Watch Where You Park!

Watch Where You Park!

Recently, we were asked to determine the cause of a fire in a 2002 GMC Sierra.  Since the vehicle was more than 10 years old, it was apparent that subrogation against the manufacturer, General Motors, was not going to be an option.  It was also learned that the vehicle had not been recently repaired so, subrogation against a third party was also not an option.  Upon arriving at the vehicle, it was noted that it was situated in an open area.  From the surroundings, it was clear that the land had been used as a dumping ground for wood chippers.  Wood chip debris was everywhere and the spot where the vehicle had initially ignited was clearly evident from the burn mark present on the ground.  Upon examination of the vehicle and verifying that combustion had taken place beneath the vehicle, it was clear that the wood chip debris had come in contact with the engine or engine exhaust pipe and ignited.  The vehicle and the ground that it was on are shown in the photographs below.  Whenever it becomes necessary to drive onto unpaved ground, it is prudent to make sure that your vehicle is not parked over dry wood or wood debris, dry grass, brush, or hay; dry corn stalks or husks, and anything else that might ignite and destroy your vehicle.               

Wood chip debris scattered on ground, blackened area where fire initially occurred

Casualty of wood chip debris fire

Not the Way to Mount Running Boards to your Truck!

Running Boards are very popular and offer to convenient way to enter and leave a truck for those who have a hard time getting in and out.  Running boards come in various styles and are usually equipped with brackets that are intended to be bolted to the truck underbody.  However, when the underbody is corroded or the condition of the metal that will hold the running board is questionable, then caution should be exercised in deciding whether and how to mount the boards.  When bolts can’t be used, welding the bracket to the underbody can be an alternative.  In doing so, care must be taken not to set the vehicle on fire!  Carpeting is usually present at the edge of the floorboard adjacent to the doors.  When welding the brackets, the heat from the weld is conducted through the metal to the carpet (and wiring if present) creating a perfect condition for a vehicle fire.  The photographs shown below illustrate how a fire originated in a 1997 Ford F 250 when one of the passenger side running board brackets was welded to the underbody.  Precautions must be taken before welding to prevent damage to the vehicle.  If bolts cannot be used because of questionable metal strength, then welding is probably not a good idea either.    

Fire origin at floorboard and damage to passenger door

View of underbody beneath area of fire origin, note bracket weld location

Which Came First: the Accident or the Transmission Damage?

 

Recently, we were asked to evaluate a vehicle in order to determine if the damage to the transmission occurred before or after the vehicle was involved in an accident. This was a situation where the accident involved two vehicles, a Pontiac Sunfire and a Buick Enclave. The impact occurred such that the Sunfire sustained damage on the right front side while the Enclave’s left front side was damaged. The Enclave was repaired, returned to the owner and approximately 3100 miles put on the vehicle before the transmission failed. Specifically, the transmission began making a whining noise and when put in gear, would not “pull”. One of the ways to assess when damage occurred is to construct a timeline of events that leads to the damage. That is, establish the condition of the transmission before and after the collision. In this case, the service record of the Enclave was obtained from the owner’s service garage. The record showed that the owner had the vehicle in for an oil change approximately one month prior to the accident. The particular servicing agency also provided a 21 point inspection which included checking all fluid levels. It was then established that the transmission was in good condition prior to the accident. From that piece of information, and without being able to prove that something else (like a sudden fluid leak) caused the damage, the benefit of the doubt has to go to the owner. The insurance company for the owner of the Pontiac was therefore responsible for the repair of the transmission in the Enclave. However, it should be noted that if the condition of the transmission could not have been established, the alternative would have been to remove the transmission and make a determination from the damaged parts. This is a process whereby someone is going to incur some charges. It is usually beneficial to all parties if an arrangement is made beforehand. The arrangement is usually one where the insurance company will pay for the disassembly and repair if the damage is found to have been caused by the accident. If not, then the owner has to agree to pay for the disassembly and repairs.