Top Gear 12/7 - Burning Gallardo

[cardigankid]

Not great publicity for Lamborghini.

What is this about and is it really an issue?

[bertie]

Never had one go up in smoke yet.

I guess it stems from the one in Peterborough which was all over the papers.

You can find pics of burning cars of any make you like.

In fact, here is my mates 3 series, BMW said it took in a smouldering fag butt through the air intake...and if you believe that!

[cronk-flakes]

Posted about this a while ago but can't find the thread now.

I think the general consensus was that these cars attract more attention than others. Any car on fire is (almost) a normal site but a Lamborghini is something that people want to document and spread around due to the nature of the car. If you look at the percentages/ratio I'm sure no more catch fire than that of a Mondeo or as stated above, BMW.

[V-GOM]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yreA3hoWtiQ&eur...

[L4MBOLUV3R]

If you can bare to stomach it I would suggest you look through this achieve

http://www.wreckedexotics.com/gallardo/

More then a few are on fire!

[anonymous-user]

IIRC - It was the fact that the fuel hose went over the exhaust so if you got a leak....

Revised later models had the hose routed away from the exhaust!

Just added the IIRC!!!

Edited by anonymous-user on Monday 13th July 16:16

[AJI]

garyhun said:

It was the fact that the fuel hose went over the exhaust so if you got a leak....

Revised later models had the hose routed away from the exhaust!

I guess only the Italians could ever design a fuel hose to go next to a performance exhaust.

[bertie]

AJI said:

garyhun said:

It was the fact that the fuel hose went over the exhaust so if you got a leak....

Revised later models had the hose routed away from the exhaust!

I guess only the Italians could ever design a fuel hose to go next to a performance exhaust.

To be fair, if you get a fuel leak onto an exhaust it vaporizes, unless there is an ignition source nothing happens.

Most car fires start with electrical or brake fluid which will spontaneously combust on an exhaust.

[northo]

I know of at least 3 UK Lambo's that have caught fire - ie "spontaneously combusted". I also know there has an issue with gearbox hydraulic hoses popping off, but I don't know if that would be a cause of the fire?

[bertie]

northo said:

I know of at least 3 UK Lambo's that have caught fire - ie "spontaneously combusted". I also know there has an issue with gearbox hydraulic hoses popping off, but I don't know if that would be a cause of the fire?

Absolutely, that was my point, fuel will vaporize not combust.

Hydraulic fluid will spontaneously combust on contact.

I seem to recall my last one going in for a recall on drive shaft bolts and rerouting the e-gear hoses away from the dirveshafts.

[Paracetamol]

I bet there are alot more car fires during 'credit crunch' times

[aclasslimos]

Now look on the bright side when i owned my 360 i did not have to worry about small things like fires, now i have a gallardo its more fun my other vehicle is a fire engine

Edited by aclasslimos on Monday 13th July 22:58

[cardigankid]

[Oakey]

Paracetamol said:

I bet there are alot more car fires during 'credit crunch' times

Amazing how many empty hotels, shops and currently being built developments have mysteriously gone up in flames in my town over the last 6 months.

[simonspider]

AJI said:

garyhun said:

It was the fact that the fuel hose went over the exhaust so if you got a leak....

Revised later models had the hose routed away from the exhaust!

I guess only the Italians could ever design a fuel hose to go next to a performance exhaust.

Our Gallardo went up in flames due to a split hydraulic fluid hose spraying the stuff over the exhaust. Its just beeen rebuilt but burnt out the wiring loom and rear of the car. As you say 06 cars and after route the pipe away from the exhaust.
In actual fact a car without cats and a performance exhaust is less likely to go up in smoke quite as quick since the cats retain a huge amount of heat. Performance exhausts don't

[andrew.]

Oakey said:

Paracetamol said:

I bet there are alot more car fires during 'credit crunch' times

Amazing how many empty hotels, shops and currently being built developments have mysteriously gone up in flames in my town over the last 6 months.

i've noticed a few burnt-out pubs lately

[christer]

Just to revisit this, is it confirmed that 06 and later cars should not have this problem? Thanks!

[bertie]

christer said:

Just to revisit this, is it confirmed that 06 and later cars should not have this problem? Thanks!

As long as it's had all the recalls done, they are all OK.

My old one had it done and that was an 07 car.

[lordbluf]

bertie said:

christer said:

Just to revisit this, is it confirmed that 06 and later cars should not have this problem? Thanks!

As long as it's had all the recalls done, they are all OK.

My old one had it done and that was an 07 car.

I heard that the fires in the gallardos have always been down to modifying the engine, exhaust, etc
Clearly if there had been no modifications, Lamborghini would want to ensure the owner of the smouldering vehicle is more than compensated...

[bertie]

lordbluf said:

bertie said:

christer said:

Just to revisit this, is it confirmed that 06 and later cars should not have this problem? Thanks!

As long as it's had all the recalls done, they are all OK.

My old one had it done and that was an 07 car.

I heard that the fires in the gallardos have always been down to modifying the engine, exhaust, etc
Clearly if there had been no modifications, Lamborghini would want to ensure the owner of the smouldering vehicle is more than compensated...

No, nothing to do with modifying or fuel lines, it occurs when you get a hydrailic leak from the e-gear hydraulics and the fluid hits the exhaust.

The reasons for this depending on who you talk to were either a hydraulic hose routing issue pulling them off, or the drive shaft bolts recall allowing the drive shaft to move and chafe through the hose.