Electrical System Fire Reported To NHTSA

[Cowboys Fan 87]

Hey everyone,While looking up the number of TPMS reports to the NHTSA....I found one that I thought everyone should see....here's the report to save you the time of looking it up:

Make : NISSAN Model : VERSA Year : 2007Manufacturer : NISSAN NORTH AMERICA, INC. Crash : No Fire : Yes Number of Injuries: 0ODI ID Number : 10174896 Number of Deaths: 0Date of Failure: November 29, 2006VIN : 3N1BC13E57L... Component: ELECTRICAL SYSTEMSummary:DT*: THE CONTACT STATED WHILE BACKING OUT OF A DRIVEWAY AT 2 MPH, FLAMES WERE NOTICED COMING FROM THE REAR DRIVER SIDE WHEEL WELL. THERE WAS NOTHING UNUSUAL ABOUT THE WAY THE VEHICLE HAD OPERATED PRIOR TO THE FIRE. THE CONTACT USED A FIRE EXTINGUISHER TO PUT OUT THE FIRE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT WAS CONTACTED, AND A FIRE REPORT WAS TAKEN. THE SOURCE AND TYPE OF FIRE WERE UNKNOWN. THE COMPONENT THAT CAUSED THE FIRE WAS UNKNOWN. THE GAS TANK WAS LOCATED ON THE REAR PASSENGER SIDE. THE FIRE DEPARTMENT DEEMED THE VEHICLE TOTALED. THE MANUFACTURER WAS CONTACTED, AND A VOICE MESSAGE WAS LEFT FOR A CALLBACK. THE SERVICE DEALER WAS NOT CONTACTED. THERE WERE PICTURES AVAILABLE.

[cireecnop1]

thats insane. hopefully it wasn't something that can be recreated with another V.

[Ever Victorious]

Indeed, if it is something repeatable, THAT would absolutely be worthy of a recall.

Even if they didn't turn the TPMS into one (yet)

[rwanttaja]

thats insane. hopefully it wasn't something that can be recreated with another V.

Check out the recent thread from the guy who's smelling gasoline when he parks his Versa indoors. Makes you wonder......

Ron

[xu_chen]

You know, I was just noticing something yesterday, before I read this post.I got out of my car and suddenly smelled burning rubber. And I thought I burned the clutch or something.Tried to locate where it is coming from my car. Smelled around and I was surprised to find that it was coming from my left rear wheel!Same thing happened again today after I got to work.Hopefully the two incidents aren't related...

[marleyfan]

I have noticed an odor when getting out of my Versa too. Smells almost like oil tho. And it doesn't seem to be all the time. Havent been able to track it down as I park outside and that makes it harder.

[xu_chen]

I was worried enough to try to diagnose the problem. There is no burning rubber smell from any of the other 3 wheels, just the rear left, the same one that the reported fire is on.Can everyone else try to verify this as well? Just sniff all 4 wheelwells after driving it around for a bit.Now the only thing special is that the exhaust is right under that tire... related? Hmmm

[Cowboys Fan 87]

Check out the recent thread from the guy who's smelling gasoline when he parks his Versa indoors. Makes you wonder......

Ron

That was me that was talking about the gas smell....but I've always said its more like Bug & Tar remover....I'm going to check that left rear wheel tomorrow after I drive to work...HMMMMMMM

[motoguy128]

I've never smelled anything on my car. But I looked underneith and it's possible that a plastic body part or part of the wheel well liner (also plastic)part that's near the exhaust could have come loose or was improperly installed and came too cloclose to the exhaust and caught fire. However, the incident reported that the driver was backing out of the driveway. It didn't state how long the car was idling. I also wonder if there was a possible fuel leak. The filler neck is on the passneger side, but I think the tank straddles the width of the car under the back seat just in front of the axle. If hte fuel dripepd on the hot exhaust, it woudl start a smal flame that would easily ignite the nearby plastic parts.

We also don't know if there was a wild card such as some oil or grease that somehow got on the inside of the wheels or in hte wheel well and also on the exhaust. We'll jsut have tp wait for the NTSB investigation ot be completed.

[kc5f]

Can everyone else try to verify this as well? Just sniff all 4 wheelwells after driving it around for a bit.

