Recent Surge in Car-Fire Recalls Frustrates Drivers
More auto companies ask drivers to park recalled cars outside and away from structures due to fire-risk concerns
Chrysler recalled some models of its Pacifica hybrid minivan after receiving a dozen fire incident reports.PHOTO: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
Sean Nemeth, the owner of a plug-in hybrid Chrysler Pacifica, was perplexed when earlier this year he received a rather surprising recall notice, advising him to park his vehicle outside and away from structures.
The notice informed him that his particular model is at risk of catching fire—even while stationary and turned off—and the cause is still unknown.
“What am I supposed to do with it then?” said Mr. Nemeth, recalling his reaction at the time. He eventually decided to park it across the street from his house in a low-traffic cul-de-sac.
His predicament has become more commonplace in recent years with the expansion of electric-vehicle sales and more car companies confronting incidents of parked cars suddenly bursting into flames, including those involving more-traditional gas-engine models such as the Ford Expedition.
As a precaution, auto makers are issuing “park outside” orders that instruct drivers to park in the open air and away from houses and structures that could be potentially damaged if a fire were to occur. In many cases, the remedy isn’t immediately available, leaving drivers to figure out what to do with the vehicle in the interim—sometimes for months.
At least 31 recall campaigns covering 3.3 million vehicles have been launched with park-outside orders in the past decade, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The majority of those—18 campaigns, or about 60%—occurred within the past two years, NHTSA’s data show.
“It’s unusual to see several ‘park outside’ recalls in a row,” said William Wallace, associate director of safety policy at the nonprofit advocacy organization Consumer Reports. “But if there’s a fire risk, this is exactly the kind of guidance that people should get until a fix is available.”
The rise in these incidents is in part caused by problems that have emerged with some new batteries as the auto industry’s reliance on a still-maturing supply for the technology has grown, according to vehicle-safety advocates.
Car companies are trying to get ahead of fire risks in a different way, and auto-safety regulators are pushing the industry to take more precautions when these fire incidents are discovered, according to the advocates.
The all-electric Chevrolet Bolt was first recalled by GM after reports of several battery fires.PHOTO: WHITNEY CURTIS FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Chrysler recalled the Pacifica plug-in hybrid minivan after receiving a dozen fire incident reports, including some in which fires started while the vehicles were turned off. The recall covers nearly 17,000 plug-in hybrid Pacifica minivans, between the 2017 and 2018 model years.
Along with parking the vehicle outside, the company has also advised drivers to avoid recharging the minivan’s battery and operate the vehicle on gasoline only.
A spokesman for Stellantis NV, STLA 6.32%▲ the owner of Chrysler, declined to comment on specific customer cases such as Mr. Nemeth’s. He said that while the company’s advisory might pose an inconvenience, it is done in the interests of safety, and that the auto maker has reimbursed some customers for rental cars. Stellantis said it is still investigating the cause.
Mr. Nemeth, who lives in California, said he has received an $85 a day reimbursement from Stellantis to rent a vehicle, but it is tough to find a battery-powered one at that rate. He has been waiting months for a fix and is frustrated because he can’t use the minivan’s battery at a time of high gasoline prices.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
If you have received an unusual auto-safety recall notice, what did it mean for you? Join the conversation below.
Courtney Fong, an Illinois resident, has had to deal with park-outside orders on two vehicles he has owned: the Pacifica plug-in minivan and the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt, which was first recalled by General Motors Co. GM 4.86%▲ in 2020 after receiving reports of several battery fires.
GM has since remedied the problem, blaming it on a defect in some battery cells, and began replacing batteries in recalled Bolts. Some owners said the problem was vexing because they were also told not to fully charge their all-electric vehicles. Some parking facilities banned drivers from parking Chevy Bolts in their structures.
“Extended trips were impossible,” Mr. Fong said, regarding the limited charging range. He said he got rid of the Bolt because of these hassles.
A GM spokesman said that safety is a priority and that it issues the recall recommendations to do the right thing for the customer. The spokesman declined to comment on specific customer incidents.
Now Mr. Fong is facing a similar problem with the Pacifica plug-in hybrid, which his family purchased in part because it could drive the vehicle for short trips around town on electricity only. He has avoided charging because of the recall, requiring him to rely solely on gas.
