17, three hours into a drive on California's Highway 1, Mike "tapped the brakes to slow down" at around 25 to 30 mph before feeling the rear tires of the FR-S give out and seeing the traction control light flash, which was peculiar given the low speed and dry conditions.

Taking his foot off and on the brake again produced the same result. Suspecting a brake issue, he then downshifted from third to second gear. "After second was engaged, [I] heard a pop, saw the hood jump up as if something inside hit it," he wrote.

After coasting around a hairpin turn, Mike apparently began to "feel my feet and legs get burning hot." He then "saw flames through the window coming from the driver's side tire well." So he stopped and exited the vehicle ASAP. "Fire spread and engulfed the entire car. Total loss."