458s on Fire

As far as I can tell (and this is speculation) the cars that have burned thus far are all left hand drive. I'm trying to establish exactly what is being vented through the breather pipe but don't have an answer as yet. Could it be as simple as a build up of fumes venting through this area being ignited by a driver casually throwing a still burning cigarette end out the window? That would tie in with the affected cars being left hand drive. I had one of my 18 wheelers set on fire by a carelessly tossed cigarette by the driver on a motorway. The still burning butt end got sucked into the air intake system in one of those million to one chance events and started a catastrophic fire.

The fact that none appear to have caught fire on tracks - where there is a much greater risk of mechanical heat build up - also makes me wonder if the cigarette theory is more than pure conjecture on my part.

 

Just curious, who pays for the replacement car? Ferrari under warranty or Insurance?

 

I picked up my 458 today.
This was the part they changed immediately during the PDI.
The 1st photo is where the "breather pipe" is located.
The 2nd photo is the old part.
The 3rd photo is the new part that was installed.
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Only your Insurance - Ferrari will Not pay
Then it's up to your Insurance company if they
want to sue Ferrari for product defect

 

What did the dealer say why they were doing this? Did he relate this change to the fires or are their lips sealed by the lawyers on the subject.

What "breathes" thru this part?

 

I asked the same question... they gave a non-committal "probably". I think they are under gag orders.

 

Your probably right. Most consumer warrantes cover only material and workmanship not design defects.

 

I have read the bulletin/campaign.....

The part replaced is called the DMTL Diagnostic Pump Intake.

I have no idea what the DPI does, or if it somehow draws or exhausts. The name suggests it is a type of intake. I do not like to speculate...But, perhaps the "Intake" is either insufficient by design, or there is a back-flow issue.
May sound crazy; but I could only see this "intake" / vent being the source of combustion if fuel vapors are flowing out of it, into the wheel well & and a spark being created by something like a stone in the tire tread striking the road surface. Sounds highly improbable at best.
The black 458 in France shows fire in frontal area of the wheel well where this intake is:
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Primary is the insurance company. You could try Ferrari, too, for any GAP but not sure how Ferrari would handle. I just discussed this in detail with my Farmers agent just yesterday...

 

my guess would be that there is alot of air moving around in that area at a great rate of speed which would take a considerable amount of fuel in order to catch fire... also the swirling air etc would have a cooling effect.

 

At least you wont get lost in the dark ...

 

when asked if related to the fire risk, my dealer said "yes"

 

DMTL = Diagnosis Module, Tank Leakage.

The "intake" for the DMTL pump is where the DMTL pump takes air, that it then uses to pressurize your fuel system in order to look for fuel and evaporative system leaks.

 

If it had to do with FIRE, it wouldn't be a campaign. It would be a recall.

 

You know they're probably sworn to secrecy until an official release on the matter. So......let the speculation continue.

Ventilation, guys. This is all speculation, but seems to make sense (at least to me)...Opening a vent in the back of the FRONT wheel well, helps more air enter the chamber from the front of the car, spooling air from the wheel?? (however-way Ferrari has their car set-up, they obviously know where it should be) possibly flow into the engine bay with more air hence accelerating the exit of internal air in the bay out through the engine exit vents faster thus expelling harmful fumes??. Just like when you cross ventilate a home (opening windows on opposite sides of the house creates a breeze).. Or when you're driving a 4 door car and you open the front window on one corner and the opposite window in the back, and the air flows through smoothly around inside the car cooling you and the passengers better than just putting all the windows down...Just ideas guys.

Based on the pictures of where new vent is, looks like they already had that spot "reserved" to be added anyways in the future. Could that have been a future vent that was planned to be used as an upgrade for the Challenge/Scuderia version of the 458??? To allow more rapid cooing of the engine-bay??? Hmmm looks like they needed to use it NOW. who knows.

 

http://www.autoblog.com/2010/08/25/ferrari-reportedly-investigating-458-italia-fire-risk-w-video/?icid=main%7Chtmlws-main-w%7Cdl6%7Csec4_lnk1%7C166267

 

I wonder how driver error contributed to the fire?

 

Is that standard or optional equipment?

 

Why would you post something that is so obviously slanted and biased? Read the title of the video. There have been 4 fires, not 10. Therefore, I won't even play it because of the obvious slant the author is spinning.

 

In a previous post I mentioned a somewhat crazy thought that perhaps the DMTL pump intake could back flow & emit fuel vapors and that a stone (or other) in the tire tread may spark on the road surface and ignite present vapors (or fuel).....I now wonder if the rear carbon ceramic brakes could cause a spark/static or generate enough heat to cause combustion?
I love a good mystery........

J

 

Or.....Should be a recall.

J

 

watch that video...no slant evident in the flames

 

Just curious how you know how may fires there have been. 458's can not have it both ways.
They wanted all the attention and they got it, good and bad it's a legit concern and until it's fixed y'all best get used to it.

 

I assume "they" is Ferrari and I assume "y'all" are Ferrari owners or 458 owners? Is there a reason you seem to be gloating about this given you apparently own a Ferrari?

 

This time in China, the 4th one!

http://www.motorauthority.com/blog/1048626_video-another-2010-ferrari-458-italia-goes-up-in-flames