Hi, I'm really upset with my dealer. I'm going to keep the name of the dealer private for now in case I need to take legal action.

My car is just over one year old. I took it in for a routine oil change this morning. Around noon I picked it up and before I had driven 2 miles, I had to pull over because my engine was on fire!

I'm wondering what my options are. I am leasing. The engine will likely have ot be rebuilt, and the whole care is toxic now as far as I am concerned.

I would like out of my lease, or a new lease. Any ideas?


Shot at 2010-09-08


Shot at 2010-09-08


Shot at 2010-09-08

 

Holy Hell, what caused that? Was there a shop towel left by the exhaust manifold???

 

Yeah the service manager mentioned at 4:30pm that they found a paper towel in there. That was probably it. What really pissed me off is that he asked me if I had checked the oil after the oil change.
I didn't even open the hood. I am going to raise hell with the general manager in the morning.

 

Wow, first off glad that your alright bud. Second, that is very dissappointing to hear from an Acura service. Third, that tech that left the paper towel needs to be let go. I hope you get some sort of compensation on top of getting a new car/lease.

 

wow, thats crazy! Glad your ok.

 

I am wondering if anyone knows what my rights are. If they repair the car am I compelled to accept it back? Am I able to insist on a new engine or car?

I have a chemical sensitivity. I am not happy about having a car that has just had an electrical fire in it. The smoke contaminating the interior. Fire extinguisher sprayed on the engine.

Thanks SSGHutch and TJ. Yes I got out and I got my suitcase out, and I even took a picture while a witness ran an got a fire extinguisher. Luckily I didn't have my kids with me!

 

I have never experienced anything like this before. But I would assume that Acura would be more than willing to compensate you with a new vehicle, especially since there was an engine fire. Looking at the wiring harness for the coil packs, there is really no telling hwo far up the harness things got burned. I dont want to get your hopes up, but Im thinking new car.

 

I doubt that you'd be able to get a new car, but by the looks of it, you should be able to at least get a new engine out of it, which should be satisfactory enough.

Best of luck with dealing with this.

 

Holy cow, the good thing is you are okay physically. It could have been far worse.

I would raise serious HELL with the GM and Corporate Acura. I would either: Demand a new TL, no less, with additional compensation (ie. free service for life of lease) -OR- get out of the lease completely.

I would understand if you don't trust your dealership now that this incident occurred.

 

Glad nobody got hurt and it didn't burn the car down, but from the looks of it, I doubt there is any engine damage. Looks like they will have to replace part of the wiring harness and the coil packs. The burning plastic odor though might take some time to go away. Not sure what kinds of plastic they use underhood, but I would imagine that it gave off some nasty toxins when burning.

 

I remember one of those quick oil change places around here forgetting a rag or something under the hood of a car after an oil change. The guy drove the car home, parked it in the garage, and a few minutes later the whole garage was up in flames. At least that didn't happen to you and you weren't hurt. Wow. I personally think they should get you a new car if there's an odor coming through after this. Good luck.

 

I hope you get everything worked out.

 

I would demand to be put in a new leased car....whether or not that will happen... hmmm. Glad your ok though!

 

Call a lawyer, but my guess is Acura is not at fault your dealership is, this will be between you and the dealership. You can try and leverage Acura's help, but my guess is they will fix the engine. What you need to be concerned about is that nothing impacts your car value when you turn it in, such that Acura says the car has diminished value. You are allowed $1500 in damages on a lease return from Acura (I believe it is 3 damages of $500 each or one $1500 damage). The good news is, it is a lease, as long as the value is not impacted you get to walk away with no baggage at some point. I honestly doubt they will put you in a new lease or out of this one without serious legal engagement which in the end will cost you money.

 

get a lawyer

 

lawyers arent free....

why is the car in your avatar different then the car that caught fire...