Checked this morning after my 53 mile drive to work. (10,000 miles total as of today.) All four wheel wells smelled just the same. A bit of rubber, a bit of brakes, but all the same and nothing unusual.

[Cowboys Fan 87]

I checked around each tire after getting home today and there was a much more noticeable smell of hot plastic/rubber from the rear passenger wheel. I will have the dealer check it out the next time I take it in so they can waste more of my time on the TPMS reset.

I would think if it were a real problem, we would have seen a few more of these fires. I'm guessing this was a stray wire during assembly or even a false insurance claim fire.

[rwanttaja]

I checked around each tire after getting home today and there was a much more noticeable smell of hot plastic/rubber from the rear passenger wheel. I will have the dealer check it out the next time I take it in so they can waste more of my time on the TPMS reset.

I would think if it were a real problem, we would have seen a few more of these fires. I'm guessing this was a stray wire during assembly or even a false insurance claim fire.

My Versa sometimes smells of burned rubber when I park it in the garage. But the Oldsmobile that preceded it ALSO smelled of burned rubber. I've got a fairly sharp turn off the asphalted street and a short trip into the garage... I'm thinking I'm scuffing things a bit on the turn.

Ron

[BillStrong]

I got the same smell this morning when getting out of my Versa S around the left rear wheel well. I took notice, saw the car had not imploded and walked to my office.

[xu_chen]

Okay so as of now, BillStrong and I seem to have the exact same problem. Coincidentally, we both drive Versa S 6MT.Will the other MT owners check their cars? kc5f and Cowboys Fan 87, what is your trim/transmission?

[kc5f]

kc5f and Cowboys Fan 87, what is your trim/transmission?

SL CVT

[Link3]

Can everyone else try to verify this as well? Just sniff all 4 wheelwells after driving it around for a bit.Now the only thing special is that the exhaust is right under that tire... related? Hmmm

Well, I pretended like I was a dog after driving home from work yesterday. There was a slight aroma of heated rubber & metal from both front wheel wells, but NO smell from either of the rear wheel wells. Now I have a CVT, but seeing as how the Versas are all FWD, I don't see why the 6MT would have an impact on a heat build up on a rear axle wheel.

[xu_chen]

Well, I pretended like I was a dog after driving home from work yesterday. There was a slight aroma of heated rubber & metal from both front wheel wells, but NO smell from either of the rear wheel wells. Now I have a CVT, but seeing as how the Versas are all FWD, I don't see why the 6MT would have an impact on a heat build up on a rear axle wheel.

Well, it could be the way that the parts are put together. Although I highly doubt the rear of the car is any different between CVT and 6MT.HOWEVER, all CVTs are SL trims and most of the 6MT driven here are S trim. I suspect that the cheap interior material used may have something to do with this? Also they will have different electrical wirings I suspect.In either case... I think we should try to find out the trim/transmission of the Versa that caught on fire.

[Cowboys Fan 87]

Okay so as of now, BillStrong and I seem to have the exact same problem. Coincidentally, we both drive Versa S 6MT.Will the other MT owners check their cars? kc5f and Cowboys Fan 87, what is your trim/transmission?

Also SL CVT

[Ever Victorious]

OK, now I'm starting to worry about my Versa. A few times over the past couple days, I have smelled a REALLY random smell in my car...

A smell like burning candles. (and, occasionally, the smell of burning hydraulic fluid...)

I can't go out and smell my wheel well right now because, well, there's 60 mph winds and driving rain right now.

I'll have to wait until the bulk of this storm is gone before I try it, but it's just a little unsettling.

[Ever Victorious]

No good...

after driving around for a couple hours, I got to a client site that offered underground parking. I got out of the car and smelled something odd... so I took a whiff of my left rear wheel well.

Sure enough, smells of burned plastic.

<sigh>

[Cowboys Fan 87]

No good...

after driving around for a couple hours, I got to a client site that offered underground parking. I got out of the car and smelled something odd... so I took a whiff of my left rear wheel well.

Sure enough, smells of burned plastic.

<sigh>

At this point I don't know if I need to carry around several large fire extinguishers or just sell this car and get something not so "first year." I carry around "precious cargo" in my car and all of these issues are starting to concern me.

[BenDupre]

Y'all...

It's totally normal to smell hot brake linings when sniffing a wheel well. Sell the versa and the next car you buy will also have the smell of brakes coming from the wheel wells. It's extremely hard to take a report of "something smells in the wheel well" and do anything constructive with it.

