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Prius caught on fire!

Discussion in 'Gen 2 Prius Main Forum' started by LoreePrius, Nov 21, 2005.

  1. daronspicher

    daronspicher Active Member

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    I was riding my motorcycle on a 'high trees' stretch of road in southern utah about 10 years ago when I came upon an old POS car on the side of the road burning. Two friends of mine and I were walking down the street next to a line of stop-n-go cars when oddly a toyota mr2 was becomming engulfed in flames. One of my buddies grabbed the freaked out woman and pulled her out the window. Very weird..

    And, in Montana (maybe everywhere), there is a big problem with some of those newer $250,000 john deere maximizer combines catching fire.

    They all know it can be a problem and all plan for it to not happen, but somewhere along the way, just about anything can have a design flaw or a bad bearing and catch fire.

    With the Prius having an added amount of high end electrical parts, I'm surprised they didn't have a gremlin or two like this. So far, it sounds like any car... once it happened.. or a couple out of 500,000 have had the problem.
     
  2. storm petrol

    storm petrol Member

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    Well, I am amazed at how this unsubstantiated, third hand, possibly entirely fictional post has generated such a continuous, self-replicating thread of arcane, gaseous commentary. So amazed that I feel this compulsion, like some kind of lower brain stem peristalsis, to deposit my own, utterly inane contribution.

    Oh, well, it is a special day of true gastronomic excess in the seemingly endless sequence of days of excessive consumption here in the land of borrowed plenty.

    In the midst of the paroxysms of spending and eating, I do encourage all of you to consider the truly precious aspects of our lives that Thanksgiving was meant to highlight. Surviving! Even beyond that, survival under harsh circumstances through the beneficence of strangers. Having surviving family members to love, honor and cherish. Warm--enough. Food--enough.

    Oh, and that it was about the time of year that if you didn't eat as much squash and corn and beans and meat as you could possibly choke down, it would soon be rotting anyway!

    Many of us have more, way beyond more than enough to be thankful for...

    Seriously, though, have a happy, wholesome and appreciative Thanksgiving, everyone!

    storm petrol
     
  3. Vincent

    Vincent Don't Wait Until Tomorrow

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    Woman's Bra Catches Fire

    At least that's what the story was; they said she burned it, but it was mostly ashes by the time I worked my way through the crowd.

    Facts, we need Facts on these "reported stories" and the (especially Detroit) press loves to pick up and report negative Prius "stories".
     
  4. CHART

    CHART Member

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    Yesterday, in an effort to help those intelligent souls who were trying to leave town early and beat the Thanksgiving rush, we here in Maryland managed to have a tanker truck with 8,700 gallons of gas catch fire on I-95 south and shut the freeway down for a few hours while it exploded and burned to the ground (http://www.wtop.com/index.php?nid=25&sid=630289)

    The highway department actually had to repave part of the road before all lanes could be re-opened by early afternoon. No Prius involved as far as I can tell!
     
  5. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(LoreePrius @ Nov 21 2005, 11:36 AM) [snapback]159074[/snapback]</div>
    I knew this guy with an old Jaguar e-type; it was just sitting in the garage when it was a victim of spontaneous combustion.

    I carry a fire extinguisher with me at all times, just in case *I* spontaneously combust.

    It happens sometimes, you know...
     
  6. silentak1

    silentak1 Since 2005

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    Well here's a sad story. About 3 years ago a group of M3 fanatics were canyoning around the Irvine hills. Needless to say one driver tried to keep up with the more experienced driver in the front, lost control, crashed, and the car caught on fire. Driver and front passenger walked away with minor bruises and cuts, but the rear seat passenger was locked in the car. He screamed, people heard him, but nobody was able to reach him because the car was engulfed in flames. Now everytime I get into the back of a coupe this story comes to mind.
     
  7. Prius The First

    Prius The First New Member

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    about 25 years ago, my 1966 VW Bug caught fire. Scared the h#ll out of me.
    Got it put out pretty quick though.

    W H E W!!!!!!!!
     
  8. KTPhil

    KTPhil Active Member

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    The Jag probably burned due to a short in the damn Lucas electrics.

    And the VW probably burned because of a leaky rubber gas line (or a loose carb gas pipe fitting) in the engine compartment.

    Both failures are very common.
     
  9. Rangerdavid

    Rangerdavid Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Sufferin' Prius Envy @ Nov 21 2005, 02:53 PM) [snapback]159161[/snapback]</div>
    Thats too funny... :lol: :lol: :lol:

    Actually, I dont think we've ever had a client come in with a DWI (Driving While Impaired here in N.C.) while driving a Prius........ if so, then P & G (pulse and glide) could stand for "pop and gulp" or "peep and guzzle"................ well, you get the idea.

    HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!!! :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:
     
  10. Pinto Girl

    Pinto Girl New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KTPhil @ Oct 13 2006, 05:18 PM) [snapback]332506[/snapback]</div>
    No doubt. If only the weather report had predicted a chance of showers for that day, the electrics would have gone dead entirely and saved the car!
     
  11. BobZ

    BobZ New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(djasonw @ Nov 21 2005, 12:47 PM) [snapback]159083[/snapback]</div>

    Dontcha hate when that happen.......... :wub: :wub:
     
  12. Alnilam

    Alnilam The One in the Middle

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(KTPhil @ Nov 21 2005, 01:08 PM) [snapback]159224[/snapback]</div>
    I put a message on here the other day bashing Bush and I was flamed almost instantly. Third degree burns!

