[jimvt]

Check this "04 out on e-bay.

Looks like fire started around battery? fuel tank?



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... otohosting

 

[BIF]

I know my owner's manual says to not allow the vent to the battery (on the rear, right-hand passenger seat) to become blocked, or the battery can overheat and become damaged.

I suppose any of the individual battery cells and/or other parts could get very hot very quickly if that ventilation port is blocked.

Very interesting. From here on out, I will be sure to pay heed to any rear-seat passenger complaints or comments about the seats being too warm.

 

[Ray Moore]

This is not near the battery. The fire seems to have started in wiring under the left edge of the rear seat. That doesn't even seem close to the high voltage line which is more near the middle of the vehicle. It doesnt really take more than 12 volts to start a fire though. OTOH this could have had an ignition source outside the vehicle as the underside photos are coonsistent with that possibility from what I can see. I know...let's start a rumor and see if we can get it spread over the AP newswires and see how long it takes before our mother in law calls to warn of the dangerous nature of our new car. Sorry, couldn't help myself.
Ray

 

[BIF]

......let's start a rumor and see if we can get it spread over the AP newswires and see how long it takes before our mother in law calls to warn of the dangerous nature of our new car......

Ummmm, let's not! That's all I need now is another "the end of the world is nigh, so please forward this to everybody you know" emails. Those really p-eye-iss me off! :x


Ray's comment about the fire being on the wrong side of the car, and far away from the HV lines is interesting...plus, the visual evidence (if it could be called that) about it maybe starting outside of the car is eye-opening, too. Hmmmm, could it have been a case of "get the insurance/lawsuit money", a la the MacDonald's hot coffee case?

 

[Ray Moore]

My comment was in reference to the first responders story that had half a dozen people warning me about my car within a day of the story's release.
Ray

 

[mrv]

Check this "04 out on e-bay.

Looks like fire started around battery? fuel tank?



http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/ws/eBayI ... otohosting

The ebay poster claims that it started near the fuel tank.

The fire damage shown in the photos is nowhere near the 12v battery, and the damage doesn't seem to be near the hybrid traction battery either. (12v battery is in the trunk/cargo area of the 2004 near the right side (opposite the fuel filler door side) at the level of the spare tire (under the carpet, under the hidden storage box...). The hybrid battery is also at this low level, in the center of the car just behind the rear seat (just above the rear axle thereabouts).

 

[richard schumacher]

"When you see hoofprints, think horses not zebras." This could have been a simple refuelling accident (perhaps someone trying to jam one last milliliter of gas into the tank on a very dry day).

 

[FIXIT]

Rewax, rewax everyone. There is no pattern. We could speculate on our speculation. There may be more sensitivity to this incident that there needs to be. This is a touchy bunch.

If there is or were [to be] a developing problem, we should relax for shouldn't we be able to count on toyota to FIXIT quickly and openly.

 

[Bob Allen]

Rewax, rewax everyone. There is no pattern. We could speculate on our speculation. There may be more sensitivity to this incident that there needs to be. This is a touchy bunch.

If there is or were [to be] a developing problem, we should relax for shouldn't we be able to count on toyota to FIXIT quickly and openly.

Toyota, maybe. Ford, GM, Chrysler and VW, probably not.

 

[Jeffand]

looks like the fire point of origin is the fuel pump. The fuel pump is mounted inside the fuel tank. Since heat drives the fire upward. It appears that a failure occured in the fuel tank area. The fire then burned upward into the interior of the car. The heat then melted the wires that go from the battery to the hybrid drive causing the battery to be shorted out. The wires are located on the drivers side of the car. They are also incased inside of a metal for protection, and are colored coded bright orange.

 

[Ray Moore]

looks like the fire point of origin is the fuel pump. The fuel pump is mounted inside the fuel tank. Since heat drives the fire upward. It appears that a failure occured in the fuel tank area. The fire then burned upward into the interior of the car. The heat then melted the wires that go from the battery to the hybrid drive causing the battery to be shorted out. The wires are located on the drivers side of the car. They are also incased inside of a metal for protection, and are colored coded bright orange.

You must be looking at a different car. The pictures I see show no sign that the fuel tank battery or high voltage line were involved at all. the damage I see is too far forward for the battery or fuel tank and to far to the left for the high voltage line.

 

[Radar/Babz]

Has anyone thought that maybe this could have been caused by a cigarette that never made it outside??

Just a suggestion..