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'92 300TE caught fire today

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

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

Reply to
Chas Hurst

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

Reply to
cp

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

Reply to
Chip L

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.

Reply to
Tiger

Before getting all legal on there ass, 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

Reply to
Martin Joseph

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

Reply to
Chip L

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