Fire!!!!

[Bentley2015]

Hi All
Not posted before but thought I'd share this. Went to fill the van with fuel last Wednesday, got about a mile up the road and could smell what i thought was someone having a bonfire. I looked in my rear view mirror to find the back of the van full of smoke. I pulled over and luckily i keep a case of water in the back, Smoke was pouring out of the top of the fridge and the wardrobe. I pour water in the fridge and into the wardbrode but i could still hear the crackling of flames. I shut the fridge lid and saw smoke coming up from behind it so i poured water down the back, this seemed to work, however it created huge amounts of acrid black smoke. The fire brigade then showed up (a nice guy who had come out to help) had called them. They started tearing trim off from around the fridge so they could see if the fire was out, which it was. What really concerned me was they said "lucky you wer'nt asleep up there when it happened, the smoke would have killed you!!!!. My wife now says she won't sleep in it anymore. This is our second Clai Ocean,had the same before this but a 2016 plate. I pick this one up (199hp 4motion DSG) in January this year, its only done 4500 mile and its half gone up in smoke. The dealers (who have been great) say they can't touch it until it's been inspected by VW UK or someone from Germany? VW UK have now raised a "case"!!! I'm waiting to hear if they will give me a loan Cali while they sort it but that has to go up stairs to the brass!! Anyone else had to deal with a fire?

 

[Loz]

Scary, glad you are OK, keep us updated with progress.

 

[Gary&Heather]

OMG at least you're safe, I must admit this is the first time I've heard of anything like this happening like Loz says please keep us updated.

 

[GrannyJen]

A horrible dreadful moment for you. I'm sure that I speak for all of us when I say thank goodness that you are safe.

This is the very first case I have heard of. I'm again sure that I speak for many and ask that you do keep us up to date.

Best wishes and I hope you soon get a loan cali.

 

[Goss]

As above, frightening! Never thought of using a smoke detector in my Cali before...

 

[Chiroshi]

Glad you're ok. We keep a fire extinguisher in the seat drawer and have a CO / Smoke alarm in the rear. Glad we weren't being too paranoid when we made those purchases at least.

 

[Hotel California]

As said , glad you are ok . Don't let what they told you about you beeing in it sleeping ... put you off or freighten you . There are fires every day , accidents every day . You had bad luck but it turned out in some structural damage , no one got hurt.

Was the fridge or anything else switched on at the time ?
Where did the fire started ? Sure you must been investigating yourself ?

 

[Jenny H]

Oh no thats terrible - glad youre okay - a lesson for us all re smoke detector & fire ext

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Wow! Glad you are safe. This puts all the other Cali’ issues/niggles into sharp perspective. Hopefully a one off.

 

[Bentley2015]

Thanks for all your kind messages. There was nothing on at the time. It looks like it started behind the lesure battery by the fridge although i can't be sure. It happened so quickly and oncew the fire brigade took over didn't really get a chance to have a look. The dealers had it nearly a week now without toching it. VW are taking it quite seriously i think and want to inspect it themselves before dealer techs touch it.

 

[AlisonF]

Thanks for letting us all know. Glad you are ok. Hope you find out soon what the issues was and get a suitable loan vehicle in the meantime.
A good comment above about smoke detectors. Maybe time they were fitted as standard in the Cali?

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Thanks for all your kind messages. There was nothing on at the time. It looks like it started behind the lesure battery by the fridge although i can't be sure. It happened so quickly and oncew the fire brigade took over didn't really get a chance to have a look. The dealers had it nearly a week now without toching it. VW are taking it quite seriously i think and want to inspect it themselves before dealer techs touch it.

Hope they don’t take too long. Please keep us updated.

 

[Meoncoast]

I am sure VW will want to get to the cause very worrying - glad everyone safe. As well as getting details about the cause will be interested in how your insurance deals with it and VW themselves given there must be a warranty fault.

 

[Bentley2015]

I'm happy for VW to deal with it as they see fit, as is a serious issue. However, they are like all large organisations very careful in what they do. They won't commit to a loan vehicle yet as without knowing whether its a fault or something outside of their control i.e. something they can blame it on they won't commit to the cost of loaning me a like for like vehicle. I haven't contacted my insurance company as i've treated this as a warranty issue with the vehicle so no need to inform them. Thanks again for all the kind messages, i will keep updating as and when i've got some more information.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Truly dreadful! As has already been said but most importantly, glad you are safe. I think this is a very rare occurrence. Its a great shame that it has affected how you and your wife will now treat your Cali. I hope this understandable, immediate reaction will fade with time so you can fully enjoy your Cali again. It's interesting to note that VW want to inspect before any techs touch it. If I am honest and a tad selfish it has made me think about the pros and cons of having the Fridge on overnight.....
I will join the list of folks saying please keep us up to date of progress.
Best Wishes.

 

[Goss]

I'm happy for VW to deal with it as they see fit, as is a serious issue. However, they are like all large organisations very careful in what they do. They won't commit to a loan vehicle yet as without knowing whether its a fault or something outside of their control i.e. something they can blame it on they won't commit to the cost of loaning me a like for like vehicle. I haven't contacted my insurance company as i've treated this as a warranty issue with the vehicle so no need to inform them. Thanks again for all the kind messages, i will keep updating as and when i've got some more information.

Loaning? For the age and mileage I‘d be looking for a new replacement.