 

Woa, glad your ok bud. Sadly rack this up to human error, not Acura not necessarily the dealer, but the tech. Of course would need more info on how your dealer plans to handle this. Sadly who knows what long term problems from fried wiring may have caused, ECM/PCMs etc. I would push for a different car, take note of the VIN if of the old if you do (cause eventually the dealer will probably try to clean it up and push it off onto someone else) and they get screwed.

Anyways good luck and keep us posted on the out come!

 

Litt, all I can say is wow! Definitely keep us up on how things go with this. I can't believe there are actual pictures of the fire-that amazes me. Glad you're OK.

 

Yes.



They can be for liability, working on "commission" (can't think of the right word).

 

Oh my goodness, Litt, this is UNBELIEVABLE!!!!!

Just like what everyone else already, I am so glad that you were OK! It could have been an absolute disaster....

Anyway, I hope that your dealership will do the right thing and get you out of the current lease and get you into another TL. This is just totally unacceptable! If they will not, be prepared to take legal action.

 

Contingency

OP- glad to hear you are ok. Good luck with resolving this issue.

 

I am good friends with my insurnace broker, and he is very connected and experienced. He advised me to get my insurance company advised. It won't raise my premiums since this is not my fault. They may indemnify me, and then go after the dealer.I called the dealer yesterday evening and told them not to touch the car. Not to do anything. Hopefully tomorrow (Friday) an insurance adjustor will go see the car.I went to the dealer this afternoon and had a meeting with the GM. I told him I wanted a new car. They are not saying much as they want to pin point what the problem is, and whos fault it is. He was very suprised, aknowledged that it did look like it was their fualt.The service manager came up and said the rag was a small peice of paper towel. And it wasn't burned or singed. They say that they doubt that was the cause of the fire. I don't know, but whatever the cause was my car was fine before they got their hands on it. The service mananger said Honda Canada said "that is why you have fire insurance on your car"I don't know if this will be a powertrain warrenty claim, or a neglegence suit, or a insurance claim. I would have been simpler if I had just let my car burn.In any case my insurnace company might write-off the car and then go after the other people.My insurance company said that they would consider my health situation chemical sensitivity when they are deciding if they need to write off the car. I told them to talk to my hemotologist. Thats good news, they may give me a new car even if this one could be "repaired". Also there is some sort of depreciation insurance rider on my auto policy since it is a new leased car and they lose value so fast. This should help with depreciation so that if your car is written off they give you the old full value. Who knows, maybe I will get a new TL.Right now I have a base FWD. (yes my avatar is different, but I just like that picture of polished metal metallic). I might use this as an opportunity to upgrade to SH-AWD if they let me.

 

Unless my car were near my house, if it catches fire I am walking away and letting it burn. As for the insurance, I would be shocked if the insurance company would write off a $40K car for what is a few thousand in damges, they usually want 80% damages to value. But keep us posted.

 

Next time this happens I will let it burn like you said.

 

That's it. Thanks.



Litt - Lawyer up. The dealership will not do the "right thing" if it costs more than screwing you. DO NOT believe them when they say they're on your side.

Good move getting insurance involved. They've got lots of lawyers.

I am not a litigious type guy, but something like this - with potential negligence, effect on your lease, let alone your health - you need someone that gets paid to protect you.

 

I spoke to my lawyer. I probably have one of the best lawyers in Calgary if not the best. The dealership would be seriously scared if he got involved. He said that it was good that I had my insurnace company helping. He said give it a week or two to see if things are going favorably, and keep good records. If not, then he can help.

 

Fixed, it's bad luck to plan on your car catching on fire again.

In all seriousness, glad you're OK.

 

may have spilled oil all over the cat when filling the oil after your oil and filter change. I had a dealer oil change once that smoked a lot from the same area

 

I'm still waiting to see how this will play out. What a mess.
1. The appraiser from the insurance company thought it was the alternator so they think it is a warrenty issue and they are not on the hook.
2. Honda Canada insists it couldn't be the alternator and that they there must have been a rag or a paper towel left in there that burned the alternator and wiring harness. So they think it is the dealerships fault and it is not a warrenty issue.
3. The dealership still thinks it is the alternator. They are going to try to run some test on the alternator to see if they can say it was the alternator.

