'92 300TE caught fire today

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Chip L - 24 Jul 2005 03:04 GMT

Had oil service and tire balance/rotation today. Engine died while driving.
The electrical connections on top of the drivers wheel well were on fire. I
put the fire out with some bottled water but the fire had gotten down to the
plastic inside the wheel well and was burning / melting onto the front tire.

Flagged down a motorist who went to the local fire station about a mile
away. Within about 3 minutes the fire fighters arrived and doused the
flames.

The car is not a total loss but it will take some work to get it right. The
front passenger fender is burn and will need to be repainted.

Any known issues which might have lead to the blaze?

Chip L

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Chas Hurst - 24 Jul 2005 03:43 GMT

> Had oil service and tire balance/rotation today. Engine died while driving.
> The electrical connections on top of the drivers wheel well were on fire. I
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>
> Chip L

A good place start would be the work done on the car. Call your insurance
agent too.

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cp - 24 Jul 2005 09:51 GMT

> A good place start would be the work done on the car. Call your insurance
> agent too.

There should be a requirement, as there is in civilized countries, for all motorists to carry fire extinguishers. A bit back some
car caught fire here on the freeway and two people died. Rush hour traffic and no one had a fire extinguisher and just watched.

cp

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Chip L - 24 Jul 2005 17:08 GMT

Thats it. When I returned home after the fire, there was a lot of oil on my
garage floor where my car was parked upon returning from oil service. Now I
have to prove that the fire was due to an improper oil filter replacement.

The fire was just behind the oil filter can and in the driver wheel well.

Going back to the car today (still in school parking lot) to take some pics
and check the oil level

> A good place start would be the work done on the car. Call your insurance
> agent too.

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Tiger - 24 Jul 2005 22:40 GMT

I suggest you contact lawyer on proper way to record the
incidence...actually, call the insurance company first to get their
inspector to visit the car... so you can claim against the garage who did
your oil change.

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Martin Joseph - 25 Jul 2005 19:14 GMT

> I suggest you contact lawyer on proper way to record the
> incidence...actually, call the insurance company first to get their
> inspector to visit the car... so you can claim against the garage who
> did your oil change.

Before getting all legal on there a.s, try contacting the garage
directly and explaining what happened. See if they are willing to
repair your car for you.

If they are smart they will do this, as avoiding lawyers save both of
you a bunch of money in the long run.

Marty

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Chip L - 25 Jul 2005 20:03 GMT

I had a very positive and productive phone call to AAA complaint center
(the work was done at an AAA Car Care Center). The agent took all my
info, explained that it would be forwarded to the local shop for
resolution. If no resolution, it would go the the GM. If still no
resolution, it would go to the VP.

I contacted the local shop to give the manager a heads up that a
complaint was coming. He was sincerely appreciative that I didn't blind
side him with the issue.

I feel fairly optimistic that the shop will, at least, share the
responsibility for the repair

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