Ben

[Ever Victorious]

Y'all...

It's totally normal to smell hot brake linings when sniffing a wheel well. Sell the versa and the next car you buy will also have the smell of brakes coming from the wheel wells. It's extremely hard to take a report of "something smells in the wheel well" and do anything constructive with it.

Ben

NEVER in my life have I had a car that I could smell something like this when walking by a wheel well, with my nose almost 6 feet up in the air. The last time I was able to smell something this clearly standing outside my car was the last time I did a clutch dump on the RX-7... which is kinda rough behavior to begin with.

I have ALSO smelled odd burning smells INSIDE the passenger compartment WHILE DRIVING.

I don't think this is brake linings, dude.

[Cowboys Fan 87]

Y'all...

It's totally normal to smell hot brake linings when sniffing a wheel well. Sell the versa and the next car you buy will also have the smell of brakes coming from the wheel wells. It's extremely hard to take a report of "something smells in the wheel well" and do anything constructive with it.

Ben

I'm going with EV on this one....I know what hot brakes / linings smell like and they don't smell like melting plastic and burning rubber unless they are so hot they are melting the tires. I've never had so many issues with a new car. I still haven't figured out where the gas odor is coming from. Like I said, I've got two little girls back there and I'm not going to keep a car that may have a fire problem and here's why....whether its cars or jets, the government won't help us until the body count gets higher and I don't want it to be any of my family. Nissan could at least humor us and look at the problems, but they won't. I've had my car in the shop 3 times now for TPMS and it still doesn't work, but I can tell by feel that I'm getting a flat. A fire....that's a whole different ball game....you'll be lucky to get out of this car if a fire starts in that wheel well next to the gas can.

[BenDupre]

Let us know when you figure out what it is.

Ben

[proxim2020]

If you're really worried, stop parking the car in the garage until you figure out the source. The older Ford F-150's had a habit of catching on fire because of a faulty cruise control component. The trucks, and I think some cars, would catch on fire after the car was parked for a while. A lot of people lost their house and or garage because they parked their vehicle in it and the thing caught on fire.

[Ever Victorious]

Check your lemon laws in your state. And definitely take the car in for the gas smell, no kidding around.

Here, if there's something that is either a severe safety defect (immenently life threatening) or a fire hazard, it takes only 2 failed repair attempts to get the car marked as a lemon. It takes 4 failed repairs for minor safety defects or driving impairments to get it marked as a lemon.

1 more failed TPMS repair failure and you can proceed, or if you go the route of the leaking fuel, 2 total failed repaires for that item.

I love the Versa and what it can be, but the car is making me nervous as hell right now, so you better bet your bottom dollar that I'm keeping as accurate of paperwork as I can for potential submission as a lemon.

[cireecnop1]

I can't remember but I think for a lemon in Colorado , one of the requirments is that you attempted to call the Head office and complain just as many times as the dealer otherwise it's not valid. but dont quote me

[Cowboys Fan 87]

I spent an hour or so today looking around the world at the Tiida and Latio and problems reported with them, since they are basically the same car, different place. (OK...steering wheel is on the other side on some.) In some countries, this is a 2nd and 3rd year car. Anyway, I was unable to find any large scale problems reported anywhere.

I'm sure there are other variations, besides the steering wheel, but all had the exhaust running out the same side as the Versa.

If there is a problem with the Versa, it is apparently limited to the Versa. Could be bad parts made on this side of the pond (likely) or a flaw in the assembly process (likely) or some combination of the two. In the Aussie forums I visited, they didn't complain about the air bag cover, or the TPMS. The did complain about the 6 speed manual transmission being problematic.

Regardless, I'm taking EV's advice and I'm starting my lawsuit paper trail right now. I'm taking it to the dealer and having him check the wheel well, the steering assembly, and the TPMS. I'm going to have the write down "Smells burning plastic smell from rear drivers side wheel well." on the form.

And just in case.....I have put a pretty good sized fire extinguisher next to me up front....

[Ever Victorious]

There is one component we have in the driver's rear wheel well that exists ONLY in the US, and even then only on SL's w/Convenience: that would be the satellite prewiring. That's the only major difference I can think of.

Sadly, the description from the NHTSA doesn't say what type of V it was.