Spontaneous fire

[Aza]

Not my Mach E.. I’m so glad that nobody was hurt and that it wasn’t parked in their garage! Any thoughts on a possible cause??

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[AZBill]

Must have been something electrical on the passenger side at the firewall. There was a recent high voltage battery fire in a Rivian that was parked at a guys work. Ended up just a shell of the truck. They are still investigating that one.

 

[Schmedlack]

Someone from Ford Engineering should perform a root causal analysis. Keep us informed when more information is made available.

 

[Teslaeata]

Not my Mach E.. I’m so glad that nobody was hurt and that it wasn’t parked in their garage! Any thoughts on a possible cause??

Don’t appear to be anything HV that caused it, there ain’t HV above “normal door handle” height.

Looks like it started outside the passenger compartment under bonnet, towards rear in/around plenum chamber.

Fire burned up and out from there, back through windscreen into cabin.

So, looks like the normal sort of cause that can befall any car ICE or EV.

 

[ChrisO]

What is a mystery to me is that the fire is on the passenger side (that is where the heat broke the window). But even the LVB is on the driver’s side.

What is even on that side to catch fire?

 

[chuckles]

What is even on that side to catch fire?

wires

 

[fmtexmme]

I wonder if it might be rodent damage on the wires which created a short and eventual fire.

 

[ChrisO]

wires

Of course, but wires don't catch fire by themselves, it requires a short or something.

I think @fmtexmme guess might be more on point.

But in truth, like has been already mentioned with any electrical circuit there can always be something that causes a short, even something in a connector, that through vibration causes two wires to touch.

EDIT: and now that I think of it, isn't there a fuse box near that location? That would certainly have lots of connections.

Note that wires don't burn well, the short can start the fire, but there also has to be combustible material in that area, to create such damage.

 

[Aza]

Someone from Ford Engineering should perform a root causal analysis. Keep us informed when more information is made available.

I will

 

[Aza]

What is a mystery to me is that the fire is on the passenger side (that is where the heat broke the window). But even the LVB is on the driver’s side.

What is even on that side to catch fire?

That was exactly my thoughts too!

 

[Teslaeata]

Someone from Ford Engineering should perform a root causal analysis. Keep us informed when more information is made av

What is a mystery to me is that the fire is on the passenger side (that is where the heat broke the window). But even the LVB is on the driver’s side.

What is even on that side to catch fire?

Won’t necessarily be the LV battery, they don’t usually catch fire.

All sorts of electrical components, wiring, connections are in that area.

Even an electrical connection that builds up a resistance can result in sufficient resistance heating to start a fire without drawing sufficient power to blow a fuse.

 

[noway]

Air condition evaporator leak? The refrigerant is "flammable"

 

[Teslaeata]

Air condition evaporator leak? The refrigerant is "flammable"

You’d also require a heat source so less likely.

 

[Teslaeata]

I will

My experience is that motor manufacturers usually aren’t bothered enough to forensically investigate cause of fires unless claim is going to be a large loss and allow the owners to do this, make a claim against them and then argue it.

 

[Aza]

My experience is that motor manufacturers usually aren’t bothered enough to forensically investigate cause of fires unless claim is going to be a large loss and allow the owners to do this, make a claim against them and then argue it.

It really makes me nervous to park in my garage now! I have the same year and RWD but extended range.

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