Would you choose to write off your vehicle…??

[j.o.y.ride]

I'm not getting into any engine bay fire with all the fluids and gas line up there. Get out get safe.

Sponsored

 

[jamief]

Unless you have given your agent a list of modifications and/or kept all receipts, you are likely to get what the vehicle itself was worth, not counting more expensive wheels and tires and any internal mods.

my WK was totalled when a tree fell on it. I had scanned every receipt for every mod and kept them as PDF's. I took them and created a spread sheet listing each mod/maintenance item the date purchased, where from and the price then a link to each PDF with a total at the bottom. I zipped that up and sent it to the agent. It saved them a crap load of work/time and they basically gave me 100% on the list. It really helps when your shit looks organized and it makes their job easier.

 

[timberwolf0122]

My understanding of the law (and I am not a lawyer, please speak to a professional lawyer for all legal advice, this is purely my thoughts and is not to be considered legal council) is you are not obligated to be an amatuer fire fighter, call 911 and wait in a safe location.

 

[jimbom]

I would attempt to put it out, just to preserve my personal items in the truck, as long as I could do it safely. I also would not want the Insurance Company to come back and question why I didn't even attempt to use the fire extinguisher I had.

Understood that "safely" is the key here, but I'd expect the insurance company prefers you not put yourself in danger in any way, if not just from a financial standpoint. Totaling your vehicle is nothing compared to medical bills that could result.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Everyone seems to be missing the point that many vehicle fires can not only be put out if caught early but put out safely. I've had several training sessions (as a person working in shops and as the safety manager at a health care facility). I've had a personal vehicle saved by a fire extinguisher.

Brake fluid and oil generally can't be lit easily - require a "wick" of sorts. Coolant, a no brainer.
Plastics, rubber, that sort of thing - unless there's a gas leak, gasoline isn't exposed to fire quickly. Generally it's other things that are burning.

Everyone is assuming - and suggesting - you don't stand a chance and it's life or death.
Assess the situation, evaluate.
I've had a car saved and have seen multiple vehicles saved by a fire extinguisher.
It's not always "it's a gonner, get outta here!" situations.
The OP said smoke - that could mean oil dripping on exhaust and nothing more. It could be hot rubber, could be a mouse nest and easily handled.

If everyone just stood back and assumed - then why the heck do so many Jeep people here even bother having a fire extinguisher?
Why are there threads about having them and why does anyone even bother with one when it's a foregone conclusion you are going to bail and run?
So all of the people who have extinguishers in their Jeeps are idiots and should never have bought them because every case is deadly and assumed a loss.

Ya gotta think fast and be smart. And if you know your vehicle's layout you have a better chance of making a wise choice.

I've put out some fires, I've been around when others have and my own car years ago smoked a heck of a lot before anyone got out there with an extinguisher - the damage was minimal and yet almost everyone here would have stood back and let 'er burn - not the bank employee. Apparently bank employees are stupid.

 

[jimbom]

Everyone seems to be missing the point that many vehicle fires can not only be put out if caught early but put out safely. I've had several training sessions (as a person working in shops and as the safety manager at a health care facility). I've had a personal vehicle saved by a fire extinguisher.
…
Everyone is assuming - and suggesting - you don't stand a chance and it's life or death.
Assess the situation, evaluate.
It could be hot rubber, could be a mouse nest and easily handled.
…
If everyone just stood back and assumed - then why the heck do so many Jeep people here even bother having a fire extinguisher?
Why are there threads about having them and why does anyone even bother with one when it's a foregone conclusion you are going to bail and run?
So all of the people who have extinguishers in their Jeeps are idiots and should never have bought them because every case is deadly and assumed a loss.
…
- not the bank employee. Apparently bank employees are stupid.

Yes, “safely” is the key. I doubt anyone here would stand back and watch a smoking rat’s nest destroy their truck (unless they really hate their truck.) But if it’s a raging fuel fire … nope. Doesn’t make anyone here an idiot for having an extinguisher. That’s quite a leap. And there are many reasons to carry an extinguisher beyond potential Jeep fires. And how the hell did bank employees come into this thread? (rhetorical, no need to answer that.)

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Yes, “safely” is the key. I doubt anyone here would stand back and watch a smoking rat’s nest destroy their truck (unless they really hate their truck.) But if it’s a raging fuel fire … nope. Doesn’t make anyone here an idiot for having an extinguisher. That’s quite a leap. And there are many reasons to carry an extinguisher beyond potential Jeep fires. And how the hell did bank employees come into this thread? (rhetorical, no need to answer that.)

