Merc on fire in AKL

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Batman

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#300836 8-Oct-2022 05:28

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/watch-mercedes-hybrid-catches-fire-and-smoulders-on-auckland-street/LADOQKN326UPW3R3H4SDMXKTDM/

"we just put in a new battery last week after an issue with the transmission."

but see post 4 below, apparently nothing suggestive of Li Ion battery fire

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#2978880 8-Oct-2022 07:17

Discussed here https://www.geekzone.co.nz/forums.asp?forumid=48&topicid=195076&page_no=202#2978798

To quote the linked article

Harris said he realised something was amiss when he smelt petrol while he was driving, and even more when he saw smoke escape from under the bonnet.

Perhaps just a normal petrol engine fire in a car that happens to have an electric motor as well?

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#2978881 8-Oct-2022 07:22

ok apparently not hybrid fire according to post above

Newshub 7 Oct 22 (Online and in 4.30 TV bulletin)

Driver’s lucky escape after hybrid vehicle goes up in flames.

Article spent a lot of time talking about LiIon batteries and the danger of “battery thermal runaway” including comments from FE staff. However the fire was under the bonnet and most of the fire damage seemed to be the plastic engine covers.

The high voltage traction battery of the Mercedes C350E is in the boot and when they showed it, it was completely unscathed. It would appear that the fact it was a hybrid was irrelevant.

RunningMan

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#2978883 8-Oct-2022 07:34

The original thread title you had was more reflective of the media reporting though. On the face of the info reported though, perhaps unrelated to the vehicle being hybrid.

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#2978884 8-Oct-2022 08:04

I was just reading about fires after Hurricane Ian in Florida. Very disturbing when you also think of flooding that’s been happening lately in NZ.

We live where salt water spray is constantly blown onto the hybrid so it is concerning that corrosion can cause a fire that you can’t easily extinguish. There’s a lot more to think about now with electric and hybrid cars.

https://www.carscoops.com/2022/10/a-large-number-of-waterlogged-evs-could-errupt-into-flames-after-hurricane-ian/

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#2978885 8-Oct-2022 08:14

Living by the sea is fine.

Don't worry about the salt in the air.

Unless you actually take your car onto the water it's fine.

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#2978889 8-Oct-2022 08:44

Eva888: I was just reading about fires after Hurricane Ian in Florida. Very disturbing when you also think of flooding that’s been happening lately in NZ.

The article does not mention any actual fires. The article is the fire chief warning that it could happen.

We live where salt water spray is constantly blown onto the hybrid so it is concerning that corrosion can cause a fire that you can’t easily extinguish.

I not heard any thing like that about corrosion. I'm not sure it's correct. For your own peace of mind, Toyota hybrid batteries are positioned high in the vehicle and very safe from anything that might be happening outside the car.

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#2978891 8-Oct-2022 08:49

Batman:
Living by the sea is fine.

Don't worry about the salt in the air.

Unless you actually take your car onto the water it's fine.

Living by the sea and salt in the air is the reason that exposed structural fasteners and brackets on a house are required to be stainless steel. If you are by the coast everything corrodes. Keeping the car out of the water just slows the process down.

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#2978892 8-Oct-2022 08:52

My initial comment in the News Headline thread was only having seen the Newshub reports. The NZHerald article also quotes the driver as saying “he thought something was amiss when he could smell petrol and even more when smoke started to escape from under the bonnet” (my bolding).

The driver didn’t even know how to open the bonnet to allow fire fighting access! Apparently opening the bonnet “is what mechanics do”. I guess the window washer reservoir must be huge to last between services.

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#2978909 8-Oct-2022 10:03

Bung:
Batman:

Living by the sea is fine.

Don't worry about the salt in the air.

Unless you actually take your car onto the water it's fine.

Living by the sea and salt in the air is the reason that exposed structural fasteners and brackets on a house are required to be stainless steel. If you are by the coast everything corrodes. Keeping the car out of the water just slows the process down.

She's only just got the car. By the time the slow process destroys the car it will be long dead from something else.

Also she's very anxious about the car already as it died when she was picking up a grandchild or something and she has lost confidence it the car.

It will be fine.

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#2978910 8-Oct-2022 10:05

Dingbatt:

My initial comment in the News Headline thread was only having seen the Newshub reports. The NZHerald article also quotes the driver as saying “he thought something was amiss when he could smell petrol and even more when smoke started to escape from under the bonnet” (my bolding).

The driver didn’t even know how to open the bonnet to allow fire fighting access! Apparently opening the bonnet “is what mechanics do”. I guess the window washer reservoir must be huge to last between services.

Yes the driver says he knows nothing about cars, didn't know how to open the bonnet, very suspicious that they have a driver's licence.

Do they know how to operate the turn signal?

Also a bit suspicious about how the dealer changed a battery because of an alleged transmission fault. Apparently. Maybe the driver didn't understand what the dealer was saying.

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#2978911 8-Oct-2022 10:07

Batman:

Do they know how to operate the turn signal?

Not required - it's an optional extra for a Merc ;-)

Mehrts

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#2978912 8-Oct-2022 10:11

How the hell can you not know how to carry out basic tasks on your vehicle such as opening the bonnet?!

Clearly they've never had to refill their blinker fluid..

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#2978917 8-Oct-2022 10:42

One of the reasons he bought the car was that the upholstery matched his dogs. Perhaps it only got used on fine days going to the dog park. I do wonder how some car owners manage to earn the money to buy the car.

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#2978918 8-Oct-2022 10:45

Mehrts:

Clearly they've never had to refill their blinker fluid..

Haven't come across a car that has blinker fluids though

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#2978922 8-Oct-2022 11:29

That article was hilarious to read, such an entitled type IMHO :D

"Dont know how to open the bonnet, why would I, thats the mechanics job", "Got the car because the interior matched my dogs", "didnt know who to call, police fire or my assistant" :D

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