LEAF Fire in North Texas

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My vehicle was purchased as a New 2013 Leaf model SL. Unfortunately I am unaware of what month it was made. I bought the vehicle in September of 2013.
 
I understand being gunshy about electric cars after this, but if it started under the dash, it is much more likely something to do with the 12v system, which every electric/gas/diesel/hybrid car has. Hopefully there is some determination as to what caused that, pretty scary!
 
My friend found a picture of the Leaf that was a cut-away showing where wiring and battery, etc are located. We showed it to a friend of ours and explained exactly where the smoke and fire appeared from. He suspects it may be faulty wiring in the bundle of the main line. The main power line runs through that console which makes us suspicious of that line. I do hope they figure out the cause and really would like to know what they find though wouldn't be surprised if we continue to be left in the dark.
 
Aren't all the high voltage components and wiring outside of the passenger compartment? While it's possible it could have started outside the car, then spread inside (happens all the time with ICEVs), I'm wondering if this isn't just a run-of-the-mill 12 volt short from behind the dash.
 
Could it have been the resistance heater? Doesn't it heat up coolant, what if the coolant had leaked out somehow. I don't know where that sits or even if it could do that, but 5000w dry would be a fire starter for sure, but you would think there are a couple of safety's on that that system as well. Although the SL should have been using the heat pump if any HVAC was called for, just throwing things out there.

Either way good to know your safe, a car is a car and can be replaced.
 
The fire and smoke was coming out of the console in the passenger compartment, not the dash itself. I wish I could post the picture of the cutaway so you could see what area I'm referring to and what is there. The area was right at the cup holders and in front of them in the little shelf area.
 
That is quite specific, Shawn. From what you describe, you had a relatively new well-maintained, premium trim vehicle which went bad almost instantly.

I have read on other EV forums a comment about high voltage through the firewall in this particular vehicle. I think the question for our more technically minded members is are there any high voltage (400V) components related to the hybrid heating or other electronics? Could they have produced a fire?
 
Yes right in front of the cup holders. I wish I had a way to post the crossection picture I found before because it does show orange power cables running in the area which I assume goes to the motor. But there was another in the picture that split away from the main bundle in that area that looks suspicious as well.
 
Shawn75067 said:
Yes right in front of the cup holders. I wish I had a way to post the crossection picture I found before because it does show orange power cables running in the area which I assume goes to the motor. But there was another in the picture that split away from the main bundle in that area that looks suspicious as well.


Have Nissan made any other contact with you except for their "research" call?
 
board350 said:
So a LEAF caught fire and burned up yesterday. My boss's wife was driving by and got this video. I don't know much more than that but I am very curious if anyone knows what caused it? As one would expect all my non-LEAF-driving friends instantly gave me flak for driving a LEAF and told me to watch out as it may catch fire, haha. They love to poke fun...

https://youtu.be/8PUG-ldjD48

(I couldn't get the embed feature to work)

video is unviewable
 
Shawn75067 said:
Yes right in front of the cup holders. I wish I had a way to post the crossection picture I found before because it does show orange power cables running in the area which I assume goes to the motor. But there was another in the picture that split away from the main bundle in that area that looks suspicious as well.

2013_Nissan_Leaf_cutaway_(2).jpg


If you are talking about this picture, those orange wires are all under the steel floor of the vehicle and do not enter the passenger compartment. None of the high voltage wiring enters the passenger compartment. If you had a fire in the lower dash, it was likely a 12v issue, but as others have noted, I'd be interested in hearing some official response from Nissan.
 
I'm in agreement you can have had this fire in any vehicle electric or other wise as it was within the LV side of the system (LV = Low voltage)

this really should be reported on the results of the insurance investigation.
 
DaveinOlyWA said:
board350 said:
So a LEAF caught fire and burned up yesterday. My boss's wife was driving by and got this video. I don't know much more than that but I am very curious if anyone knows what caused it? As one would expect all my non-LEAF-driving friends instantly gave me flak for driving a LEAF and told me to watch out as it may catch fire, haha. They love to poke fun...

https://youtu.be/8PUG-ldjD48

(I couldn't get the embed feature to work)

video is unviewable

I removed the video from public viewing as I felt is was causing more harm than good at this point. Sorry.
 
Are we absolutely even the smaller orange wire bundle does not enter into the car in that area? Just looks somewhat suspicious to me.

Can I get a copy of the video, I had no idea anyone had taken the video and would like a copy please.

Shawn
 
board350 said:
DaveinOlyWA said:
board350 said:
So a LEAF caught fire and burned up yesterday. My boss's wife was driving by and got this video. I don't know much more than that but I am very curious if anyone knows what caused it? As one would expect all my non-LEAF-driving friends instantly gave me flak for driving a LEAF and told me to watch out as it may catch fire, haha. They love to poke fun...

https://youtu.be/8PUG-ldjD48

(I couldn't get the embed feature to work)

video is unviewable

I removed the video from public viewing as I felt is was causing more harm than good at this point. Sorry.

no worries, I can find it if I have an overwhelming desire to do so but as you implied; I really don't see this as newsworthy. just one more in the thousands of car fires that happen daily
 
Shawn75067 said:
Are we absolutely even the smaller orange wire bundle does not enter into the car in that area? Just looks somewhat suspicious to me.

Can I get a copy of the video, I had no idea anyone had taken the video and would like a copy please.

Shawn

I PM'd you.
 
Shawn75067 said:
Are we absolutely even the smaller orange wire bundle does not enter into the car in that area? Just looks somewhat suspicious to me.

It's possible that the high voltage wiring overheated for some reason, which then heated the nearby sheetmetal enough to cause the carpet and plastics immediately next to it to catch fire. That's how engine compartment fires can spread to the interior despite the presence of a "firewall" and how car fires spread from car to car; if there's enough heat outside the car, eventually that heat will make its way into the car and set flammable things on fire, even if there are non-flammable materials separating the two areas.

However, as I suspected, I doubt any of the orange wires enters the passenger compartment itself. It would have no need to, as none of the high voltage components are situated within it AFAIK. There's definitely none in the cavity beneath the cupholders.
 
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