Why supercars are on fire: Ferrari recalls all 499 hybrid LaFerrari due to fire risk

Fire hazard is one of the most common defects in the most powerful machines. Portal "AvtoVzglyad" recalled the reasons for all the "hot" service campaigns in recent years.

Alas, even the supercar manufacturers themselves can't handle the overly hot nature of their cars. Powerful fast cars burn like matches - they often flare up after an accident. But often explosiveness and love for the flame are inherent in the very nature of supercars.

According to the statistics of revocable actions, the risk of fire is the main factor in forced free repair of supercars.

The cause of a fire is not always as romantic as tires caught fire from a breakneck speed or racing races on the track. More often than not, the "spark" in the most technologically advanced and powerful machines comes from other circumstances.

FERRARI

2015: In March, it became known that all 499 copies of LaFerrari had to be taken to the services, although the Maranello company officially claims that this is a scheduled inspection. According to media reports, due to a possible defect in the fuel system, the hybrid supercar could catch fire. In the summer of 2014, a LaFerrari participating in the Trento-Bondone hill race overheated, and spectators saw smoke and flashes in the engine compartment. As part of a free-to-owner repair, the fuel tanks will be given a new electrically non-conductive insulating coating. Maintenance may take several weeks.

2010: Ferrari announced a recall of all batches of 458 Italia supercars, which were produced in the amount of 1248 units, also due to the risk of spontaneous combustion. The threat turned out to be the glue used in the assembly of the wheel arches, which could overheat while driving in the heat from hot parts of the exhaust system. Then several cases of spontaneous combustion were recorded, the owners of burned-out cars received new ones for free. 

The Italian company Ferrari, in the very name of which the roar of the engine seems to be embedded, recall campaigns happen often. 

2009: 2356 Ferrari 355 and 355 F1 supercars, which were produced from 1995 to 1999, went to the service centers of the Italian brand. Due to improperly installed clamps securing the fuel line and coolant hose, there was a risk of a rupture of the gasoline pipe, as a result of which the fuel could ignite. And don't expect any good from it.

The summer of 2009 was rich in accidents involving supercars in Moscow. One of the incidents was a fire that engulfed a Ferrari 612 Scaglietti on Rublyovka. The spontaneous combustion occurred hours after the luxury Italian car was purchased from a used supercar dealership. The cause of the fire was a short circuit - as the car dealership commented on the incident, the supercar has already changed three owners, and during this time anything could happen to it, for example, rats gnawed the wiring.

PORSCHE

2015: Just last month, the German company Porsche also had to urgently call for services all the latest generation 911 GT3 supercars sold - 785 vehicles. The reason for the recall was several cases of spontaneous combustion. As part of the forced repair, the technicians will replace the engines in all cars - due to a defect in the fastening of the connecting rods. Specialists are still working on the new part, so the start date of the service campaign is not yet known. The brand advised owners not to drive their cars yet.

 

DODGE

2013: An electrical short in a Dodge Challenger V6 sports coupe can catch fire and burn out. In the United States, several such cases have already been recorded at that time. Therefore, the Chrysler concern does not recommend owners to use cars and leave them near buildings and is preparing a service campaign. The recall covered cars manufactured from November 2012 to January 2013, more than 4000 in total.

FISKER

2011: American Fisker Karma hybrid vehicles are recalled due to fire risk. In total, the company has to take 239 cars for repair, and 50 of them are already with customers. The defect, due to which a service action was initiated, was found in the battery cooling system. Loose clamps on the coolant pipes can cause coolant to leak and get on the batteries, which in turn will lead to a short circuit and a fire.

A fire in a sports car can be caused by short circuits, defective fasteners, and even rust.

BENTLEY

2008: Not everyone recognizes Continental sports coupes as supercars, but nevertheless, owners of these powerful and fast cars can count on their reliability in any conditions. In 2008, the company is forced to recall 13 Continental GT, Continental GT Speed, Continental Flying Spur and Continental GTC coupe 420-2004 model years due to a defect in the fuel system. The outside of the fuel filter housing will rust under the influence of road salt, which may cause fuel leakage. And fuel, as you know, burns.

PONTIAC

2007: In 2007, the American company Pontiac (General Motors concern) caught on and announced the recall of the Grand Prix GTP sports cars produced from 1999 to 2002. Cars with a 6-liter V3,4 engine with a capacity of 240 hp, equipped with a mechanical supercharger, caught fire 15 minutes after the engine was turned off. In the United States, 21 such cases have been recorded, and almost 72 vehicles are potentially subject to recall. The cause of the fires is the increased temperature in the engine compartment.

 

LOTUS

2011: An oil cooler defect in a 2005-2006 Lotus Elise sports car triggered an NHTSA investigation. The organization received 17 complaints from owners who reported that oil from the radiator gets on the wheels, which becomes dangerous at speed. There was also one case of fire in connection with the ingress of oil into the engine compartment. About 4400 cars are subject to a potential defect.

 

ROLLS-ROYCE

2011: 589 Rolls-Royce Ghosts built between September 2009 and September 2010 are being recalled by the NHTSA. Overheating of the electronic board in cars with turbocharged V8 and M12 engines, which is responsible for the cooling system, can lead to a fire in the engine compartment.

By car, Rolls-Royce is unlikely to pull on the track or race through the serpentines of the Austrian Alps, but they have enough power reserve to budge the trailer with Abramovich's yacht. And these luxury cars are being recalled due to fire hazards. 

2013: A couple of years later, Rolls-Royce is forced to send Phantom limousines from November 2, 2012 to January 18, 2013 for service. The manufacturer fears that not all sedans are equipped with a special device in the fuel system that prevents overflowing with fuel at a gas station and monitors the accumulation of static electricity. If the device is not present, the discharge may cause a fire.