Read the other posts - how many literally won't even bother assessing - they'd stand back. Don't have to read back far to see people simply saying they'd stand back.

Yeah, I know - carry an extinguisher when camping or on the trail... or to help others, etc.
Maybe phrase it - if out on the trail with others and you saw smoke coming out of the wheel wells or under the vehicle - would you grab your extinguisher or stand back?

There's a big difference in a raging fuel fire and the smoke the OP was asking about.
Smoke often means lack of flame (depending, of course) something hot will smoke a long time.
Maybe everyone is assuming it's a full-blown fuel fire making the smoke. Burning gas won't make much smoke.

….and all of a sudden out of nowhere and no warning smoke comes out from your wheel wells and maybe you might even smell smoke in the cab and you have the ability to pull over, grab the extinguisher and stop the beginnings of a fire….would you?

This was the question and yet about half of the responses have been "better safe than sorry, stand back". Really?

 

[jimbom]

What State Farm has to say about this:
"It's generally not recommended that you try to put out the fire yourself. Opening the hood or car doors increases the air supply and may accelerate the fire."

More here:
https://tinyurl.com/4zykx6us

 

[ShadowsPapa]

What State Farm has to say about this:
"It's generally not recommended that you try to put out the fire yourself. Opening the hood or car doors increases the air supply and may accelerate the fire."

More here:
https://tinyurl.com/4zykx6us

Yup - like opening the door of a room where a fire is. Don't. I've been through the training........

Assess - if the fire is under the hood, and it's smoky, there's likely not flame but give it oxygen and it could flame up.
SOMETIMES, you can tell by the smell, too.

There's little risk if the smoke is coming from other areas that you aren't going to open up and allow more oxygen in. Wheel wells were mentioned by the OP - smoking brakes, wheel seal or bearings, etc. I would imagine when I fried the axle bearing on my car hauler years ago there was some smoke (things were blue and the brake solenoid wires were destroyed.)

I've seen cases where the smoke was under the dash, burning wiring, and you grab the extinguisher and solve the problem.

Almost all professional car shows (not those put on in a small town for charity or those weekend fun meets, etc.) require an extinguisher be sitting by the left rear wheel when on the show field. Racers - better have an extinguisher. AMO requires extinguishers and if in a building, the battery must be disconnected. Most vehicle fires I've repaired after were electrical fires, fuel not involved.

Assess.

Insurance companies must speak to the 'unaware', the lowest common denominator, the 20 year old who is barely aware of driving laws as it is, the person who considers driving a car as strenuous work and isn't aware of what the extinguisher ratings even mean. Every insurance company is going to say get the heck outta there. I expected nothing less from an insurance company.
Everyone is different in their awareness of the situation. Some of us will be just fine, others better stand back.

 

[2TH MVR]

Not taking a chance assessing what type of fire it is. Life is precious.
Goodbye Gladiator.

 

[Hootbro]

If the situation was to happen to me, more than likely I would just let it burn to the ground.

 

[ShadowsPapa]

Did the OP ask if there were others in the vehicle?
Priority for any other living thing in the truck with you - humans, animals - get them the heck out, help them if needed, lead them yards away to safety not just "out of the truck".
That alone will likely set your answer for you. Once you take care of other life - the timing may be decided.
Priority - get people out, you or another responsible person call 911. Don't wait to call them, do it right away.
As the person in charge of safety at On With Life - priority was people. Get someone to call 911 unless it was handled by the automated alarm, then get others to help clear the wing, assess, if necessary, clear the whole building.
Fire extinguishers were intended to be used to get people out to safety, clear exits if needed.
I'll never forget the night my pager went off at 2am. Fire in nursing wing. By the time I got there the fire department was there working because the alarm was direct to them. People were being cleared out. I worked with the fire department to make sure the place was cleared while some of their team evacuated smoke and dealt with the source.
It was almost funny -the source of the smoke and tiny fire was, ironically, one of the nursing wings EXIT SIGNS.

I also recall a truck fire in my home town that left scars on the highway for a long time. Someone said it was magnesium wheels, brakes got hot or something - they had to foam the wheels and tires on that thing.

 

[it_trailblzr]

I love my Gladiator, but if I could swap it out for the Mojave in Gobi.? Burn bitch, burn!!
Otherwise, I bought the perfect Jeep.
Truly......

Sponsored