Here I am

My 3500 caught on fire today!

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Seems this is becoming a regular occurrence with the Dodge Diesel, and I’m getting upset at Chrysler at their total lack of care. After calling them about the “issue”, they claim they have never run across this problem before, and it must be isolated. While it seems my insurance is going to cover most of the damage, it makes no sense to me why with so many on the registry bbs experiencing this problem, that they would claim “isolated issue” in my case.



My $40,000 3500 could have burned to the ground in my own driveway, and I couldn’t do anything about it!



This morning, after starting my truck, I noticed a low pitched sound, almost like a vacuum cleaner starting up under my hood. Not knowing what that may be, I turned the key off. As others having this problem have stated, the truck kept running. No matter what I did, the truck would not stop, the “vacuum cleaner” sound, winding up. Finally, during my panic to try and stop it, smoke starts blowing out of my hood, followed by flames. At that point, the truck stopped running, however, the starter was still cranking away, and my keys were still in my hands. I’m not sure if I was able to save the starter in time or not, but it did quiet down once the batteries were disconnected.



After my wife called the slimes at Nelson’s Auto Group in Marysville Ohio, they told me they would “look into it if I tow it in at my expense, and pay them $150”. These are the same clowns that said, while my truck was under warranty, that I would have to pay $80, not refundable, up front for them to “look” and see if the return line fuel leak was covered under warranty.



Upset as she was, she refused to submit to their verbal gouge secretions, and called the Chrysler headquarters. In short, they claim they are going to send out a “team” to inspect and assist us with the repairs (my guess is its to take pictures in case we sue). This only after being told that we had seen this “issue” talked about by many folks on the turbo diesel registry web site, and the fact that my entire family could have very well been burned alive if my wife would have had the truck that day without me around, nor tools to break the battery connections.



I would like to hear from you folks who have had the same problems, and what has been done, if anything to fix it by Chrysler/Dodge. Seems to me, this is a SERIOUS issue which warrants a long overdue RECALL.



HELP!



P. S. Ford is looking better all the time!



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Go to the NHTSA (think I got it right) website and you will see there are plenty of cases of Rams catching fire. The one I liked best was the fellow who reported that his Ram started in gear and drove off as it caught on fire, he watched the whole thing from his porch, no one was in the truck.
 
Electrical Fire

Anyone care to speculate on the cause of the fire?

Stuck relay or stuck contacts in the starter?

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Looks like from the photos that the fuel shut off solenoid was the culprit of the fire.

The 2 solenoid coils could of been at fault or the rod mite of been dirty and did not realease.



But maybe if the starter side of coil on the fuel shut off solenoid continues to get power it mite over heat the coils.



When you turn ilgnition switch to run position the hold coil of FSOS moves the rod upward about 1/8 to 1/4 inch. (actually power allowed to pass thru fuel shutoff relay first then to solenoid).

When you turn key to start, power is allowed to pass thru starter relay where soon after the wire splits, one wire goes to the starter the solenoid , the other wire goes to fuel shut off relay where power is allowed to go to the start coil of FSOS moving (pulling) the rod to the bottom of the solenoid.



If start coil isn't working you can manually push the rod up and the hold (run) coil will hold it up. But if the hold coil fails it has to be tied up.



Could power jump from one coil to another in fuel shut off solenoid or jump contact points in starter and send power to the other component that share a hot wire? (could juice run back toward split of wires sending juice down the opposite split?)



I have mine starter make a whirring sound a couple of times with engine not shutting down. After what seemed to be an eternity(but actually only 30 to 60 seconds the engine would shut down by itself) swear I heard starter click before it shut down.

I fixed fuel lines and soon after I also fixed starter solenoid (2 weeks).

Old mechanic told me that the diesel fuel leaking into the starter solenoid brought on an early demise of the battery side contact point.
 
Just a thought:

Is it possible for the leaking power steering pump to cause the same thing? I've had no starter trouble but have had a leak for I know 2 years. Just enough to get things damp.

Just a thought::(



Preston
 
I talked to a man today that had a BMW catch fire by itself in his drive way. Down hill to his house by the way. The fire started under the car, no one knows where. It burned through brake system and the car rolled down into his carport and on the way hit the gas main. The results was a wasted car and $23,000 damage to his home. We live in a country eviroment without a real fire dept. . They try to train but lack the equiptment. The only thing that saved his home was the fire personal were just coming back from a call and were all available.



Count your blessings it was what it was. I'll cry with you for the "baby".



..... Preston
 
Ah yes, good old Nelson's Auto Group. Been there a few times and they could care less about me as a customer. Wouldn't answer hardly any of our questions about their vehicles and could care less about what we had to say. Anyways, on my old 95', the starter solonoid stuck in the on position but i was able to get it disconnected in time without any damage. I hope you are able to work something out with them and get this resolved ASAP.



Good luck,

Chris
 
C Pancake - Nelsons Auto Group, 5 Star Rating? Sure isn't for customer service. I wouldn't let them plunge my toilet, and I wouldn't buy another car/truck from them if they were the last place on earth!:mad:



I've asked my insurance company to tow it into Dublin Ohio for repairs. Seems the Insurance company is also aware of Nelsons bad rap. They agree to tow to another Dodge dealer no questions.



Dang - I miss my truck!
 
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