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agesilaus's avatar
agesilaus
Explorer III
Feb 17, 2022

Truck Fire Ford SD 6.7

My truck caught on fire for no obvious reason. 2012 F350 6.7L 4WD. Has about 170K on it. Parked, engine off, no electrical gear on. Right side of the engine compartment caught on fire.
I had a wheel off to check the brakes, went inside for a minute, came out smoke coming from the truck, seemed to be small fire.
Got a pot of water from camper, came out and it was blazing.
Finally put it out with the hose but that whole side of the front end and the front of the truck incinerated. All that plastic burned like crazy.
Fire department and sheriff came out. FD said it looked to be electrical. Waiting for Allstate.
  • Turtle n Peeps wrote:
    That sucks. Good luck in fixing it. Make sure a good shop gets the work and can do it properly.


    How do you know? Just ask them. They will tell you right up front if they are not a good shop and won't do the job properly.
  • When was it driven previously? How long was the drive?

    I lost a car to fire, and then discovered my car parked next to it had the engine compartment full of dry, material for a birds nest. They had been packing the engine compartment with sticks, dry grass, etc.

    I then looked under the hood of my Express van, and had four eggs in a nest next to the battery.

    Lastly, I looked in my 2020 Silverado HD and they built a next in the front fender.

    So I believe that the fire was probably caused by the heat of the engine igniting the dry material after it was parked.
  • Sorry for you loss. I know it is too late now, but if instead of going for water you had disconnected the battery, the fire would of gone out. Team of firefighters at car fire, 1 tool to rip hood open, 1 hold extinguisher, another bolt cutters for battery cable.
  • That sucks, it certainly sounds like electrical.

    I will be very surprised if your insurance company doesn't write it off, and ultimately I think you will be better off if they do. There could be all sorts of electrical gremlins if it is repaired.

    Hopefully they look after you well; please keep us informed and best of luck.
  • Had the same truck for 9 years. Just sold it. Never heard of a fire like that on one. Interesting that you had a tire off when it started. Could you have somehow pinched a wire while under there?
  • thomasmnile wrote:
    Possibly,new or new to you truck in your future? Will be interesting to learn the repair estimate if you care to share it.


    I suspect we will be looking at totaled, the right side of the engine compartment and everything on the engine on that side is burned up. The right front quarter, the grill and the hood are kaput.
    The truck body is OK and maybe the engine other than all the stuff attached to the right. Alternator, battery, starter ect. Front wheels OK.

    Right in this case is the passenger side in other words. We will see what Allstate has to say, hopefully it is repairable.
  • Possibly,new or new to you truck in your future? Will be interesting to learn the repair estimate if you care to share it.
  • Sorry to hear that but glad no one was hurt. Hopefully insurance will get it sorted out fast for you.
  • That sucks. Good luck in fixing it. Make sure a good shop gets the work and can do it properly.
  • Sorry to hear this. At least you have an excuse to go shopping but pickins are slim.