72 captured repliesDiscussion pagination complete · Source accounts, not a confirmed diagnosis
THIS DISCUSSION / SOURCE-DERIVED OVERVIEW
Discussion summary
YOUR RESEARCHHoly Smokes (literally) Caught fire!
Reported or suspected cause
accidental not man-made
Reported cause
No successful repair reported for this finding.
1
Identified cause
0
Suspected cause
0
Reported fixes
Read evidence and context
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that report identifying a cause
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Reported cause · Original poster
However I'd like to report that they have determined that the cause was accidental not man-made.
Leading evidence: 'accidental not man-made' (1 discussions report identifying this cause; no attributable repair resolution). Across 1 matching discussions, the most frequently mentioned possible cause is 'accidental not man-made' (1 discussions; 1 report identifying it and 0 suggest it). The most frequently discussed action is 'Install by sharkwerks a month or so ago' (1 discussions). For that action, 0 discussions report a resolution and 0 report an unsuccessful attempt. No action has an explicit, attributable resolution report under the current rules. These are forum reports and suggestions, not a confirmed diagnosis.
Source reports, not a diagnosis or a success probability. Counts refer to discussions and can overlap.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I also have an almost new EVOM Cool Air Intake that was just installed by SharkWerks a month or so ago.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
I replaced the mods with the Original parts that I had kept after installing the mods.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Explicit resolution reports before identified causes, performed actions and suggestions. Within each level, matching component labels precede direct query mentions and inherited thread context; successful versus unsuccessful discussion counts, owner confirmations and independent discussion support determine order. This is not a probability of success.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed
It just ain't worth it - cars can always be replaced - your health can't.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion
Just yesterday going home I hit some road debris which launched my car on two wheels, the two on the left, setting off the passenger side airbag when I landed back on all fours.
Discussions that performed work without a confirmed outcome
1
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Performed · outcome unconfirmed · Original poster
Although the CHP guy who stopped and offered to help used his extinguisher.....the God awful mess that one of those extinguishers makes is heartbreaking....especially after I spent two days getting it ready for the class reunion this weekend.
0 original-poster resolution reports. Counts can overlap; they are not unique people or a success rate.
0 discussions have direct query context; 0 report a fix in that context. Other evidence may inherit the discussion’s subject.
Suggestion · Original poster
Another thing I'll take away from this is that I've been looking at fire extinguishers....IslandmandPA I think sells the Halon ones.....and I talked myself out of buying them on a number of occasions using the logic that I've never heard of one of these cars just catching fire.
Counts describe captured discussions, not unique people or a diagnosis. Author identities are not reliably stored. Exact duplicate evidence is counted once across matching discussions; one discussion counts at most once per action/state. Multiple repairs reported together remain a combination. Suggestions and failed attempts do not establish a fix. Matches cover whole discussions and can include related faults, model variants and incomplete threads.
72 eligible posts · 0 unverified posts · 1 discussions match the subject in their title or opening post.
Rennlist: 1 discussions
0 evidence records excluded for query context · 0 excluded by outcome qualification · 0 adjusted by outcome qualification.
0 acknowledgements have no verified action link; they do not establish a repair result.
Generation: 20261026T152433Z · outcome-qualification-6. Deterministic extraction; no AI model inference. How we use sources
I had just spent the last two day spiffing up my 99 996 in preparation for attending our class reunion....and I drove it to the coffee shop to have a cup and yak with some of the guys. On the way, I noticed that suddenly the TC light came on...followed by the smell of burning wiring. I saw a whisp of smoke coming out of the center air conditioning vent....then suddenly the entire dash lit up like a christmas tree and all power died. Luckily I had enough speed going and the light was green, so I was able to turn the corner without power steering and coast over to the side of the road.
The smoke continued coming out of the center vent....then became stronger. A small lick of flame dripped down from under the dash to the right of the steering column. I jumped out, and raised the hood thinking the battery was shorting out...but it wasnt'. By now, flames were dripping down like a waterfall of fire as plastic and wiring burned. There was no way I could stop the fire as it was like liquid napalm and stuck to anything it landed on. I started grabbing paperwork out of the center console...insurance papers, registration etc....then suddenly the driver's airbad exploded shoving my head to the side. Luckily I was leaning in the passenger's side of the vehicle, so I didn't take the full brunt of the exploding bag, but it did twist rather violently force my head to the side. I had no idea those bags exploded with such force. It sounded like a 12 gauge shotgun going off.
The fire continued to burn with more intensity...a fellow stopped behind me and came up with an extinguisher....shot a few puffs at the dripping flames and it stopped, but smoke billowed out of the car choking off any effort to get any more things out of the car. The force of the airbag combined with the heat fractured the glass in the front windshield....and the underside of the dash is a crispy critter.
