Electrical fire

[V8100]

Was out collecting firewood on weekend and noticed some smoke coming from bonnet. Pulled up really quickly jumped out and noticed some wiring on fire. At this stage I also realised I had no fire extinguisher yelled to a couple of my mates no none either. Grabbed burning wire ripped it off the battery to stop the source then sacrificed a six pack of coldies to put out remaining fire.  Sweet all out?
no still on fire but under the ute.  Jump in remember about deep puddle 200m away and race through 4 or 5 times.  Fire out now time to see the damage and why?
Brake fluid low level wires burnt
few other harnesses not sure of their exact purpose melted but working
uhf wiring burnt not working
Wiring for light in canopy burnt and source of the fire.
Now this leaves me with a few concerns.
Canopy was installed by proffesionals
Why was wire not fused?
Why was wire clipped to chassis rail and deisel line unprotected?
Will the shop pay for all repairs and will they replace the factory wiring looms
My ute is only 9 months old this should not have happened
Yes i will fit a fire extinguisher tomorrow I know better.

Eddy

[Prado BB]

Gez, lucky save there Eddy, hope you get it sorted.  I think you certainly have a claim through the canopy installer and I would persue this through the CTTT if need be to get a satisfactory result.

[V8100]

Thanks mate will see this one thrugh right till the end and somone will cop an ear bashing in the morning.

[Symon]

Yep, this is why you select your fuse size based on the size of the cable!

Sounds like you did really well to put the fire out, any chance of some pics?

[V8100]

Yep, this is why you select your fuse size based on the size of the cable!

Sounds like you did really well to put the fire out, any chance of some pics?

Will load some shortly

Eddy

[Bird]

Now this leaves me with a few concerns.
Canopy was installed by proffesionals
Why was wire not fused?
Why was wire clipped to chassis rail and deisel line unprotected?
Will the shop pay for all repairs and will they replace the factory wiring looms

I would ask them... but I wouldnt hold out much hope.

Good to see nobody was hurt.

[V8100]

A few pics a little hard to see damage though

[Bird]

A few pics a little hard to see damage though

Take ti in there on a tilt-tray and ask which apprentice did the work.

[V8100]

My finger after ripping wire out.

Eddy

[V8100]

I know who did the work we have been going to said 4wd mob for servicing and accessories for over 10 years and so have a lot of our friends and family. This raises another question do we forgive or do we find a new place to get work done.

Eddy

[mumbls]

I know who did the work we have been going to said 4wd mob for servicing and accessories for over 10 years and so have a lot of our friends and family. This raises another question do we forgive or do we find a new place to get work done.

Eddy

I feel that "forgive and forget" depends on how they react to your problem. If they are helpfull and apologetic etc and you have been happy with previous work, then maybe try them again. But I would notify them they are on notice.

My 2c, Paul

[Bird]

I know who did the work we have been going to said 4wd mob for servicing and accessories for over 10 years and so have a lot of our friends and family. This raises another question do we forgive or do we find a new place to get work done.

Eddy

Things happen.
Wait and see what sort of response you get from this bloke first.

If he is that good, he shouldnt even blink at it, just fix it.
I had an issue with a bloke I'd used for years, and got trade discounts from, but dont go there anymore after a few issues with things

[V8100]

Well i guess we will see response tomorrow morning luckily I have the day off anyway.

Eddy

[Cloud Basher]

Mate, sorry to hear about this and I do hope this all gets fixed for you.

This is a genuine question, not one to just cheese you off, is there any standards for electrical wiring for the aftermarket in vehicles.  Do they HAVE to put a fuse in or is it just good practice (as we all know)?

I am genuinely asking the question as I have almost never had good service from a 4WD shop including all the well known ones.  Hoses are routed so they rub through, electrical wires not fused / left to rub, bolts not put back in, lights not hooked back up etc.  The reason why I do almost everything now myself and if I do pay or something to be done it is gone over as soon as I get the truck.

The reason I am so anal about this is my truck is a 1998 hunjy and I have kept a list of everything on it, including what I actually paid for items and what the RRP of the item was.  My truck is worth about $18,000 according to redbook and the value of all the accessories and modifications if I had to replace them all is around $44,000.  So there is absolutely no way I could ever replace my truck and afford to fit out an equivalent one with new accessories to the same quality and standard as this one if it was a total loss.

I hate to say it but it really does come down to us to check on the work of ANY mechanic/installer in order to just protect outselves.  To paraphrase one of the USA's greatest presidents "of course I trust them, but we will still verify that trust".

Cheers
CB

[V8100]

Mechanic admits liability sort of?  Apparently installed in line with arb wiring diagram but also says a fuse should of been installed regardless.  He was very apolagetic and has booked car in to be repaired on thursday and ordered nissan wiring looms.

Eddy

[Bird]

Mechanic admits liability sort of?  Apparently installed in line with arb wiring diagram but also says a fuse should of been installed regardless.  He was very apolagetic and has booked car in to be repaired on thursday and ordered nissan wiring looms.

Eddy

so what will the cost be to you? NiL?

[GGV8Cruza]

A good outcome in the end. have you purchased a fire extinguisher yet?   I still need to get a second one for the Patrol so I can have one each side, this post might make me get off my butt and do it

GG

[Prado BB]

Mechanic admits liability sort of?  Apparently installed in line with arb wiring diagram but also says a fuse should of been installed regardless.  He was very apolagetic and has booked car in to be repaired on thursday and ordered nissan wiring looms.

