A word of warning
Discussion
Got Cerbie back yesterday 5 months after a fire.
She drove fantastically today, nice gentle cruise to bed her in, but she was better than ever. However...
She was destroyed tonight in a major fire - nothing left.
She went up so fast there was nothing could be done, but please carry extinguishers everyone it could save you.
We only just got out in time as the doors did not operate at first, flames around our feet, the windscreen etc.
Be careful all.
She drove fantastically today, nice gentle cruise to bed her in, but she was better than ever. However...
She was destroyed tonight in a major fire - nothing left.
She went up so fast there was nothing could be done, but please carry extinguishers everyone it could save you.
We only just got out in time as the doors did not operate at first, flames around our feet, the windscreen etc.
Be careful all.
Thank you, it was bad. I had my lad in and pulled up quickly when I saw the glow but the flames came so fast. And when the doors didn't open immediately -argh!
But, we're safe, nothing worse than a mile and a half walk home. I've never seen flames so big from something so small, Good job there was only a quarter of a tank of fuel in.
But, we're safe, nothing worse than a mile and a half walk home. I've never seen flames so big from something so small, Good job there was only a quarter of a tank of fuel in.
Hi, first of all i am very glad you and your son are both ok, if i understood correctly your cerb got burned once and then again? do you think it might have been a bad repair?, will you investigate on what caused it? in any case thats so unlucky. I really feel for you, that must have been a terrible experience, especially with your boy in the car and the flames so close. Just wondering if you are going to get another one after this.
do you know whats caused it? i bought a cerb as a replacement for my S2 because me and my partner are planning kids, so i needed a tvr with more seats, this makes me think again though.
For now i keep my fire extinguiser in between the back seats just in case
do you know whats caused it? i bought a cerb as a replacement for my S2 because me and my partner are planning kids, so i needed a tvr with more seats, this makes me think again though.
For now i keep my fire extinguiser in between the back seats just in case
Edited by QuiteQuietCerb on Saturday 6th October 02:37
Hi all, thank you. My son is 16 and he was great. He has severe health problems (hence not been to school for 5 years) but he reacted at the same speed as me. We had just dropped his girlfriend off, if she had been in the back, with the speed of the fire one of us would have badly burnt (as it was just a burnt trainer and a couple of bruises on my hand, no idea how, must have banged the door hard or something to get out).
The first fire happened after only 3 miles and seemed to start under the battery, so we assumed it was an electrical fault, but we only had access to water so when that was thrown on it I imagine it travelled into all sorts of places and caused further electrical problems. Hence why it was away for 5 months, everytime they thought it was sorted, a couple of days later it wouldn't start. New alarm, immobiliser, most or all of wiring loom, scuttle rebuilt etc (there was no external damage as I put the fire out fast).
This was different, and the speed of fire truely awful. There is nothing really left of the car (the roll cage looks OK!) except the boot. I would think the insurance company will want to see it.
The first fire happened after only 3 miles and seemed to start under the battery, so we assumed it was an electrical fault, but we only had access to water so when that was thrown on it I imagine it travelled into all sorts of places and caused further electrical problems. Hence why it was away for 5 months, everytime they thought it was sorted, a couple of days later it wouldn't start. New alarm, immobiliser, most or all of wiring loom, scuttle rebuilt etc (there was no external damage as I put the fire out fast).
This was different, and the speed of fire truely awful. There is nothing really left of the car (the roll cage looks OK!) except the boot. I would think the insurance company will want to see it.
We did play it down in a sense, we were having a smile with the emergency services who were great (after all, if you get out, that's the only important thing). I suppose we were in minor shock really, Callum was excellent, and a little excitable.
That'll teach their mother to go out on her own (she only does it about twice a year!)!
'Will you be alight dear?'
'Course we will, what do you think will happen, nothing at all
'
Her face when she came in was good 'Where's Cerbie?'
'Well, it's like this...'
That'll teach their mother to go out on her own (she only does it about twice a year!)!
'Will you be alight dear?'
'Course we will, what do you think will happen, nothing at all
'Her face when she came in was good 'Where's Cerbie?'
'Well, it's like this...'
