I was cruising along the highway when the engine light came on, and I suddenly lost power. I pulled off at the next exit which was about a quarter mile ahead, and stalled on the off ramp. I saw smoke in my rear view mirror, jumped out of the car and saw flames coming from underneath the car in the rear. The photo tells the rest.
In the end, after I got the 453 I continued investigating what happened with my 451. Judging by the charred insulation and the melted wires, my engine did in fact catch on fire. Why it stopped is beyond me, maybe the oil was the accelerant and once that was burned away the fire went with it.
But I was able to get my little guy back on the road after some time in the burn ward.
Sorry about your car, it always makes me cry to see burned, crashed, ruined smarties.
last one we saw similar to that, the car had just been serviced and they found a rag was left on the motor that fell up against the exhaust and caught fire. Mine was an electrical fire and started in the SAM and was dripping melted plastic on my feet before I could get stopped.
On the same note, my son's Grand Prix gt also caught fire so it is not that uncommon for cars to catch fire.
Yikes, sorry to hear this as well. Also wondering what happened as I also drive a 451. Think I'll put one of our little halon extinguishers in the smart.
You really lucky, you got out of that car. Count your blessings. Must been a electrical fire, combined with fuel. Your insurance should cover the damage, plus your deductible. Very rare situation the cause of that fire?
I may be mistaken, but weren't there also issues with the insulation between the engine area and the "firewall" somehow falling apart and catching fire after extended contact with the engine/exhaust?
I believe the insulation is non-flammable. the insulation falling down will cause problems with the alternator and the belt.
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Related Threads
?
?
?
?
?
Smart Car of America Forum
797K posts
63.7K members
Since 2002
A forum community dedicated to all Smart Car owners and enthusiasts. Come join the discussion about performance, modifications, troubleshooting, economy, maintenance, and more!