Another Slingshot Engulfed in Flames

    Quote from Slunglow

    Keep in mind it's probably a California emissions model so can anyone tell us if the cat/muffler is shaped differently on Cali version ?


    Its not.


    The difference with the cali models is that the evap solenoid is used and there is a coal canister next to the fuel tank to recirculate fuel into the tank. Nothing else is different.


    An exhaust wouldn't make a sling catch on fire, there is nothing in that area to burn like that.


    He either had a short somewhere which would kill power to the spark plugs like he said it was missing revs, or a faulty fuel line.


    I am really not a fan of those quick connects but it would be surprising that it would pop off and engire keep on running and catch fire.

    Vi Engineered Turbo (V-Mount)
    Forged LE9
    DDM Works Fuel Rail
    RRR Oil Catchcan
    UPLOK + UPGUARD
    Assault Hub / Steering wheel
    DDM Works short shifter
    PRP Shifter Boot
    Cipher Race Seats and 4 point harness
    XO Luxury Verona 20x12 Toyo R888 315/35r20, 19x9.5 Toyo R888 265/35R19
    and more...

    @iNewton I was more trying to show that the Sling had modifications other than OE equipment. The deep investigation done by the world class journalis must have somehow missed that part.
    I just found it funny that in his reporting the statement was made about the heat coming from the foot well and no further questions.

    Proud supporter of S.O.G.

    (Slingshot Owners Group)

    :thumbsup:

    Owner/operator: MeanSling LLC :thumbsup:

    Yeah that article is a joke.

    Vi Engineered Turbo (V-Mount)
    Forged LE9
    DDM Works Fuel Rail
    RRR Oil Catchcan
    UPLOK + UPGUARD
    Assault Hub / Steering wheel
    DDM Works short shifter
    PRP Shifter Boot
    Cipher Race Seats and 4 point harness
    XO Luxury Verona 20x12 Toyo R888 315/35r20, 19x9.5 Toyo R888 265/35R19
    and more...

    "The passionate rider (he seems to enjoy the
    good ol’ two-wheeled sport as well) and driver bought it in November
    2015 and the model had just over 2,500 miles on the clock.


    Read more: http://www.autoevolution.com/n…110808.html#ixzz4IxsQdIMr


    Lets see here...has owned the ride for 10 months, ride had just over 2,500 miles, and he claims he is a passionate rider. Yup, he is one high mileage dude for sure. ?( ?( ?( ?(

    I like poetry, long walks on the beach and poking dead things with a stick.

    Did someone already post the actual video of this??? IF so I apologize for doing it again -
    but found this on YouTube




    I am trying to see the hottest spot...where it started at





    WE WERE ALL HUMANS UNTIL
    RACE DISCONNECTED US,
    RELIGION SEPERATED US,
    POLITICS DIVIDED US,
    AND WEALTH CLASSIFIED US.

    @lrobbi the hot spot is the bright yellow -orange area you see in the video... :00007505:


    Sorry, couldn't resist. .

    Proud supporter of S.O.G.

    (Slingshot Owners Group)

    :thumbsup:

    Owner/operator: MeanSling LLC :thumbsup:

    Folks, to keep you up on the latest about our Polaris Slingshot. Do not panic, as this is only one fire and we do not know what caused it or what the owner did to modify his SS if any were made.
    This is only to inform and allow you to look into carrying a Auto Approve Fire Extinguisher. Only for the use of allowing you time to escape a vehicle, not to try and save the vehicle. Very important.
    The gas tank on a SS is not made of metal. Fuel could flow and flames could spread. This is for education purposes only, not to scare or terrify you. Knowledge is our best way of preparing for the
    unexpected. The driver compartment is tight with the steering wheel, it is hard enough to get out when you are relaxed. To get your seat-belt off and get out requires some corkscrew action as we all know.
    Have a sharp razor knife also aboard to cut a seat-belt if the driver is unconscious. Let people know how to raise the steering wheel to get someone out of the SS driver compartment. All Slingshot
    Owners should develop a plan of emergency for the unexpected. You can not just pull someone from the Drivers compartment easily. Now let's all plan for something unexpected.
    Now look at the photos, freeze them, study them, look for evidence of what may have lead to this destruction.


    Well hello everyone, I believe I am the idiot that some of you have been asking to shed some light on my Slingshot catching fire. Well here's what I can tell you.
    I was at an event, my Slingshot was to promote my company so it was wrapped with a couple mods. I left last Sunday am around 8am and attend an event where the car sat till 3pm. I leave in the Polaris around 3pm and head through the city (San Francisco), no issues and stop in San Rafael, ca for dinner then head home. I am driving on Hwy 80 almost to Fairfield, ca when the car starts running weird, I slow down and pull to the slow lane at the same time a CHP officer on a bike passes me and pulls a car over in front of me. I decide to pull over behind him as the car is dying out. I pull about 100 yards behind him at that moment it seems the car was unusually warmer on my feet, I look down and see flames coming into the area where my feet are. I hop out quick at shit and start running to the CHP officer. He puts up his hand and I see him radioing it in, I turn around and take off my helmet and set it on the guard rail and see flames shooting out from under the drivers side of the car, I run back to get what I can. I was able to get my bag out from behind the passenger seat seeing the whole drivers side floor board on fire and spreading quick, I get to the back of the car before taking the first pic was about a min after getting out of the car. the 2nd pics is about 3 mins after and the final pic is about 5 min after it started. I watched the Slingshot burned to the ground in less then 10 min! Aluminum melts at 1200 degrees, you can see the cam gears and timing chain isnide the block of the arearly that was melted.


    I can't really say how it started except I believe it started on the drivers side some where in the engine compartment. The flames moved fast remember the car is nothing but plastic.


    Now to answer your questions on mods, it was not heavily moded at all. It did have a custom exhaust installed attached to the stock cat with pretty much the same configuration as the stock exhaust with just a little outlet pipe, the dealer installed an air intake but that is all for the motor mods, I did have an alarm put in after catching to many people in the car and at the same time had an HID kit installed other then the car being wrapped that's all that was done to it. It had just over 2500 miles on the odometer. The car was always garage kept and when I cleaned the outside I would also wipe down the motor.


    Polaris did contact me 2 days after the fire and I am working with them to get some resolution. I will say the head of Polaris engineering (slingshot division) is very concerned with this issue calling me at 9:30pm his time. I will try to keep the thread updated as long as the posters stay positive. There's no reason to hate, I believe everyone of you should be concerned with this issue. Thanks for listening to my story.

    First I want to say thanks for coming on the forum and letting us know what happened. I know everyone will appreciate any information you can pass along. And I am glad you were able to get out of harms way and get it pulled over to a safe area.


    I'm going to GUESS that it started at the fuse box and then it probably melted the brake fluid reservoir and gained momentum. Since the bike started running rough I would say at that point it had already melted thru the fuse box and was grounding out the ignition. It could have been the alarm also since this wires into the ignition.


    You will most likely never know for sure.


    HID headlights COULD have been the issue. But as many of us have seen it is just hit or miss as to weather or not they cause any issues. I run (4) 55 Watt Morimoto ballast on the stock wiring harness. I never even had Polaris to do the recall and split the load over two circuits. I'm also running 2 lower LED Fog lights and two 18 Watt clover led headlights.


    The main thing is that you got out. And thanks for posting. Being burned is one of those things that ranks at the top of the pain scale.


    P.S. One thing I though might be interesting is the fact that I can run all of my HID 55 watt lights at the same time and I can touch the fuse box on top and bottom and it is cool as ice. The relays have just a small amount of warmth to them. No more than it should have.