One car fire in a life time is enough, but two.
The electrical cable routing in these cars is awful.
One faulty two pence cable tie, and your 100amp cable is suddenly resting on the manifold.
You could have made an excuse for the first cars in 96, but to still be pumping them out the same, in 2003, is negligent at the very least.
The electrical cable routing in these cars is awful.
One faulty two pence cable tie, and your 100amp cable is suddenly resting on the manifold.
You could have made an excuse for the first cars in 96, but to still be pumping them out the same, in 2003, is negligent at the very least.
petclub said:
The first fire happened after only 3 miles and seemed to start under the battery, so we assumed it was an electrical fault, but we only had access to water so when that was thrown on it I imagine it travelled into all sorts of places and caused further electrical problems. Hence why it was away for 5 months, everytime they thought it was sorted, a couple of days later it wouldn't start. New alarm, immobiliser, most or all of wiring loom, scuttle rebuilt etc (there was no external damage as I put the fire out fast).
Fuel lines?
I can remember your first thread - the battery fire one. And now to get the car back after 5 months and have it destroyed in another fire !! I'm gutted for you, but glad the both of you managed to get out quickly, it could have been a lot worse.
The garage who fixed this have got to be at fault surely?
The garage who fixed this have got to be at fault surely?
Hi Alan, thanks for your post. I really don't know, I got the car back Thursday evening and she ran fantasically, I've never driven a car that felt so good. I took it to work Friday 140 mile round trip and again it was great. Then the problem happened a mile and a half from home at the end of a 12 mile trip. With the smell of petrol immediately before, and the throttle suddenly sticking (both as I entered the slip road) I assume something went (fuel pipe? management system?). I would like to know as if we could find out it might help someone else, but there is so little left of her I doubt we'll know.
I didn't have her (on the road) for long, but they are my favourite car. This is when you find out if the insurance you bought is good or not...
I didn't have her (on the road) for long, but they are my favourite car. This is when you find out if the insurance you bought is good or not...
petclub said:
Hi Alan, thanks for your post. I really don't know, I got the car back Thursday evening and she ran fantasically, I've never driven a car that felt so good. I took it to work Friday 140 mile round trip and again it was great. Then the problem happened a mile and a half from home at the end of a 12 mile trip. With the smell of petrol immediately before, and the throttle suddenly sticking (both as I entered the slip road) I assume something went (fuel pipe? management system?). I would like to know as if we could find out it might help someone else, but there is so little left of her I doubt we'll know.
I didn't have her (on the road) for long, but they are my favourite car. This is when you find out if the insurance you bought is good or not...
Dave, the thing that sticks in my mind is the lack of use in the year BEFORE you bought the car. After all we're familiar with the "cerbs need to be used" line. Would this cause fuel lines to deteriorate?I didn't have her (on the road) for long, but they are my favourite car. This is when you find out if the insurance you bought is good or not...
What do the others think?
You mentioned that the repair to the first fire involved repair to the scuttle. Well the fuel lines go through the scuttle to the rear of the car! It seems to be too much of a concidence to me, the least that garage should have done as part of the repair, was to make absolutely sure they checked everything thoroughly.
Luckily everyone got out of that car safely, but just imagine - God forbid - if someone had died in the fire, you would'nt just be just shrugging your shoulders and saying "Oh well, its one of those things".
PS - Please don't think I'm having a go at you for "Shrugging your shoulders" I'm sure you know what it is I'm trying to say.
Luckily everyone got out of that car safely, but just imagine - God forbid - if someone had died in the fire, you would'nt just be just shrugging your shoulders and saying "Oh well, its one of those things".
PS - Please don't think I'm having a go at you for "Shrugging your shoulders" I'm sure you know what it is I'm trying to say.
petclub said:
With the smell of petrol immediately before, and the throttle suddenly sticking ...
Maybe grabbing at straws here, but does the throttle cable normally track along, across or over the fuel line anywhere (or could have been routed incorrectly to do so?) - could it have worn through the pipe and then snagged? Unless the cable simply seized because the fire had already taken hold - even though at that stage it was not evident inside the car?Gassing Station | Cerbera | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff