[ganesc]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Look at the scratches on the front bumper...

I can't imagine any way that those sort of scratches would come just from the axle dislodging, unless the fender panel pulled the front bumper down to the road as it warped.

Even then, it looks more like a brush against something vertical, rather than the road.
I wonder if the scratch matches the culvert wall height?

That, combined with the fact that :
a) The road narrows over that culvert
b) It's a new car - the driver might not be familiar with the width etc?
c) The sound of the tyre brushing the culvert could have been confused for the blow-out that the driver mentioned they heard

Perhaps there was an oncoming vehicle just at the time the EcoSport was crossing the culvert?

+1 to that.

Look how exposed the tyre is around the front bumper that has scratches in Rehaan's post.

Pic courtesy - TGIndia.

It could very well be the Front bumper side + Tyre brushing the culvert wall leading to tyre burst. It will be difficult even for the driver to remember if it was the hit or tyre burst that happened first.
At the same time, the road has undulations/wavy right there which would have meant both horizontal + vertical forces on that one wheel of the 4. But again, like many said, it can only be known at least by looking for scrape marks in the culvert wall but who knows how many truck/bus tyre marks it has with the way the road narrows there.

[djpeesh]

If the tyre scrapped the culvert at speed high enough to rip the tyre, the scratches on the bumper would be way more pronounced and deeper. If it was a slow graze, there's no reason for the axle to completely collapse like in this case.

While I doubt Ford with their tyre burst story, let's see what they have to say.

[rselva]

Originally Posted by djpeesh

If the tyre scrapped the culvert at speed high enough to rip the tyre, the scratches on the bumper would be way more pronounced and deeper. If it was a slow graze, there's no reason for the axle to completely collapse like in this case.

While I doubt Ford with their tyre burst story, let's see what they have to say.

It was the OP who emailed about tyre burst and Ford replied with the tyre manufacturer's opinion.
The tyre would have hit the culvert while taking the turn before the culvert, in which case the bumper will not show deeper scratches.

[Anwesh]

The culvert wall should be inspected. If the wheel hit it with such force, it could have left some marks there.

Regards,

[Vid6639]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Look at the scratches on the front bumper...

I can't imagine any way that those sort of scratches would come just from the axle dislodging, unless the fender panel pulled the front bumper down to the road as it warped.

Even then, it looks more like a brush against something vertical, rather than the road. Take a look, I've made the image brighter:
Attachment 1441663

I wonder if the scratch matches the culvert wall height?
Attachment 1441664

That, combined with the fact that :
a) The road narrows over that culvert
b) It's a new car - the driver might not be familiar with the width etc?
c) The sound of the tyre brushing the culvert could have been confused for the blow-out that the driver mentioned they heard

A few points to add here Rehaan.

Hitting the culvert is a very high possibility without the driver even knowing.

Reasons:
1. The blindspot in the front sides is so huge that a driver who is new to the car will easily hit something as it would have been covered in the blind spot especially if he isn't looking far ahead.

2. The first few weeks of driving the Ecosport were not easy. Coming from a Figo with good visibility, I struggled with the blind spots. I had to keep stretching my neck on both sides to be able to see past the blind spot.

3. Nearly 2 years and once in every few weeks I end up climbing over some bricks or stones while parking in new places as I completely missed seeing the obstacle.

4. 2 wheelers are completely hidden in the blind spot on some sharp turns.

5. I have had to change my lines just to be double sure that I don't climb over something when turning left at traffic lights. You just cannot see what's on the left.

[Jeroen]

I still think it must have hit something on the road, a piece of rock. Also, nobody mentioned this before, but because of safety reason the various components in the front set up are supposed to break when exceeding certain loads. Not quite sure here in India. But I seem to recall it is 4G or thereabouts under European legislation. So you hit something with your wheel hard enough, everything comes apart. Its designed to do so.

[Sunilrj]

Reposting this: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ford...0754078688205/

The Author in question is Mr. Praveen Chandra Shetty, a reputed Loss assessor and Surveyor with Several years of Experience in the field.

Please don't frighten Ford Ecosport Owners!

Today, I had an opportunity to visit bodyshop of M/s cauvery Ford, Mangalore for an Assignment of Assessment of Major Motor Accident Loss under Motor Insurance Policy, wherein a Ford Figo Car No.: KA-09-Z-2909 was involved.

So, I had a glimpse of this vehicle in news, and took few photographs to analyse the truth in the contents of complaint in the Team BHP Forum, that was quite frightening!, especially to one who owns a Ecosport.

Mr. P. Madhu, your allegation about "Brand new Ford EcoSport: Axle breaks on highway, front end collapses!" in Team BHP is False & Baseless.

I have my own findings, analysis and reasonings, and the same are supported through photographs as evidence. 16 photographs are attached herewith for your ready reference.

The LH lower corner of the front bumper (black plastic portion) and front corner of LH front fender (metal painted in white) clearly shows fresh deep graze marks which coincide without any dispute. Front LH tyre is burst due to severe impact received on its off side (at about one and half inch from outer edge) and on the side wall, which in turn torn subsequent to burst due to heavy impact. The outer edge of Aluminum Mag Alloy wheel wheel sustained deep graze marks along its circumference with deposits of cement particles (seen clearly on silver paint) confirming a circular motion of the wheel in a linear travel against a culvert. Wheel disc is deformed and sheared into two pieces due to a severe impact, that was tangential in its nature. A piece of concrete from the culvert plaster (about 1.5 inches X 0.5 inches in size) and abundant quantity of cement dust particles observed along the inner wall of burst tyre; that left a evidence of rotating along the inner wall of the tyre, just like cement gets accumulated in a rotating Transit Concrete Mixer. Front LH apron, wheel arch and LH side body panel crushed in due to severe impact transmitted from pushed back front LH wheel assembly at a very high speed. It is supported by a bent forward backrest of Co-Passenger's Seat (front Left) due to impact received from a unbelted passenger on rear left seat. More over, the height of culvert wall, height of graze marks on front bumper and on front LH fender are all on same level.