I dont know if this is going to be a total....but looking at it makes me sick. I loved that car...and the Iris Blue is such an unusual color. If and when the insurance company decides to settle.....I'll be looking for that twin turbo.
My god man! That's a horrible and frightening story. Glad you're ok, except for the emotional anguish I guess. Keep us posted if someone is able to determine the cause of this.
Wow this happened in Elk Grove??? I am glad you are OK. If you need your fix you can come take mine for a spin till you get sorted.... I am around the corner...
Geeeez, Chuck, that is shocking news indeed! I can imagine how you must feel now.
But like everyone said, thank goodness you are all right.
I would love to know what caused the fire.
Man that really sucks... at least you were not hurt.
I would certainly think the insurance company will total it and you can look forward to getting another 996.
I know the feeling well... same thing happened in my Ferrari (thought it only happened to Italian cars actually!). Very sorry that in your case you didnt get to put the fire out in time. Hope the insurance guys do what is right by you and you.
I had it towed to Niello Porsche and got a phone call from them....they said the entire wiring harness and most of the controls under the dash are toast....plus with the deployed airbag and blown out windshield....I fully expect it to be totalled.
I will do an extensive followup with pictures...especially to cover the issue of potential cause. But one thing you folks might take from this is that in the event of an interior fire like this....watch out for that airbag deployment!! I was lucky that I was half in/half out of the car from the passenger's side taking my insurance documents out of the center console when it went off. Although it just hit me a glancing blow to the side of the head, since my cervical spine is fused at the C4 location, it could have easily broken my neck hitting me from the side like that.
Another thing I'll take away from this is that I've been looking at fire extinguishers....IslandmandPA I think sells the Halon ones.....and I talked myself out of buying them on a number of occasions using the logic that I've never heard of one of these cars just catching fire. My mindset has changed substantially.
I also have a lot of good mods in there that I'm hoping to be able to retro and keep...PSS9's, headers, EVOM CAI, MKII mufflers, new Michelin Pilot Sports, RSS Plenum etc. I kept all the OEM stuff, so I'm hoping that if the insurance company does write it off, they'll let me retro it to stock. There's a lot of money tied up in all those mods. I'd sure like to recoup some of it and offer it on this forum....because when the smoke clears (literally?) I intend to be looking for a twin turbo...and as a matter of fact am already talking to several folks about theirs.
Chuck
Yeah, airbags hurt and the gun powder from them burn.
Man, I'm kind of excited for you on your potential 996 Turbo purchase.
The one problem I see is you didn't get the car towed home to strip the parts off after the the adjuster totals it.
Ouch.. Watching your car go up in flames is bad enough..add the potential of permanent injury, and I think I'd be getting out of the car and standing
far
away. It just ain't worth it - cars can always be replaced - your health can't.
Glad to hear you came out of it unscathed, if a bit smoky. Good luck finding a suitable replacement.
- Nick
Gotta: I actually thought about your car as I was watching mine burn....I love the color, it's newer, and I know you've taken care of it....but I'm really looking for an X50.....but I won't write you off. I have to see what the insurance company is willing to do for me.....I know it's going to be the usual fight of "We'll give you $XXX.....no I have more than that into it.....Well then how about $XXX". Hopefully I can get a quick settlement out of this then move on to something else. I even considered selling the 87 Slant and putting that money towards a whatever.....but I'm sort of attached to that air cooled 930.
WOW, craziest story I have heard in a long time, but most importantly you are OK... Soon enough you will get another and better car to replace this one. You are right though when you least expect these occurences to happen, BAM, you get it... I may need to look into a fire extinguisher now, who knows when my wires start going nuts too, Oops... Good luck buddy! Keep us updated on the insurance part.
Cheers,
Also just so you all know.....I had NO aftermarket stuff under the dash....the radio was a CDR220 and other than the GIAC flash, there were absolutely no modifications in the dash. Everything under there was stock......now the engine is another matter, but that's not where the fire started. Do yourself a favor....go buy a Halon extinguisher. Although the CHP guy who stopped and offered to help used his extinguisher.....the God awful mess that one of those extinguishers makes is heartbreaking....especially after I spent two days getting it ready for the class reunion this weekend. The dogone car looks like a barn find.
Sorry to hear what happened. I was reading and expected and the end of your story to say "and then I woke up sweating".
Before I bought the 996, I was looking at 3.2 911 Carreras. One of them started smoking around the dash area when the A/C was turned on. Luckily we shut the car down before it caught fire. The short was probably from old dried insulation on the wiring and/or an overloaded circuit.
Chuck,
What a drag. I’m so sorry to hear about your car but I’m glad that you weren’t injured.