    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tag @ Nov 21 2005, 01:17 PM) [snapback]159232[/snapback]</div>
    See my Penguin joke on FHOP joke thread.
     
  13. Howard

    Howard New Member

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    I found this in my owners manual. Page 256


    What To Do If Your Prius Catches on Fire In Sacramento, CA.


    A fire in one's car or other motor vehicle is a frightening situation which can quickly involve great personal danger to vehicle occupants and bystanders. Although every vehicle fire incident will have certain unique factors present at the time, the National Safety Council offers the following step-by-step general suggestions on what to do if your car (or other motor vehicle) catches on fire.

    While you are moving on a roadway:
    Signal your intentions and move to the right lane.
    Get onto the shoulder or breakdown lane.
    Stop immediately.
    Shut off the engine.
    Get yourself and all other persons out of the vehicle.
    Get far away from the vehicle and stay away from it. Keep onlookers and others away.
    Warn oncoming traffic.
    Notify the fire department.
    Don't attempt to try to put out the fire yourself. (The unseen danger is the possible ignition of fuel in the vehicle's tank.)
    While the vehicle is stopped in traffic or parked:
    Shut off the engine.
    Get far away from the vehicle.
    Warn pedestrians and other vehicles to stay away.
    Notify the fire department.
    (See No. 9 above).
    In all vehicle fire situations, the first thing to think about is personal safety; any vehicle can be replaced—humans cannot. Think and act quickly, in the safest way possible.

    PS: These are some good rules.
     
  14. BobZ

    BobZ New Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Howard @ Oct 14 2006, 12:00 AM) [snapback]332612[/snapback]</div>

    Howard, suppose you're now in Sacramento..? :eek: :blink: :mellow: :(
     
  15. shhank

    shhank Junior Member

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    Yes. There have been prius fires. If you google prius fires you first get this page of essentially denial chat. The next is a discussion on Edmunds Cartalk with some VERY interesting pictures. I had a chance to look at the remains of an identical battery fire at a dealership before it was towed away. If any of you REALLY want to know, I'll share details. Till then, I would think twice before strapping a child seat in the left rear seat!
     
  16. jayman

    jayman Senior Member

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(shhank @ Nov 27 2007, 10:31 AM) [snapback]544693[/snapback]</div>
    Yes, please do
     
  17. DaveinOlyWA

    DaveinOlyWA 3rd Time was Solariffic!!

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(shhank @ Nov 27 2007, 07:31 AM) [snapback]544693[/snapback]</div>
    hmmm... thought about it three times... still strap my 7 month old in left rear seat...
     
  18. usbseawolf2000

    usbseawolf2000 HSD PhD

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  19. MegansPrius

    MegansPrius GoogleMeister, AKA bongokitty

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    <div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(shhank @ Nov 27 2007, 10:31 AM) [snapback]544693[/snapback]</div>
    Frankly, this has already been well discussed on the the Edmunds cartalk forum you reference. Nothing much to it:

    from http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?14@@.f12cc22/19#19
    Reply from poster LarsB to suzikn (poster of the pictures referenced above)

    Completely agree with all your posts in regard to the serious nature of car fires and how they should be taken seriously.

    But my point is that there is nothing inherent to the Prius that makes it more flammable than other cars.

    I did this research a couple of years ago and there are TONS of incidents of cars catching on fire that were not hybrid cars, and VERY VERY few incidents of hybrid fires.

    Anyone trying to say that the Prius is a dangerous, flammable, self-combustible vehicle, well that is just not a true statement.

    A Google search of "Prius fire" returns 16 hits, and 5 of those are Suzikn's. Only one of them refers to anyone's Prius catching on fire - there was one 2005 story about a guy whose Prius caught on fire overnite at the dealership, but who knows what could have caused that. There was another story I remember about a Prius which crashed into a convenience store and the gas leaked and it caused a fire.

    A Google News search of Prius fire returns no news stories of Prius fires.

    At the NTHSA complaint website, there are 2 instances of Prius fires, both in the 2001 model year. There was a recall for a leakage problem on those vehicles which might have caused those fires.

    There are about 500,000 or slightly more Priuses in the world on the roads right now, and if there was an issue with the traction battery being self-flammable and/or a fire danger, that information would be ALL OVER THE PLACE and would be constantly used by the

    Anti-Prius
    Anti-Hybrid
    Anti-Toyota

    crowds to forward their own interests. And believe me because I know this is a fact: There are A LOT of people who want to see the Prius fail. And they would be using this like a Golden Hammer if it was a real problem.

    I am very sorry about your Prius fire, but it was not because the Prius is a hybrid. Car fires happen


    And the owner of the car with the burned pictures states:
    http://townhall-talk.edmunds.com/WebX?14@@.f12cc22/14
    We have contacted both insurance and Toyota.

    Our insurance (AAA) has been wonderful. They towed the car to the dealership, they got us a rental, and they are going to pay for the car.

    Toyota has done nothing. We just got a certified letter from Toyota legal saying that they are not covering the fire (warranty void) because we did not take it is for this procdure during a service campaing (SSC-40G). They said they sent us letters about it. The letters they sent to us were around the time my brother died, so I think I probably just threw the letters away thinking they were just Toyota junk mail.

    We routinely check for recalls, but this was not a recall so we didn't know about this one.

    Anyway, the Special Service Campaign just said the batteries could leak and it could cause your engine to stall. (We've searched on the web and read the notices since the fire.) The notices do not mention the Prius' can catch on fire when they are not in use. The notices do not mention that your warranty is void if you do not take it in to have this done.


    So if anything, this sounds like the pictures involve an SSC-40G issue.