Regards,

Goss

 

[WelshGas]

Hi All
Not posted before but thought I'd share this. Went to fill the van with fuel last Wednesday, got about a mile up the road and could smell what i thought was someone having a bonfire. I looked in my rear view mirror to find the back of the van full of smoke. I pulled over and luckily i keep a case of water in the back, Smoke was pouring out of the top of the fridge and the wardrobe. I pour water in the fridge and into the wardbrode but i could still hear the crackling of flames. I shut the fridge lid and saw smoke coming up from behind it so i poured water down the back, this seemed to work, however it created huge amounts of acrid black smoke. The fire brigade then showed up (a nice guy who had come out to help) had called them. They started tearing trim off from around the fridge so they could see if the fire was out, which it was. What really concerned me was they said "lucky you wer'nt asleep up there when it happened, the smoke would have killed you!!!!. My wife now says she won't sleep in it anymore. This is our second Clai Ocean,had the same before this but a 2016 plate. I pick this one up (199hp 4motion DSG) in January this year, its only done 4500 mile and its half gone up in smoke. The dealers (who have been great) say they can't touch it until it's been inspected by VW UK or someone from Germany? VW UK have now raised a "case"!!! I'm waiting to hear if they will give me a loan Cali while they sort it but that has to go up stairs to the brass!! Anyone else had to deal with a fire?

View attachment 67444

Sorry to hear about this, but glad no one was injured. Lucky you had the water available.
I've not been able to find anything similar on the Forum or elsewhere relating to the California.
Apart from the Fridge, which you mentioned was Off, the one other thing in that area is the Earth Shunt, used to monitor the current draw from the Leisure Batteries.
Will be very interested to know what the cause is when VW have finished their investigations.
If it is determined by VW that it was a manufacturing fault, besides insisting on a Loan California I think you are well placed to request a new vehicle replacement.

 

[kurienp]

As everyone else has also said - first things first - Glad you are safe. Definitely a lot of people are going to rush out and buy a smoke detector for their van, but also good to have some kind of a fire extinguisher in the van. Good presence of mind to tackle the blaze rather than waiting for the fire brigade to arrive.

Please do let us know the outcome, but as WG says, if VW at fault may be a good case to request replacement?

 

[soulstyledevon]

O/P.
I think you’re being to soft. I would demand immediate action from Volkswagen and a replacement California. No question.
I’ve never heard of a fault like this on a California and suspect it’s a one off incident...

But, with the cost and severity of the situation. I think Volkswagen should sort you a replacement immediately...

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

O/P.
I think you’re being to soft. I would demand immediate action from Volkswagen and a replacement California. No question.
I’ve never heard of a fault like this on a California and suspect it’s a one off incident...

But, with the cost and severity of the situation. I think Volkswagen should sort you a replacement immediately...

Following this unfortunate event if you are planning to install a smoke alarm, I found a small device on Amazon. Much neater than most in my opinion. Made by X-Sense, Model number XS01

 

[Calimili]

Following this unfortunate event if you are planning to install a smoke alarm, I found a small device on Amazon. Much neater than most in my opinion. Made by X-Sense, Model number XS01

View attachment 67503

That's a good find, I'll get one of those as well.

 

[andyinluton]

I'm happy for VW to deal with it as they see fit, as is a serious issue. However, they are like all large organisations very careful in what they do. They won't commit to a loan vehicle yet as without knowing whether its a fault or something outside of their control i.e. something they can blame it on they won't commit to the cost of loaning me a like for like vehicle. I haven't contacted my insurance company as i've treated this as a warranty issue with the vehicle so no need to inform them. Thanks again for all the kind messages, i will keep updating as and when i've got some more information.

I would advise your insurance company that there is a possibility of a claim just to cover yourself. You are currently proceeding on the basis that VW are going to put their hands up & admit that it is their fault that caused the fire, what are you going to do when VW say its nothing to do with them.
Your insurer may wish to have their own inspection done to decide what caused it, you should at least get them to approve VW looking at it.

From my experience in a similar situation with Landrover, the last place I would want it looked at is the garage that had worked on the vehicle immediately prior to the incident.
In my case Landrover got the actual mechanic who had worked on the vehicle to do the inspection & write the report that found that he had done nothing wrong. That resulted in a £14k bill for a new engine.

Have you had the van from brand new? You wouldnt want VW to be finding bits of wiring from someone fitting solar panels, awning lights etc in the battery compartment at the back.

 

[Jay gas]

So pleased to hear that you are ok after this terrible incident. It’s interesting to see that the fire took place around the fridge area of the van. I have a similar reg van to yourself and it seems there have been a few vans of the same age with an electrical fault on the relay on the fridge. I had my fridge replaced a couple of weeks ago due to it being faulty. I wonder if they are going to start there investigation with the fridge

 

[Calimili]

Following this unfortunate event if you are planning to install a smoke alarm, I found a small device on Amazon. Much neater than most in my opinion. Made by X-Sense, Model number XS01

View attachment 67503

This are the instructions of this XS-01.
Where would you guys install it for it to be actually effective? not easy given the several limitations as per above.

 

[WelshGas]

View attachment 67527
This are the instructions of this XS-01.
Where would you guys install it for it to be actually effective? not easy given the several limitations as per above.

If you sleep upstairs, high on the wardrobe or centre of the roof.
If you cook in the Ocean the I wouldn’t bother as it would be more trouble than it’s worth.
I just have a CO alarm, only.