I feel your pain.
Just yesterday going home I hit some road debris which launched my car on two wheels, the two on the left, setting off the passenger side airbag when I landed back on all fours. I was thinking that if I had a passenger the airbag could have pushed them into me which could have caused a worst accident.
Can I call dibs on the EVO CAI intake.
A TT will be good therapy.
Good luck.
That is terrible. The airbag deployment must have really sucked. I am fused C5-7 also, nice to think our cars could kill us.
Hopefully this is a freak occurance and the cause is found.
The dry chemical extinguisher alone is probably enough to total the car. It is very corrosive and will eat up the car from the inside out regardless of the amount of vacuuming you do in the future.
Chuck, feel really sorry for you. What a freak accident!! I'm glad you are ok though. I hope you settle this and get to buy the twin turbo. Promise not to forget us here on the 996 board when you start talking to the turbo boys.
That whole scene must have been frightening. I hope it has a very quick & happy (TTW/X51) ending though.
I had a similar situation when my headlights started flickering and briefly cut out. Next a wisp of smoke came up through my center dash vent, and then that horrible electrical burning smell.
It happened a couple times but luckily never progressed beyond the wisk of smoke stage. I had my indie go through all the wiring but they never found a crispy wire.
GL with the insurance adjuster.
Wow,
I'm sorry to hear this but I'm glad you are alright. Good luck with insurance as I have just gone through this with my insurance company when my car was totaled. All in all it took about a month to come to settlement.
It will all turn out for the best,
Pete
if that ever happens to me, i will just run away period. forget everything else.
the car could explode and I would not want to be around when that happens.
Cars have so many parts, and so many different systems working together, it's amazing they all don't catch fire! Glad you are OK! The fire dept always says never go back into a burning car - but I guess you don't grasp the severity of the situation when you first see smoke. Scary!
this reminds me about 15 years ago, the cab i was riding caught on fire.
i saw the platic dashboard sinking, smoke came out, and smell bad plastic burning. the cab driver stopped at the road side, and we jumped out, the whole caught on fire 20 seconds later.
glad nothing bad happened.
see if you can buy the car back from the ins. company, then part it out, maybe u can make some $$, after all, engine and tranny is still good.
you may talk to waydeki, as his 99 996 engine was let-go. maybe you can offer him your engine.
also, there is a guy on this board who brought a totalled 996(fire damage on engine) and make a nice car out of it.
I got so into reading your story that I really thought you were pulling our legs. I'm very sorry to hear about your car and the terrible experience you had but in the end, you are alive and well and that's what matters. You will find another 911 and I'm sure a better one. By the way, my friend lent me his 996 Turbo for a day yesterday and now I wish I could get rid of my car. GLTY
We're all glad you're ok, but bummed about your car. Who would've expected the airbag to deploy? I added a fire extinguisher to my car's cabin the second day I owned it - I hope to never need to use it.
Isn't it dangerous to keep a fire extinguisher in the car on a really hot day? My fear is it would explode on its own in the cabin. What is the maximum safe in-car temperature for the fire extinguisher? Sometimes when it's 100F outside, it can reach over 130F inside the car.
There's a guy on Rennlist.....I think his handle is Islandman PA or something like that...he was selling the halon extinguishers in the for sale section...go do a search there for Halon extinguishers. His prices were as good as any and he was selling the 1.5 pound and 5 pound halon extinguishers. I wish I had bought one...I could have stopped that fire almost immediately.
The fire department used the chemical extinguisher in my car.....not a pretty sight....makes it look like the car has been sitting in a severe dust storm for the past three years. I got a call from CSAA and they are pretty sure they're going to total it....after I looked at it closer today, there's no way that car can be fixed. It was a heartbreaking sight.
Chuck,
What a sad story. I'm glad you were not hurt as a result of the fire.
I too have been contemplating a fire extinguisher since buying my 993 in '05. I finally bit the bullet and purchased an Amerex Halotron 2.5 lb extinguisher and seat mounting bracket from Stable Energies. Hopefully I can make the time to install it this weekend.
Extinguisher
Andreas
I had a '80 928 years ago. The alternator failed while driving and somehow started discharging the battery through the voltmeter's idiot light. It was at night and the light got brighter and brighter until it illuminated the whole interior and smoke started pouring out of the dash! The light finally burned out and the smoke stopped. I was several miles from home and kept driving until the engine started sputtering and the headlights shut off. When the engine finally quit I was just able to coast into my driveway!
Fortunately no airbags in that car cause I'm sure they would have fired at one time or another.
