Fire starting form underneath drivers seat
04-30-2014, 09:47 AM
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E200K-W211
Fire starting form underneath drivers seat
My MB E-200 Kompressor (W-211) short while after starting showed all kinds of alarms at the instrument panel. Even the clock hands started rotating. Tried to stop the engine but could not do it with the key turned to stop position. Disconnected the back battery which too did not stop the engine which had strange noises coming from the brake compressor. The engine only stopped after disconnecting the engine compartment Battery.
Meanwhile noticed that there was a small fire at bottom of drivers seat, which eventually started burning the seat. Managed to put out the fire with buckets of water from a house nearby. Yet to find out the cause of the fire which seems to be possibly from a short circuit from wires under the drivers seat.
The damage is mainly confined to car interior around the driver's seat area. The repair is covered by insurance and the car has been towed to the insurance company's approved workshop. Contacted the local MB company but yet to receive a reply from them as to how a fire could start from the seat bottom. I was very lucky that there was a water source nearby or else the whole car would have burnt down. Wonder any one else have experienced such an incident.
Meanwhile noticed that there was a small fire at bottom of drivers seat, which eventually started burning the seat. Managed to put out the fire with buckets of water from a house nearby. Yet to find out the cause of the fire which seems to be possibly from a short circuit from wires under the drivers seat.
The damage is mainly confined to car interior around the driver's seat area. The repair is covered by insurance and the car has been towed to the insurance company's approved workshop. Contacted the local MB company but yet to receive a reply from them as to how a fire could start from the seat bottom. I was very lucky that there was a water source nearby or else the whole car would have burnt down. Wonder any one else have experienced such an incident.
04-30-2014, 10:52 AM
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E350
Under the seat are a few electric connections they could has shorted out. But why you could not stop the engine is more interesting and also not going to be covered under your car insurance... maybe under warrenty, no need to fix the fire damage until the engine story is figured out as it might start a new fire again.
06-24-2014, 12:28 AM
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E200K-W211
Fire starting from underneath driver seat
Just to follow up on my earlier thread on this subject, the repair job is in progress and it has taken a long time as the workshop couldn't find the damaged wiring cluster locally and had to order it from Mercedes. This is expected to take more than a month. The fire is suspected to have been caused by the seat control motor which could have overheated and cause the wirings to burn. Apparently similar incidence have been reported. The control switch too could be suspect as it may have kept the motor running without being activated. This could be confirmed after the wiring replacement.
