Engine bay fire - My 2002 ML 270

[bloobloo]

As per the title, My ML has just been written off due to a fire destroying the engine bay. We were travelling up the M6 with the caravan on the back when the other couple we were travelling with phoned us to say the could see steam coming out from the side of the car. Luckily we were just approaching an exit on the motorway so pulled off quickly to check, pulled into a service station just off the motorway and released the bonnet catch.... Upon doing so the wife noticed flames under the bonnet from inside the car! I got her out and luckily I carry a fire extinguisher in the caravan, quickly got the extinguisher and set to tackling the fire. I emptied a full powder extinguisher in the engine bay but it was still alight, the service station owners finally arrived with another extinguisher (after coming out the 1st time armed only with his camera phone taking pics) and I emptied that too into the fire. The fire brigade arrived and then emptied a full appliance of water to get the rest of the flames out. Scary moments indeed, especially as where I managed to park the car & caravan in the service station was right next to the tanker fill up points and LPG vents. I had no idea we were on fire at that time though! Anyhow, the engine bay was pretty much destroyed by the fire, rest of vehicle ok apart from smoke damage and caravan was untouched. Wife is just about getting over the shock.
The fire brigade couldnt see any obvious point of ignition, so they reckoned it must have been an electrical problem, but the bay was totally standard with no dodgy extra wiring etc.
So comes to an end my ML ownership, no point me buying it back from the insurance as even though I know I could fix it, the wife will never trust it again and to be fair I don't think I would either.

So now the search starts for another vehicle I am considering staying with an ML or if not an ML it will have the Mercedes engine & box such as a Rexton or a Cherokee etc

I would like to express huge thanks to Television & EmilysDad for all their help, it is really appreciated.

Pics to follow.

 

[bloobloo]

 

[V6Matty]

Sorry to hear what happened but glad that no one was hurt, no idea what could have happened but I'd stick with an ML when you replace the two others you mention there just aren't in the same league comfort wise

 

[LostKiwi]

Glad to hear no one was hurt in what must have been a very traumatic experience.
Terrible thing to happen.

 

[flowrider]

Glad no one was hurt, engines fires can get very serious very quickly . Shame the guy with the phone didn't bring an extinguisher with him, in a fire every second counts. You should complain to the service station as surely they should be trained in these things. As already said get another ML, the Rexton and Grand Cherokee are not a patch on the ML.

 

[Taffy7hfa]

That looks nasty.. at least you're all ok, don't know about the Rexton , my mate had a Grand Cherokee, probably a better off roader but as said no contest otherwise.

 

[umblecumbuz]

What a horrible sinking feeling at the moment you realised yout trip was a total bust.

For a very short while I had a Grand Cherokee, intended to replace our faithful old Grand Vitara. We soon sold the Cherokee. It was a 'chugger', very hard plastic everywhere, and needed concentration all the time to drive it well.

Umble

 

[flowrider]

What a horrible sinking feeling at the moment you realised yout trip was a total bust.

For a very short while I had a Grand Cherokee, intended to replace our faithful old Grand Vitara. We soon sold the Cherokee. It was a 'chugger', very hard plastic everywhere, and needed concentration all the time to drive it well.

Umble

I hade a 2002 Grand Cherokee Limited 2.7 diesel which i loved, traded it in for a 2006 Overland 3.0 diesel which i hated. As you say, hard creacky plastic everywhere. I bought it new and cheap and wished i hadn't. I have owned a 2009 ML320 which i loved but before i bought my present 2012 ML350 i looked at the new Grand Cherokee. Still not keen, the materials and build quality are still not as good as the ML.

 

[L John]

Bet that was scary.
At least you had the caravan with you for a quiet sit down and a hot cup of tea.

Seems very odd a member of staff coming out with a camera to take photos.

 

[flowrider]

Bet that was scary.
At least you had the caravan with you for a quiet sit down and a hot cup of tea.

Seems very odd a member of staff coming out with a camera to take photos.

Not just odd, its negligence IMO.

 

[jp williams]

As per the title, My ML has just been written off due to a fire destroying the engine bay. We were travelling up the M6 with the caravan on the back when the other couple we were travelling with phoned us to say the could see steam coming out from the side of the car. Luckily we were just approaching an exit on the motorway so pulled off quickly to check, pulled into a service station just off the motorway and released the bonnet catch.... Upon doing so the wife noticed flames under the bonnet from inside the car! I got her out and luckily I carry a fire extinguisher in the caravan, quickly got the extinguisher and set to tackling the fire. I emptied a full powder extinguisher in the engine bay but it was still alight, the service station owners finally arrived with another extinguisher (after coming out the 1st time armed only with his camera phone taking pics) and I emptied that too into the fire. The fire brigade arrived and then emptied a full appliance of water to get the rest of the flames out. Scary moments indeed, especially as where I managed to park the car & caravan in the service station was right next to the tanker fill up points and LPG vents. I had no idea we were on fire at that time though! Anyhow, the engine bay was pretty much destroyed by the fire, rest of vehicle ok apart from smoke damage and caravan was untouched. Wife is just about getting over the shock.
The fire brigade couldnt see any obvious point of ignition, so they reckoned it must have been an electrical problem, but the bay was totally standard with no dodgy extra wiring etc.
So comes to an end my ML ownership, no point me buying it back from the insurance as even though I know I could fix it, the wife will never trust it again and to be fair I don't think I would either.

So now the search starts for another vehicle I am considering staying with an ML or if not an ML it will have the Mercedes engine & box such as a Rexton or a Cherokee etc

I would like to express huge thanks to Television & EmilysDad for all their help, it is really appreciated.

Pics to follow.

Sorry to read your news.Glad that all occupants are well.
I did not think that Diesel was combustible, even to a naked flame.That might suggest electrical problem,so who last did work on the ML ?

Regards
John

 

[Taffy7hfa]

Maybe ML objected to the caravan electrics ?

 

[L John]

Not just odd, its negligence IMO.

Indeed, if it was a member of staff.
I'm wondering if the OP has it wrong about who the guy was with the phone.

If it was a member of staff, it needs reporting and it's likely on been recorded the service stations CCTV.

 

[L John]

I did not think that Diesel was combustible, even to a naked flame.That might suggest electrical problem,so who last did work on the ML ?

Regards
John

Diesel is oil and can ignite easily just by spilling onto a hot exhaust.

 

[Dan2k7]

Wow that is scary! Glad you are ok. My missus has an ML270 quite worrying really.

 

[Dan2k7]

Forgot to ask, could you see roughly the area in which the fire started? Hard to tell from the pictures but the front of the engine looks untouched?

 

[alexanderfoti]

Wonder if you had a HP diesel leak (the mist they saw) and then it caught alight when hitting the turbo under load.

 

[Xtractorfan]

looking at your pics it would seem that some of your injectors were leaking and as said the fine mist from blowpast will have been a very dangerous fire hazzard. But who really knows.

 

[Blobcat]

I've said it before on here a couple of times, injector leak from an ML270 from a contractor he used caused it to be a total wreck after going into flames on the M4 - Dealer had heli-coiled in one of the injectors.

 

[silestanix]

Sorry to see and hear of this, unfortunately the smallest of diesel mists can be a bad fire hazard. Stick to an ML though bud, work colleague used to have an E320 CDi but traded it in for a Rexton, and he regrets buying it. Bad quality interior and not as comfortable.