Fellow Rennlisters: Today I went out and swapped out some of the mods before the insurance company had the car towed to the salvage yard. I replaced the mods with the Original parts that I had kept after installing the mods. Since the fire was in the dash, I only took off my mods from the engine compartment that had no fire or smoke damage. I don't have any other parts unless the insurance company makes me a good offer on buying the car back.
I'll be selling the RSS Plenum for $600....this is for the 99 996 wit non e-gas. Make sure of your fitment becasue there are different models for different engines. The Plenum is about three months old in pefect condition. As I recall they go for almost $1K new. I also have an almost new EVOM Cool Air Intake that was just installed by SharkWerks a month or so ago. I'll let that go for $400. Buyer is responsible for shipping charges.
Chuck
Holy effing crap man
I am just glad you are ok! This reminds me of something that happened on my first 01 turbo. Smoke started coming through the vents all of a sudden and then I could smell plastic burning. For some reason what happened was my climate control shorted some harness and thing went from bad to worse. I had to take my dash etc... out to repair a whole bunch of wires on that harness
Good to hear the car is totaled. Once a car has had a fire it is really difficult to ever get all of the smell out or know that you have everything fixed back right. My philosophy is once you see flames, get away and let it burn. I had an Alfa Romeo Sypder Veloce years ago that caught on fire. Someone in a passing car had a small Halon extinguisher that knocked the fire right out, but there was enough damage to total it. The insurance adjuster told me the car could probably be fixed, but his experience was that it would never be the same. I am glad I listened to his advice.
I got the opportunity to meet Chuck and see his car, I even took it for a short drive on 160 through the delta, I was impressed with it's pick-up and performance. So after hearing about what happened it was very sad to say goodbye to a '99 996.
OMG, Chuck...I just saw this thread....I am glad you are O.K.! Too bad about but your car though. Having seen it in person, it was a beauty. Hopefully the insurance will give you enough to get another beauty! Did someone say turbo....?
Yo Tim: You're such a butt-hole....no one forced you to do that....it was just your mean-spirited self....and you probably giggled all the way thru putting up those icons didn't you?
Take a look at the for sale thread....they're going to total it and I may buy it back and part it out if there's enough interest....someone may want it to rewire and have a nice car....but I'm a novice in this arena, so I just thought I'd throw it out there...it's still got the PSS9's and mods. I'd rather sell it as a rolling chassis.
Oh yes...FisterD....there's DEFINITELY a turbo in the wind. I've driven six of them so far and am negotiating also for a white 05 GT3 that you can see if you bring up the Carlsen Porsche site in Redwood City. There have been some really nice turbos that I've seen and driven....even drove a fly yellow Ferrari Modena today....but I think I'm going to stick with Porsche....and will also upgrade to the X50 package. If you've seen my atavar it says "should have just bought a twin turbo......" so this is my chance and jumping off point. Insurance says they'll settle by the end of the week and they're being extremely fair.....
So if all goes according to plan, I'll be moving over to the twin turbo boards.... Oh Yeah!
Oh...and for Orient....tomorrow I'll see if I can get some pictures that a friend of mine took and post them so you looky-loo's can see the morbid remains of what used to be a beautiful car. I'd sure like to know what started it so that I could pass that along....
Awe Chuck, that hurt... that really HURT! No, not the "butt-hole" part.... guilty as charged!
What made it hurt so much is the fact that you know me too well.
Yeah, I must admit that I was giggling the whole time I was "cutting & pasting" those icons into the thread.
Glad to hear that the insurance company is being fair with you. Sounds like you are getting the TT search narrowed down a bit. I was a little surprised to hear that an '05 GT3 got into the mix. That would be sweet, too!
Keep us posted as the search progresses and let us know when you find THE one! Oh, yeah, and don't forget to post pics of the new car! (hee hee)
Chuck, I can't believe what I'm reading!!!! I saw you and the car at Taco Tuesday just before this all happened...what a shame, the car was looking real good! I am glad you weren't hurt, but that airbag going off must have been a real shocker. Hope you come out well with the insurance crooks, and I look forward to seeing you and prehaps a new TT at next months Taco night. Let me know if I can help in any way.
Take care, Rich
Hmmmm, let's see. Chuck, you've already driven 6 TTs, pricing out Ferraris and GT3s. Sounds premeditated to me. You didn't by any chance have anything to do with this fire, did you??
(Only kidding, I think). Good luck - can't go wrong with any of your choices!!
Phil: That's the exact same thing the insurance company wondered. However I'd like to report that they have determined that the cause was accidental not man-made. I'm not a big believer in coincidence....but in this case I have honestly been looking for a TT or GT3 and even a polygraph would confirm that there is no indication of premeditation...
Just got a call from the insurance company and they are totalling it out....so my hunt for a replaement begins in earnest now. They did offer to sell the car back to me....anyone want a good body and engine for a track car?
