Why did Golf go up in flames ?
Discussion
Doubt it was caused by an air con problem - VW air con (and in most modern cars) runs at 5% even when it's turned off so that it doesn't seize up - there is no need to use turn it on now and again like you had to do in old cars. IIRC it's in the manual.
I'd go for a f
k-up the last time it was serviced - my VWs have come out of VW garages in worse condition than they've gone in on a number of occasions!
I'd go for a f
k-up the last time it was serviced - my VWs have come out of VW garages in worse condition than they've gone in on a number of occasions!Electrical issue somewhere, something has shorted out.....hsppens in 90%+ of vehicle fires.... VW Fox tapped a Mondeo a few weeks ago at so lights....no signs of damage at all, they were doing the Insurance details swap.....and the Fox just combusts....game over....result was the bump disloged a wire which chaffed and shorted = fire...
angusc43 said:
I wouldn't drive 5 minutes with the service indicator on. I'm amazed he even asked. 100% his problem for being a skinflint risk taker.
The service department must love you low loader your car in because the service indicator light is on, the one most people would use as a reminder that a service needs booking, the urgency of which depends on funds, and proposed usage.Probably just a freak occurance or the first event that leads to the recall, my parents had a '94 Diesel C-class the one that had a recall for a fault that causes a fire at the rear end, they got the recall paperwork several months after it burnt out on a French Autoroute.
In this weather it could be an overheat a burst pipe in the engine, UK cars aren't expected to be subjected to extremely low temperatures so the oil may be thicker, the coolant starting to freeze etc.
GarryA said:
-Z- said:
I'll go for:
a) Oil cap not being replaced properly/at all
b) If the car doesn't get driven much and was still covered in snow, then the melting snow got somewhere interesting and caused an electrical fire.
Go on then, please explain the process by which that would happen.a) Oil cap not being replaced properly/at all
b) If the car doesn't get driven much and was still covered in snow, then the melting snow got somewhere interesting and caused an electrical fire.
And tonker, this is the kind of crap you're going to get.
Better than blaming tonker for causing oil to spontaneously catch fire while still in the engine as a result of the car being due a service. Jesus, if that were a possibility then:
a) you'd hear about it all the time with the amount of unserviced beaters on Britains roads
and
b) the service light wouldn't be just a light, it would immobilise the car saving you and your family from fiery death!
-Z said:
Err, oil cap off, oil comes out, lands on exhaust manifold, catches fire. Quite simple. Or the other alternative, water in electrics from compacted snow being pushed somewhere, especially taking into account that he opened the bonnet before driving.
Most exhaust manilfolds have a nice little heat shield over them as to the electrics water is unlikely to get in as the stuff under the bonnet is all sealed
thinfourth2 said:
-Z said:
Err, oil cap off, oil comes out, lands on exhaust manifold, catches fire. Quite simple. Or the other alternative, water in electrics from compacted snow being pushed somewhere, especially taking into account that he opened the bonnet before driving.
Most exhaust manilfolds have a nice little heat shield over them as to the electrics water is unlikely to get in as the stuff under the bonnet is all sealed
Anyway, the original point was that oil thats slightly past its change date is not going to spontaneously catch fire and it is numpty-ish to suggest so.
If not changing your oil immediately on the service interval caused spontaneous combustion of the car then I would be looking out my window on a year old burnt out wreak, I'm not so I am assuming the oil may be in stty condition but it hasn't burst into flames.
Tonker checking if they have missed a recall now is irrelevant, but keep an eye out now incase this is one of the trigger issues for a recall, as I said earlier my parent's car was one of the early incidents that lead to the recall.
tty condition but it hasn't burst into flames.Tonker checking if they have missed a recall now is irrelevant, but keep an eye out now incase this is one of the trigger issues for a recall, as I said earlier my parent's car was one of the early incidents that lead to the recall.
paulmurr said:
angusc43 said:
I wouldn't drive 5 minutes with the service indicator on.
What happens if you're more than 5 minutes away from the garage when the indicator light comes on?Edited by paulmurr on Friday 24th December 10:38
FFS its a ROUTINE service indicator, its telling you that either enough time has elapsed between services or the oil quality is deemed to be at a point where it should ( not must) be changed for the longevity of the engine.
It does not mean that your car is going to self destruct, the two instances in question will not be related.
My money is on electrical, possibly cooling fan failure making the loom burn out (hence lots of acrid smoke?) then the plastic components of the engine bay becoming involved then sufficient heat to burn through fuel lines, brake resevoir etc.
If the cap was off then he would have had oil all over the windscreen and A LOT of smoke from about 15 minutes in.
durbster said:
angusc43 said:
I wouldn't drive 5 minutes with the service indicator on. I'm amazed he even asked. 100% his problem for being a skinflint risk taker.
I hope the garage that does your servicing isn't more than five minutes away then!
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