Though I had gone though this article in Forum Team BHP in few days back after few of friends called me up over my cell phone (since I too use a Ford Ecosport) to know the truth in this article, I didn't give much thought to it. But, today, after seeing your vehicle incidentally, I went back to your article, gone through the photographs there in and arrived at this conclusion.

1. You have tangentially hit the culvert wall at an acute angle on LH side of the road and bruise passed (as evident from the difference of depression on LH corner of front bumper made of plastic and front LH fender made of metal), probably in a sleepy eyes in early hours of morning after a long drive.

2. The culvert is width of the culvert is narrower than that of road marked with white lines that causes a sort of hypnosis; especially for sleepy eyes.

3. The condition of road is so beautiful and one tends to drive fast that to on open road; less trafficked. See drag marks on photographs you have attached in Forum Team BHP.

4. In any way, you just cant use your smartness to pass on the bucks on somebody else to hide your mistakes and to create a chaos among the Ecosport Owners. Your motive is ulterior in its nature.

In short,

You are a victim of "Poor Road Engineering" mainly due to "Sleepy Eyes in the wee hours of sunrise on a Long Drive" with little bit of "Highway Hypnosis" - Analyse at your end taking into consideration of all points narrated here with reference to photographs.... and revert back, if you have any queries.

I will feel proud of you, if you utilise your smartness to sue the highway authorities for constructing a culvert that is narrower than the road as well as for its inadequate height of side walls that can be hardly seen while you drive........

Mr. Shetty is Engaged in Motor Accident Insurance Claim Assessment , Pre-owned Vehicle Valuation & Insurance Claims investigation from May 29, 1981 to present in Mangalore, Karnataka

[Jeroen]

Why does a reputable loss assessor and surveyor on assignment post his findings on Facebook? I would not consider such a person reputable!

[Sunilrj]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Why does a reputable loss assessor and surveyor on assignment post his findings on Facebook? I would not consider such a person reputable!

Well you can ask him that since he is active on Facebook and the same has been posted on the ecosport owners page on Facebook too. Am no owner of ecosport nor do i intend to own one. but since this thread has been given a link on the ecosport page, i thought it needs to be reposted here!

i do not think he was on assignment to survey the ecosport, since it does not appear so from his post

and yes he is also an active campaigner for safe roads and regularly points out design flaws in roads, junctions, etc

[Rehaan]

Thanks for sharing that Sunilrj.

I think it's now very clear from the pictures, as i suggested in my last post, that the car did in fact hit the culvert wall.

If the pictures aren't enough, these points will help:

Originally Posted by Sunilrj

> shows fresh deep graze marks which coincide without any dispute

> Alloy wheel wheel sustained deep graze marks

> Wheel disc [sic - drum of the alloy wheel] is deformed and sheared into two pieces due to a severe impact

> A piece of concrete from the culvert plaster [got trapped in the tyre]

> the height of culvert wall, height of graze marks on front bumper and on front LH fender are all on same level.

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Why does a reputable loss assessor and surveyor on assignment post his findings on Facebook? I would not consider such a person reputable!

He's got a particular set of skills from 34 years of being in his profession, and he's putting them to use and sharing the results publicly to clear the air (on what was already a public discussion).

Whether he was employed to do this survey or just did it out of interest hasn't been made clear. I'd imagine it was the latter, and I don't see anything wrong with it. In fact, I welcome it.

[Sunilrj]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

He's got a particular set of skills from his profession, and he's sharing them publicly to clear the air. Whether he was employed to do this survey or just did it out of interest hasn't been made clear. I'd imagine it was the latter, and I don't see anything wrong with it. In fact, I welcome it.

He wasn't employed to do the survey. here is what he says:

Today, I had an opportunity to visit bodyshop of M/s cauvery Ford, Mangalore for an Assignment of Assessment of Major Motor Accident Loss under Motor Insurance Policy, wherein a Ford Figo Car No.: KA-09-Z-2909 was involved.
So, I had a glimpse of this vehicle in news ...

[vinit.merchant]

Originally Posted by Sunilrj

Reposting this:

It is supported by a bent forward backrest of Co-Passenger's Seat (front Left) due to impact received from a unbelted passenger on rear left seat.

This is quite an excellent observation, giving evidence on that sudden impact with culvert instead of the axle failure as initially reported. Clearly the 34 years in the profession speaking.

[Samurai]

Originally Posted by Jeroen

Why does a reputable loss assessor and surveyor on assignment post his findings on Facebook? I would not consider such a person reputable!

Please don't disparage without any evidence. Apart from being an Insurance Claim Assessor, he is also a car enthusiast. I have met him in many offroad events, and I know he is active in many car groups on FB.

[Sunilrj]

Originally Posted by Samurai

Please don't disparage without any evidence. Apart from being an Insurance Claim Assessor, he is also a car enthusiast. I have met him in many offroad events, and I know he is active in many car groups on FB.

+1 to that. he used to be a TBHP member earlier!

[dpkbehera]

It is wonderful to get such valuable insights on this issue by Mr Praveen. Even though i would like to get an official statement from Ford on this, it was obvious that there was something not right here and the majority did feel the same. As a Ford Ecosport owner, do feel relieved.