Anyone know if this is a known issue. It kind of freaks me out.

This is a video I shot to help explain what happens:

 

Chrome line interior? Like, what specific part is reflecting the sun

 

This is the funniest thing I've seen on this forum.

 

What in the...?

 

I admit that I only just got my Roadster this past May, but I spent well over 100 hours driving top down. Not once did I have this happen. I'll sure be watching out for it though.

 

Even a tin foil hat won't reflect those rays....

 

That is awesome. Thanks for sharing! You may want to invest in a tinfoil driving jacket to reflect the rays

 

Only way he could do that is by using the rear view mirror and a magnifying glass.

 

+1


What a crock. If this were possible, I've wasted an advanced degree in mechanical engineering.


As Mythbusters would say...this one is "busted".

 

I wish I were joking. And would be happy to lend my car to Myth Busters, since I live in the Bay Area where they film their show.

1. The sun must be low enough in the sky to reflect off the concave cover of the speedometer. (It has only happened in Fall and Winter)

2. The car and driver must me motionless. (First few times were waiting for my wife at the store. The last time was at a red light)

3. The car must be heading due north. (I don't know why. But that has been the case every time)

4. It may be most flammable with dark colors. It has burned a black jacket, navy sweatshirt, and as you saw in the video - a grey piece of paper.

The first time I thought I was crazy for seeing smoke. The next time I thought someone threw a cigarette in my car. The third time I went back to the scene to figure this mystery out. The fourth time we just laughed and said - there she goes again.

 

The fifth time I shot a video because no one believed me.

 

Yes to the chrome line interior.
And I have logged over 800 hours with top down.

Motor on.

 

Wow.. I have never heard of this. that's a bit unsettling.. At first when I read the threads title my first guess was that those lovely HK amps were going up in flames!! Have you ever told a dealer about this? good luck with this.

 

whaaaaaaaa...? crazy.

 

I believe it. There are documented cases of sunlight reflecting and being focused by normal household objects much smaller in diameter than the 2nd Gen "pizza pan" speedo face (e.g. a vanity mirror) sufficiently to cause combustion.

I appreciate the OP's interesting and informative video. A valuable wintertime motoring tip.

 

Best buy some nomex motoring pajamas.

 

A flame retardant racing jacket would be appropriate. I recommend that as a standard issue to all convertible owners just to be safe.

 

Let me get this straight--the car has accidentally set him on fire FOUR times and he's taken no corrective action to prevent further incidents.

 

+1 for the Upwrothy style hook and lead in.

 

To be fair Ammodave, I only recently discovered that the smoke was coming from ME! Next I have to convince Mini that there might be a problem. Their initial reaction was that they had never heard of anything like this. And that, my friend, is why I shot the video.

Be safe.

 

Again, that is a magnifying convex vanity mirror in your link Gil-galad.....

The only way this could have been done is using a magnifying glass on an articulated arm attached to the glass with rear view mirror behind it to reflect the sun behind him and produce a focused beam......

And then there are his laundry list of factors required to make it all happen making it virtually impossible for anyone else to replicate.....a virtual "perfect storm" if you will. And he has had four of them...really ?

My BS meter is pinned....

 

Also makes me wonder is the true intent is to make a video go viral on u-tube to make some $$. Let's face it....look at the thread title.
It seems everything about this "accident" was researched, planned, filmed......sounds like a project to me....planned down smallest detail....I wonder how many places the vid has been cross posted than ..maybe I am a cynic...but most folks imo, would have said "what the..$%#@..." ....and the long list of requirents would never have happened again it it is to be believed.....
You provide a list of VERY specific conditions that you say MUST BE MET....funny...I think you must have tried for a very long time to get the list.....to identify such items so fast...I think you missed your calling as an accident investigator.... I would expect it took a proffestional team weeks to piece together the list of things that are needed....
Film school project? Did you see the story about cars catching fire or melting from the reflected heat/light from the side of a building a few months ago?
As noted above, reflected light is different than light that passes through a lens...
Hope you got an A.

 

I'll spare you my background in optics and lenses.. but you are wrong.



This is the issue with the speedo.

I'll admit however, its like a one in a million type scenario. And it could be fixed EASILY with some type of slightly diffused coating on the lens of the speedo.

I wish the OP in the video had a better shot of his speedo in the video. There could be a chance that yes, some type of extra reflective coating was added to the speedo cover. But still, it seems plausible.

 

It completely starts out as B.S. And then unfolds from there.

The sensationalization of the title, shows what YOU sir are/were looking for:

Mini Cooper Catches Fire and you won't believe what CAUSED IT!!!

The MINI Cooper didn't/doesn't catch fire.
IF and I state that with a huge tongue in cheek, anything caught fire, it most assuredly wasn't the car!

And then being the ONE most unlucky human on planet earth to actually find the correct vortex of the sun, coupled with facing the absolute due north direction, all the while sitting completely motionless in your car long enough to have this happen to YOU, not once, but FOUR times!!!!!

And then to be able to actually replicate it again for film, I'm not sure if we should all pray for YOUR safety or send YOU our money to play the ponies!

Either way, I call B.S. And would be glad to hear that MINI has sued YOU for false claims about one of their cars catching fire!

Good Day.

 

I appreciate your doubting. I myself tend to first disbelieve ANYTHING I see online, so I do not fault the doubters. Also, thank you for believing that I am so smart as to make this up. I do attempt to be clever, but a friend of mine "Thanks Matt" wrote the headline for my video. And everything about it is true, although one could question the definition of fire (since you can only see the smoke)

I will both try to post a video response that shows there is no funny business - as well as post Mini's official response once the issue has been resolved.

When this happened the last time, I Googled it and could not find anyone else online that had had the issue, and a friend of mine recommended that I post it on this forum - since you would be more likely than anyone to know if it was a common problem.

I am glad to hear that this is not a common problem. But "hand to God", the sun reflecting off the speedometer in my Mini Cooper has burned my Jacket, my Sweatshirt, and that little piece of paper. Maybe I will try a cigarette next.