A warning to park your vehicle outside - because it could cause a fire

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Imagine getting a notice from the manufacturer of your car or truck telling you not to park it in your garage. That’s called a ‘park outside’ warning. It can be issued when a serious fire problem is identified, but before there is a definitive solution. Three examples of that sort of press release from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) are:

 

One on November 13, 2020 titled NHTSA Consumer Alert: Important Chevrolet Bolt recall for fire risk which begins:

 

“Owners of select Model Year 2017-2019 Chevrolet Bolt vehicles should park their cars outside and away from homes until their vehicles have been repaired, due to a new recall for the risk of fire. GM has issued a recall of 50,932 Chevrolet Bolt vehicles for the potential of an unattended fire in the high-voltage battery pack underneath the back seat’s bottom cushion.  The affected vehicles’ cell packs have the potential to smoke and ignite internally, which could spread to the rest of the vehicle and cause a structure fire if parked inside a garage or near a house. These vehicles can catch fire even if they are turned off, parked, and disconnected from a charging unit.  NHTSA has confirmed five known fires with two injuries; at least one of the fires spread from the vehicle and ignited a home.  Until these recalled vehicles have been repaired, the safest place to park them is outside and away from homes.”

 

Another on February 8, 2022 titled Consumer Alert: Kia and Hyundai Ford issue park outside ordered for select Sportage, K900 and Santa Fe vehicles begins:

 

“Kia Motors America and Hyundai Motor America recommend that owners of select model year 2014-2016 Kia Sportage, 2016-2018 Kia K900 and 2016-2018 Hyundai Santa Fe vehicles park their vehicle outdoors and away from other vehicles or structures due to a risk of fire, even if the vehicle is turned off.”

 

Yet another on May 19, 2022 titled Consumer Alert: Ford issues park outside warning for 2021 Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators begins: 

 

“Ford Motor Co. is warning rental car companies and other owners of 2021 Ford Expeditions and Lincoln Navigators to park their vehicles outside due to the risk of fire. The automaker has confirmed 16 fires, mostly in vehicles that were unattended. Fourteen of these fires were in rental cars. Until further notice, owners of these affected vehicles should not park them inside – they should only be parked outside and away from homes and other structures. Fires have occurred in vehicles that were parked and turned off. More than 39,000 vehicles are affected, and at this time there is no known cause or remedy.  Ford has filed a recall with NHTSA and will be notifying owners with instructions.” 

 

Why is there no cause given for that latest warning? Vehicle fire investigation is difficult since a growing fire can destroy evidence of its origin and cause.

 

On April 14, 2016 I blogged about a driver side airbag inflator recall in a post titled How not to communicate – Honda told me my car is literally da bomb. On December 6, 2018 I blogged about the other passenger airbag recall in another post titled My 2012 Honda Fit is still da bomb – another Takata airbag inflator recall.

 

Cartoons of a home and a fire both came from Openclipart.