[WheelWake]

Hi All,

I tried looking for a thread where a similar issue has been discussed on a personal ground, but wasnt able to get one. Hence, I am starting a new thread. Please excuse me if this thread isnt required and merger it with an appropriate one.

However, I had a very horrific incidence last Saturday when I was driving on the Linking Road in Andheri W during midnight, when all of a sudden I started getting very repulsive smell inside the cabin. I rolled down the windows hoping to get the smell out, but it didnt help. To my despair, after a while I could see fumes around the AC vent. I immediately stopped the car and asked my wifey to get out. I got the battery disconnected. However, fumes started getting dense with time. By the time I could figure out what was happening and what can be done, we could see some fire below the dashbooard and police patroling van had arrived. They immeditely pour water over the fire and it went out. They had also called the fire brigade incase it went out of control, which duly arrived after 15 minutes. But thankfully, fire had stopped and they did not need to do anything except inspect and ensure everything is in fine.

It was close to a nightmare for the turn of events on a saturday mid-night. and I thank god for having our lives spared, it could have been worse.

Now, I have the car submitted in the workshop and got it checked..

They say it happened due to short circuit which caused the fire. The short circuit happened due to Auto-Cop installed (3rd party accessory). Now, they tell me that this isnt covered under insurance as its an additional accessory installed. The insurance will only partly cover the body work that will be required and the rest I will have to cover.

But I would like to know that if I got everything installed from Chevrolet Authorized Dealer even for this Auto-Cop, why shouldn't they be blamed for a poor installation and they should ideally cover all the expenses. Not even considering what worse could have happened, they should at-least take all the responsilities for the issue that I have faced due to their poor workmanship or may be a cheap accessory which was provided by Chevrolet Authorized Workshop.

My car is bit more than 4 years old.

Urgently needing advise on the same.

[vikram_d]

How long back was the Autocop system installed and if the Autocop install was really the reason then the company will not shoulder any responsibility for it. Please ensure that it was the Autocop installation to blame for this fire. These companies have been known to blame other installs for what may have been their fault also.

So I say again, first and foremost please ensure that the Autocop installation was really to blame for the fire.

Oh and I'm glad that all of you got out ok without any harm.

[aaggoswami]

Yes, it might be possible that the problem wont be fully covered by Insurance as the accessory was 3 party. where did you get it installed from ? If it was installed at Chevrolet dealer, you have a strong point, but if its installed from local shop, insurance wont cover you and the dealer will also stand against you.

If at all you have got this installation done from local shop, next time please avoid it. After reading through all the cases of fire, most of the times, the problem is poor installation. And with rising temperatures, melt down of wires is possible leading to fire.

[agambhandari]

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[shomshree]

It was a close shave for you.

I too had an bad experience with my cousin's Chevy Cruze. He had his Cruze fitted with an after-market ICE comprising of Rockford-fosgate bass-tube from a dealer at Kalkaji, New Delhi.

The initial days post this installation, went by without an incident. Both of us took the car on the newly inaugurated Yamuna Expressway on Independence-day. And that was an experience of some note to us. For, while the car surged and sped across normally, my cousin had no inkling of how damage-control costs would accelerate in days to follow.

Some 10 days back(last week of Sep), he began experiencing a considerable drop in acceleration. A check at the service center, revealed that the main chassis cable had suffered burns. This, in turn, resulted in the EPC failing to do its intended job. The service center was of the unshakable view that installation of the wiring kit of the Rockford-fosgate was the cause of the damage. So severe was the extent of it, that the main chassis cable now required a complete replacement at a cost of not less than Rs. 80,000.00/-. The sting was in the tail. We were shaken to learn that the warranty of the car as a whole, would no longer apply . That, despite replacing the damaged wiring with an OEM replacement. Also this will take minimum 15 days, as those cables are not readily available with any service centers. They need to procure this cables from Halol plant directly for case to case. I need to mention here the car was brought in last February.

He decided to take up the issue with the dealer at Kalkaji who had installed the equipment some 6 months back. Naturally enough, the dealer was not willing to accept responsibility and shifted the blame squarely on Chevrolet's manufacturing of this car. Exasperated, but with no other choice, my cousin decided to broach the issue with Chevrolet B'lore & Gujarat, after we had exhausted our options of a obtaining a favorable solution with other authorized service partners of Chevrolet among NCR. In the main time, I talked with my service adviser here at Kolkata & arranged a conference with the Delhi team (I have also a Cruze here in Kolkata 2009 model). He explained me that the cable of bass-tube was installed along with the main body cable/chassis cable which is coming from the engine. It might happened that body cable was not able to sustain the power of high frequency bass-tube & it burnt. Then our question was why it happened after 6 months of the installation & why it not happened immediately after the installation. But there was no satisfactory reply from the advisers.