Eddy

Eddy, that's a great result.  As others have said %^&t happens, but it comes down to what happens afterwards

[gibbo301]

Mate i feel really really sorry for you having to waste a 6 pack like that it must have been devastating     

[D4D]

Apparently installed in line with arb wiring diagram

Might pay to get a hold of the ARB wiring diagram as I am led to believe there is a 3A fuse supplied in the kit.

[morgansmall]

Mate i feel really really sorry for you having to waste a 6 pack like that it must have been devastating     

I trust you will be compenated for this too   

[Matto]

Mechanic admits liability sort of?  Apparently installed in line with arb wiring diagram but also says a fuse should of been installed regardless.  He was very apolagetic and has booked car in to be repaired on thursday and ordered nissan wiring looms.

Hey Ed,

That's a great result, and would make me continue to go back to that mechanic in future. Assuming, as the others have said, that you don't have to foot the bill for any of this.

Eddy, that's a great result.  As others have said %^&t happens, but it comes down to what happens afterwards

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Also great result in being able to put the fire out so quickly. Good on you for noticing.

Father-in-law has a brand-new D40 Navara as a work truck - they run a custom rear canopy with amber warning lights and flood lights on the roof. For the past 4 weeks (car is 6 weeks old) it had been flicking up it's "low battery" light on the dash. F-I-L would take it back to Nissan for it's servicing, ask them to investigate. They'd just tell him "your battery is just low - take it for a drive and you'll be right". Eventually he pushed and pushed them to take it apart more, and they found that the main wiring loom pretty much through the whole car has melted. Seems that when the canopy and lights were installed, the installers simply tapped into the loom at the back of the cab, and drew their power from there. Nissan want nothign to do with it, the canopy installers aren't talking, and the brand new ute needs a full re-wire. The only good thing about it is that it's a work truck!

Also reminds me of a mate, when we were at uni. Both of us had Sigmas. He was putting a new stereo in one day, looked up from the boot and noticed the inside of the car full of smoke. Raced to the front, pulled the battery, then got a bucket and put the fire out. After he sat down and calmed down, he spent the next 2 months kicking himself - the car was insured for Fire and Theft for significantly more than he could sell it - he should have just let it burn.   He eventually sold it later for a bucket of KFC chicken.

I hope you get more than a bucket of chicken for yours!
Matto

[TheOtherLeft]

This is my take on the situation.

A fuse is all well and good but what caused the fire in the first place? A fuse is there to protect the wiring after the fact, ie there is too much current being drawn through the wiring and the fuse blows. What is causing the high current draw?

If it's just the canopy light hence only a 3A fuse is required then somethings not right in the wiring. Something is drawing more then 3A, the wiring is inadequate or there is a fault in the wiring.

If the fuse is installed I bet it'll blow again if you don't find the source of the problem.

Flame suit on.

[V8100]

This is my take on the situation.

A fuse is all well and good but what caused the fire in the first place? A fuse is there to protect the wiring after the fact, ie there is too much current being drawn through the wiring and the fuse blows. What is causing the high current draw?

If it's just the canopy light hence only a 3A fuse is required then somethings not right in the wiring. Something is drawing more then 3A, the wiring is inadequate or there is a fault in the wiring.

If the fuse is installed I bet it'll blow again if you don't find the source of the problem.

Flame suit on.

The source was the outer protective cover wearing through where it comes up through the body near rear tail light.

As long as he does as he says i will continue to go there.

Might pay to get a hold of the ARB wiring diagram as I am led to believe there is a 3A fuse supplied in the kit.

Hey Ed,

That's a great result, and would make me continue to go back to that mechanic in future. Assuming, as the others have said, that you don't have to foot the bill for any of this.
Couldn't have said it better myself.

Also great result in being able to put the fire out so quickly. Good on you for noticing.

Father-in-law has a brand-new D40 Navara as a work truck - they run a custom rear canopy with amber warning lights and flood lights on the roof. For the past 4 weeks (car is 6 weeks old) it had been flicking up it's "low battery" light on the dash. F-I-L would take it back to Nissan for it's servicing, ask them to investigate. They'd just tell him "your battery is just low - take it for a drive and you'll be right". Eventually he pushed and pushed them to take it apart more, and they found that the main wiring loom pretty much through the whole car has melted. Seems that when the canopy and lights were installed, the installers simply tapped into the loom at the back of the cab, and drew their power from there. Nissan want nothign to do with it, the canopy installers aren't talking, and the brand new ute needs a full re-wire. The only good thing about it is that it's a work truck!

Also reminds me of a mate, when we were at uni. Both of us had Sigmas. He was putting a new stereo in one day, looked up from the boot and noticed the inside of the car full of smoke. Raced to the front, pulled the battery, then got a bucket and put the fire out. After he sat down and calmed down, he spent the next 2 months kicking himself - the car was insured for Fire and Theft for significantly more than he could sell it - he should have just let it burn.  He eventually sold it later for a bucket of KFC chicken.

I hope you get more than a bucket of chicken for yours!
Matto

Nil cost to me
devastated about the six pack starting coucelling this week

Eddy

[V8100]

The ute is in being repaired fingers crossed i see a good result.

eddy