Earlier this week, a Tata Nano was burnt to almost a shell in Shivranjani Crossroads in Ahmedabad. The driver of the vehicle Vipul Jani was returning home while his car suddenly burst into flames. Safety fitments to the Nano last year, the company claimed, will put an end to the fires, but with the recent episode, the saga wouldn’t seem to end.
On inquiry it was learnt that Jani’s Nano was fitted with unauthorized electrical components blamed for causing this severe blaze.
Tata spokesperson commenting on the fire -
As admitted by the owner there were certain unauthorised electrical fitments in the car which may be the cause of the incident. Tata Motors is investigating the incident. The company would like to re-iterate that the Tata Nano is a robust car.
We don’t know the specifics, but the electrical fitment could be an after-market music player. It is common for customers in India to install these accessories as they are either cheaper or more powerful with extra functions. Adding a music system from the local market voids warranty, but consumers overlook this aspect for the joy of having something to their liking.
Source – indianexpress.com
Image Source – yfrog.com
[...] gold in 2008 with its one-lakh car, but the ride for the Tata Nano has been terribly bumpy. As reports of fires have not died down, customers are prompted to think twice about the safety aspect before signing on [...]
I understand that this is a very unfortunate situation, but we must appreciate Tata’s concern and I am sure they would very carefully look into the matter… We must wait till the investigation is done and not be critical about the car… After all it is a Tata product and it sure deserves that trust….
True that the Indian customer will add after market accessories, but one must understand that it has to be done with proper care and precautions. Plus Nano being a rear engine, rear wheel drive layout, it is highly possible that the conventions and precautions known to outside mechanics doesn’t hold up in this case.
Plus the biggest thing is that each and every car in the world from Ferrari to Mercedes, all have caught fire at some point of time. Its just that Nano gets highlighted.
Lame excuses!
You wont be able to find any car on an Indian road without after-market accessories!
How many other MAKE cars have burnt down???
Overall, Nano’s electrical circuitry or harness seems to be in jeopardy!
They just want to give some reason just to escape rather than admitting that they have produced this S**t….
It is so common in India to spice up your car with after market accessories. This happens primarily because the manufactures follow the tiered model concept (ex, vx, ls, zx, sx etc etc..any alphabet combination for that matter). Just add body colored side mirrors and a fog lamp, name it vx model and charge an additional 50K..This is insane and forces the budget conscious customer to buy the base model and go for after market accessories. TATA, the pioneers in Indian auto market cannot excuse this and assume that Nano will not be fitted with an after market stereo for that matter.
@Abd – we’re not sure which electrical components is the cause of the fire. We have only guessed it could have been an after-market stereo. It is common for car owners to install a stereo to the car. Add to that the fact that Nano doesn’t come with a stereo even on the top-end model.
@Apaaraa – The fitment might not have caused the fire – it could be a faulty installation leading to this blaze. A short circuit can cause fire. We have to wait for the final report to emerge before drawing to a conclusion.
Can more information be provided how adding a music player causes the engine to burst into flames ?
Faulty unauthorized aftermarket fitments? The whole car just burnt up to a shell as per the report. They should give a better explanation. How many incidents have we heard of Faulty unauthorized aftermarket fitments, completely gutting a car? They may cause some damage but completely gutting a car? There is more to it that won’t be admitted. If the nano is so unstable then its safety ratings should be lowered. I haven’t heard of any such incidents with Maruti 800s. There can be fires but being burnt to the shell reflects poor nano structure.
[...] Source – yfrog.com via IAB [...]
Tata should be strict like VW in the case of aftermarket fitments