Chevrolet, in response to our request, has given us a solution that it would replace the entire main chassis cable and the EPC unit at a cost, after applying some (minor) discounts. To rub salt to the wound, no insurance claim would be admissible, nor, as clarified, warranty cover exist or apply from this point on .

[ghodlur]

@Wheelwake,

Thank god you survived the scare though still unable to visualize how you disconnected the battery wire with fumes in the car. Best thing is to not touch anything in such situations, you never know what could go wrong.

Did you add the Autocop (even though taken from the dealer) as electrcial accessories in your Insurance policy. If you have done so, then you should get the claim reimbursed and no way can the GM or Insurer shirk from this. GM cant be held responsible if you havent done so.

[GTO]

Originally Posted by WheelWake

Now, they tell me that this isnt covered under insurance as its an additional accessory installed. The insurance will only partly cover the body work that will be required and the rest I will have to cover.

Originally Posted by aaggoswami

Yes, it might be possible that the problem wont be fully covered by Insurance as the accessory was 3 party.

Absolutely incorrect. Your car repairs will be fully covered by insurance. AutoCop is NOT an illegal add-on and it is, in fact, provided by a reputable organisation. Irrespective, the insurance company is liable to cover your repairs and will do so.

I do think there is some misunderstanding here though:

Now, they tell me that this isnt covered under insurance as its an additional accessory installed.

Maybe the dealer meant that the "AutoCop device" won't be replaced under insurance, as you hadn't taken additional cover for it. Similar to an after-market audio system. You need to take additional cover to protect it against theft / damage.

The insurance will only partly cover the body work that will be required and the rest I will have to cover.

This is the case with every insurance claim, not just yours. There are certain deductibles on plastic & metal parts.

[NaveenKBorra]

+1 to GTO
I have recently purchased a FORD Classic and dealer gave the reverse parking sensors for free. i have asked them at least 10 times what if something fails later on. Will my warranty still hold good? As the kit was installed at the dealership while taking the delivery, he said warranty will not expire and additionally they would replace the Parking sensors if it does not work as expected though i did not take any additional cover for that.
In your case except for auto cop device and plastic parts, you should get the rest covered after calculating 4 years of depreciation
P.S Nothing in Written though.

[mayankjha1806]

Glad everyone is safe.

How long back Autocop was installed? Was it 4 years ago? If yes then how come after 4 year of successful running and no problems suddenly it had problems?

I feel the dealer is unable to find the exact reasons and hence putting the load on Autocop.

[Guna]

Originally Posted by NaveenKBorra

+1 to GTO
I have recently purchased a FORD Classic and dealer gave the reverse parking sensors for free. i have asked them at least 10 times what if something fails later on. Will my warranty still hold good? As the kit was installed at the dealership while taking the delivery, he said warranty will not expire and additionally they would replace the Parking sensors if it does not work as expected though i did not take any additional cover for that.
In your case except for auto cop device and plastic parts, you should get the rest covered after calculating 4 years of depreciation
P.S Nothing in Written though.

Warranty is a different topic altogether and the terms and conditions are totally different from the insurance cover.

[NaveenKBorra]

Originally Posted by Guna

Warranty is a different topic altogether and the terms and conditions are totally different from the insurance cover.

Yes I agree. What I am trying to say is as long as you are not hampering anything yourself by fixing third party products the Insurance company has got no reasons to say that a particular thing is not covered.
May be I did not put it the right way what I intend to

[Mortis]

Did both of you guys consider rats or gradual wearing out of the cable insulation, etc as possible causes for the failure occurring out of the blue ?

[hrman]

Sorry that this scary incident happened. Glad you are all safe.
Insurance policies also give a discount if you have an ARAI approved anti theft devise. I am dead sure that Autocop are pioneers and are eligible for a discount in the policy premium. So don't go by what the dealer says about insurance not being claimable if Autocop is installed from outside.

But, vehicle warranty is a different matter altogether and the rules are much more strict than Insurance. If the warranty excludes external accessories, am sure they will try to push off the issue citing Autocop as a cause.

[Omtoatom]

Sorry to hear about this mishap WW and glad the two of you are safe.

I agree with Mayank - if the Autocop installation wasn't done only recently, it is unlikely that it could have been the sole reason for the fire. Moreover if it was done by an authorized dealership, no one should be taking an exception to it - least of all the workshop. I do think a more thorough investigation into the incident is in order to determine the exact cause of the fire. Only then will you be able to counter whatever BS that dealerships/insurance companies/manufacturers tend to throw at you.

Do keep us apprised of the developments buddy.

[mail4ajo]

Insurance companies cannot refuse claim saying that an accessory was installed. Infact they give you rebate if burgler alarm is fixed. I received it earlier.

However, unless you insure the burgler alarm seperately, its not covered to be replaced under insurance.