Parking, too, has been at times difficult. At home, there is room in his driveway, he said, but he has to make accommodations in public settings. At a recent sporting event, he parked the Pacifica on the roof to be safe. “People can live with that for a short period of time,” he said. “But it’s been several months.”
A recall by Ford included certain model year Lincoln Navigators after some incidents in which a fire originated under the hood.PHOTO: DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Other drivers are puzzled over what to do when at home.
Rick Rezko, who also lives in Illinois, in May got a notice for his Ford Expedition, indicating that the vehicle is being recalled for a fire risk and that owners should park it in an isolated area.
Ford Motor Co. F 5.31%▲ said it initiated the recall, which also includes certain model year Lincoln Navigators, after learning of 16 incidents in which a fire originated under the hood, including some cases where the vehicles were parked and the ignition was off.
Mr. Rezko is trying to take precautions, but he said that he has limited options for on-street parking and that his driveway is a tight squeeze. Right now, the Expedition is parked there, as far away from the other car as possible, but the family still feels on edge, he said.
“It’s very concerning,” Mr. Rezko said. “There aren’t a lot of practical places, lawful places, to park this hazard.” Mr. Rezko is a plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking class-action status that alleges Ford should have known about the fire risk before launching the SUVs and took too long to warn customers. Ford said it doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
If customers have a unique circumstance that makes them unable to abide by the advisory, they should contact their dealer and might be eligible for a rental car at no cost, a Ford spokesman said.
Earlier this month, Ford said it had identified the safety problem, attributing it to printed circuit boards that are uniquely susceptible to a high-current short and the risk of catching fire. The auto maker expanded the scope of the May recall to include about 27,000 more Expeditions and Navigators, adding that it expects parts for the repair to be available in September.
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from the July 18, 2022 Wall Street Journal, p B 5 (Science wins again! The batteries are INHERENTLY UNSTABLE!):
Recent Surge in Car-Fire Recalls Frustrates Drivers
More auto companies ask drivers to park recalled cars outside and away from structures due to fire-risk concerns
Chrysler recalled some models of its Pacifica hybrid minivan after receiving a dozen fire incident reports.PHOTO: FREDERIC J. BROWN/AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE/GETTY IMAGES
By Ryan FeltonFollow
July 17, 2022 8:03 am ETSAVEPRINTTEXT
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Sean Nemeth, the owner of a plug-in hybrid Chrysler Pacifica, was perplexed when earlier this year he received a rather surprising recall notice, advising him to park his vehicle outside and away from structures.
The notice informed him that his particular model is at risk of catching fire—even while stationary and turned off—and the cause is still unknown.
“What am I supposed to do with it then?” said Mr. Nemeth, recalling his reaction at the time. He eventually decided to park it across the street from his house in a low-traffic cul-de-sac.
His predicament has become more commonplace in recent years with the expansion of electric-vehicle sales and more car companies confronting incidents of parked cars suddenly bursting into flames, including those involving more-traditional gas-engine models such as the Ford Expedition.
As a precaution, auto makers are issuing “park outside” orders that instruct drivers to park in the open air and away from houses and structures that could be potentially damaged if a fire were to occur. In many cases, the remedy isn’t immediately available, leaving drivers to figure out what to do with the vehicle in the interim—sometimes for months.
At least 31 recall campaigns covering 3.3 million vehicles have been launched with park-outside orders in the past decade, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The majority of those—18 campaigns, or about 60%—occurred within the past two years, NHTSA’s data show.
“It’s unusual to see several ‘park outside’ recalls in a row,” said William Wallace, associate director of safety policy at the nonprofit advocacy organization Consumer Reports. “But if there’s a fire risk, this is exactly the kind of guidance that people should get until a fix is available.”
The rise in these incidents is in part caused by problems that have emerged with some new batteries as the auto industry’s reliance on a still-maturing supply for the technology has grown, according to vehicle-safety advocates.
Car companies are trying to get ahead of fire risks in a different way, and auto-safety regulators are pushing the industry to take more precautions when these fire incidents are discovered, according to the advocates.