I think the dealership is coming around to the idea they will have to pay for fixing this out of their own pocket. The chance of me getting a new car of this is slim. I am lucky to not have to pay for this myself.

The problem is that nobody thinks it is their fault. I think the dealership will pay because if Acura Canada says it is not a warrenty claim then it was neglegence and they realize this.

Perhaps my lawyer will be able to scare the delaerhip into buying my car back from me after they fix it.

 

your lawyer isnt going to beable to scare the dealership into doing anything...rest assure that the dealer has plenty of lawyers to advise them on what to do...if you want the dealer to do the right thing, you are going to have to take them to court...and even that sometimes isnt enough...

 

Goddamn. Well at least night now they seem to be willing to fix everything and get me on my way. Laywers don't open a file for less then $10,000.

 

Apparently I will be getting my car back soon. I went by and saw it today and they had detailed it. I am getting new brake rotors and they are going to paint them silver. I am also going to get a rear lip spoiler, and a rear skirt body kit. We are talking about me also getting the midnight chrome package for invoice.

 

You need to change your Sig Name from "Litt" to "Litt UP!" JK! all joking aside...glad your okay but just the BS you have to deal with. I wonder if the smell will still be there. Make sure to run your AC and to find out if the smell lingers.

Now i will always check after an oil change to make sure their is no spill. I wont be fast enough to take all the mods off if that ever happened.

 

To me, this looks like the issue with the oil filter gasket. If I remember correctly, quite a few Honda CRV-s in 2003 and 2004 had that issue caused by the stealer's negligence/incompetence/stupidity... during oil and filter change.
When they changed the oil filter, chances are, they did not remove oil filter gasket that usually remains glued, so to speak, to the mating surface and unless you take your finger to peel it off (it comes off easily but not by itself) it will remain there. Then they put new oil filter with its own gasket and the end result is gasket on gasket. That cannot create a seal, oil leaks and causes fire. You can read more if you google "CR-V Engine Fires".
Since your car is essentially new and this happened after oil change, chances are very good that this was the reason. It is very unlikely or rather big time BS in my mind that this is result of rug or paper etc. And probably that is why stealer is trying to settle down all this by doing all these things for you.
Anyway, good luck, and remember to check thoroughly your car after every visit to the stealer (and not just stealer) before you leave the lot.

 

jjar03 I have heard about what you described w/ the oil filter gaskets but I don't think the oil filter is out front there - its below I believe just inside the engine compartment near the right wheel well.

My car after a dealer o/f change had lots of smoke - exactly where the OP's flames were in the pic

I think both are from a Spill when adding oil to the engine - gets on the front cat -

I too ck my car after each o/f change now - for leaks and the level.

My dad once had a new 240Z that the dealer somehow during an O/F cg only added about a quart of oil

 

I got my car back today. The dealer fixed the car at their cost. Honda Corporate said that it wasn't a warranty issue. The insurance company didn't think it was their problem.

The dealership was nice enough to put on the full body kit, spoiler, and midnight chrome package.

I'm pretty happy with how the car looks with the midnight chrome package on it.

The car doesn't seem to smell at all. I guess it was a month ago that the fire broke out. The internal air system takes air from just in front of the windshield and that is a closed system so that is ok.

I think the dealership did pretty good in this case. They fixed everything at their cost, and enhanced the car and made it better then before. Here are some pictures.

 

Shot at 2010-10-07


Shot at 2010-10-07


Shot at 2010-10-07


Shot at 2010-10-07


Shot at 2010-10-07

 

man.. if i end up trading for a 2012 TL, I'm getting PMM w/ the midnight chrome kit. Good stuff litt

 

looks good, now you need to find a different set of wheels....

 

WOW! What a difference. The grill & tail pcs look awesome with your color. Yes, now all you need it the 18" Tech wheels and you have a new car.