Why would someone flame you on this? Or am I missing the joke?

 

I wonder if the ALTA exhaust would survive this? Maybe the after market companies should start "fire Testing" as well.
Im very happy all people are safe, Im'a parking mine outside by the house I cant sell

 

I was thinking some peeps might think it stupid or **** or whatever that we don't park our MINI inside - being as that most of us are so obcessed with keeping them clean, etc.

Donna

 

I'm really impressed!

 

A friend of mine, and my husband, were driving out in the boonies in their respective '64 Porsche 356s. My friend's caught on fire, and fortunately he had a Halon extinguisher ("regular" extinguishers really mess up engines). Hubby called me to get our "tow car." a 530i, and we towed it about 60 miles to our garage for a few nights. Fortunately his insurance paid for a full restoration at the garage of his choice--even flat-bedded it about 250 miles away!

(Cause was a carb fire about a mile after a "hot start." Apparently vapors ignited the paper air filter.)

Fire extinguishers make a lot of sense. Do I have one in mine? Umm, no.

I recently smelled brakes on the trailer pulled by a pickup in front of me. I watched helplessly as he merrily rolled along with the stuck wheel--he ignored my horn and lights. Finally he turned off on a lonely country road. I was able to pass him and physically plant myself in front of him so he couldn't keep going. When he stopped he roared out of the cab--ready to pound me to a pulp, I guess, until I pointed out that he was on fire! Fortunately, he had a barrel of water and a pump on the trailer.

The moral is, pay attention when people are honking and flashing lights at you! And carry a barrel of water...

 

Sad to say my MINI sits outside of the garage simply because I cant trust it to stay fire-free. If it's in the garage, the battery is disconnected.

 

Thank is very scary... OMG...

 

I suppose you and Donna don't ever use the fireplace either?

C'mon ...how often does this really happen. More home fires are caused by woodstoves/fireplaces than cars.

 

This may not be the place to question others feelings about this kind of thing

Mark

 

What kind's of things? The fear that a car is going to suddenly burst into flames and burn down the house. I can understand Donna's reluctance, but for anyone else to subscribe to the same fears is a bit immature. I would hope that this doesn't cause more people to question whether or not to park their car in the garage. I don't like to see unfounded fears being promoted.

 

There's no tire rubber left in the front on either side. It burned up both tires. Scary hot fire going on there.

 

This was certainly an eye-opening incident. Makes me have second thoughts about my mini since it is my family's only car. If the driver had trouble getting out and needed help, how about kids in car-seats.

Hopefully, this incident was not a result of a serious design flaw. Not sure that would really make me feel better.

I'm glad no one got hurt or injured. I've worked in a burn unit. Devastating.

 

I will stand by my comment, "This may not be the place"

Mark

 

Let's see, quite a few cars have burst into flames. Luckily enough, no one was hurt in these incidents. However, it is concerning when you think about what could have happened had these cars been parked in their respective garages when they combusted. Unfounded? Hardly. Immature? I've been called worse.

 

You are talking about earlier model MINIs, right? Have there been any other reports of spontaneous combustion of an R56?

I'm glad no one was hurt in this fire. My condolences go out to the owner for the loss of a MINI, and the driver for the trauma of the event.

I hope, for the peace of mind of other owners, that the cause of the fire can be determined. Since this is the 2nd Gen Forum, speaking of fires in previous models, without identifying them as such, can cause undue alarm among R56 owners.

 

The car that prompted this thread is indeed an R56. That's what has me concerned...not actually worried or frightened. If fires have been a problem in past models (and they have) and they continue to be a problem (looks like they are), there's reason for concern.

 

I'm very glad the driver is okay. Please do let us know how she is doing after this debacle.

 

never mind...
bump?

 

+1. The well-worn sticky in the 1st Gen forum appears to apply almost exclusively to '02 - '04 builds and focuses principally on failures in and around the power steering pump circuitry (I'm sure Donna could wax eloquently for hours on the history). Given that the design of this component was changed for the '05 - '06 and there have been far fewer (if any) reports of similar fires for these MINIs, one could assume that it was a inherent design issue for which the corporation has not (yet) had to accept any sort of accountability. There are a couple of reports of fried ABS controls, but they appear to be outliers.

This is the first instance of an R56 fire that I've heard of. The optimist in me wants to believe that there was some singular issue or quirk that was the cause, and not something systemic. I guess only time will tell...

 

Does the warranty pick up the tab or the insurance?

 

And how many do you know of...........

This is a very rare happening with early builds. No where near an epidemic.

 

Now that it's affected a 2nd gen., you are still unconcerned?

 

I have to admit that sure sounds possible especially since this was a friend borrowing the car.... I'll have to ask him if that could have been it....

 

Let's just wait and see until we have more information to go on...as has been said, I hope a clear cause can be identified. For now all is speculation...and relief no one was hurt.

 

And as far as the location goes, I think they just needed to get it OFF the ramp onto the Verrazanno bridge to Staten Island...and if you move one block away from the highway you're in a residential neighborhood - we're talking Brooklyn here for those not familiar with the area.