The all-electric Chevrolet Bolt was first recalled by GM after reports of several battery fires.PHOTO: WHITNEY CURTIS FOR THE WALL STREET JOURNAL
Chrysler recalled the Pacifica plug-in hybrid minivan after receiving a dozen fire incident reports, including some in which fires started while the vehicles were turned off. The recall covers nearly 17,000 plug-in hybrid Pacifica minivans, between the 2017 and 2018 model years.
Along with parking the vehicle outside, the company has also advised drivers to avoid recharging the minivan’s battery and operate the vehicle on gasoline only.
A spokesman for Stellantis NV, STLA 6.32%▲ the owner of Chrysler, declined to comment on specific customer cases such as Mr. Nemeth’s. He said that while the company’s advisory might pose an inconvenience, it is done in the interests of safety, and that the auto maker has reimbursed some customers for rental cars. Stellantis said it is still investigating the cause.
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Mr. Nemeth, who lives in California, said he has received an $85 a day reimbursement from Stellantis to rent a vehicle, but it is tough to find a battery-powered one at that rate. He has been waiting months for a fix and is frustrated because he can’t use the minivan’s battery at a time of high gasoline prices.
SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS
If you have received an unusual auto-safety recall notice, what did it mean for you? Join the conversation below.
Courtney Fong, an Illinois resident, has had to deal with park-outside orders on two vehicles he has owned: the Pacifica plug-in minivan and the all-electric Chevrolet Bolt, which was first recalled by General Motors Co. GM 4.86%▲ in 2020 after receiving reports of several battery fires.
GM has since remedied the problem, blaming it on a defect in some battery cells, and began replacing batteries in recalled Bolts. Some owners said the problem was vexing because they were also told not to fully charge their all-electric vehicles. Some parking facilities banned drivers from parking Chevy Bolts in their structures.
“Extended trips were impossible,” Mr. Fong said, regarding the limited charging range. He said he got rid of the Bolt because of these hassles.
A GM spokesman said that safety is a priority and that it issues the recall recommendations to do the right thing for the customer. The spokesman declined to comment on specific customer incidents.
Now Mr. Fong is facing a similar problem with the Pacifica plug-in hybrid, which his family purchased in part because it could drive the vehicle for short trips around town on electricity only. He has avoided charging because of the recall, requiring him to rely solely on gas.
Parking, too, has been at times difficult. At home, there is room in his driveway, he said, but he has to make accommodations in public settings. At a recent sporting event, he parked the Pacifica on the roof to be safe. “People can live with that for a short period of time,” he said. “But it’s been several months.”
A recall by Ford included certain model year Lincoln Navigators after some incidents in which a fire originated under the hood.PHOTO: DAVID ZALUBOWSKI/ASSOCIATED PRESS
Other drivers are puzzled over what to do when at home.
Rick Rezko, who also lives in Illinois, in May got a notice for his Ford Expedition, indicating that the vehicle is being recalled for a fire risk and that owners should park it in an isolated area.
Ford Motor Co. F 5.31%▲ said it initiated the recall, which also includes certain model year Lincoln Navigators, after learning of 16 incidents in which a fire originated under the hood, including some cases where the vehicles were parked and the ignition was off.
Mr. Rezko is trying to take precautions, but he said that he has limited options for on-street parking and that his driveway is a tight squeeze. Right now, the Expedition is parked there, as far away from the other car as possible, but the family still feels on edge, he said.
“It’s very concerning,” Mr. Rezko said. “There aren’t a lot of practical places, lawful places, to park this hazard.” Mr. Rezko is a plaintiff in a lawsuit seeking class-action status that alleges Ford should have known about the fire risk before launching the SUVs and took too long to warn customers. Ford said it doesn’t comment on pending litigation.
If customers have a unique circumstance that makes them unable to abide by the advisory, they should contact their dealer and might be eligible for a rental car at no cost, a Ford spokesman said.
Earlier this month, Ford said it had identified the safety problem, attributing it to printed circuit boards that are uniquely susceptible to a high-current short and the risk of catching fire. The auto maker expanded the scope of the May recall to include about 27,000 more Expeditions and Navigators, adding that it expects parts for the repair to be available in September.
Write to Ryan Felton at ryan.felton@wsj.com
Appeared in the July 18, 2022, print edition as ‘‘Park Outside’ Recalls Are Rising’.
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