Faulty Starter makes car on fire? is it BS?

[Maple50175]

I sold my starter on ebay and I said it still had a warrenty witch is does. He got the part and left me nutral feedback saying it was a remanufactured part.

Well I just got another email of him saying this. I think this story is bullshit. :-/

Do you think its possible? I dont knwo what I should say to him since hell have to send the part back.

Well let me know what you think


Dear Wayne,

As you told me in your previous e-mail - to let you know if there is any problem with the starter, well there is. I finally got around to having the part installed in my car last saturday and yesterday as I was shopping at wal mart, I was paged about my car - come to find out the engine was on fire, there were police, ambulance and firemen there. When the police came to me to tell me what had started it, they said that it was a faulty starter. That after I had gotten out of the car a witness (walmart employee) noticed the car was smoking and making a sound like it was trying to start itself. Because of that there is now extensive damage to my car, though mostly to the electrical connecting the starter and the battery as well as both of those parts being dead. You had previously mentioned that you still have a warranty for the part, we need to arrange to have a new starter sent to me, as I am more than willing to send the faulty part back to you. I will be awaiting your response for further action.


Sincerely,
Tobin Kennedy

[starchland]

Sounds highly unlikely to me, and as if this guy just wants a brand new starter out of you. There is a better chance of this guy installing it incorrectly and that causing a fire. The starter doesnt control itself, its controlled by the ignition, which would be off if he wasnt in the car. this sounds fishy 'As you told me in your previous e-mail - to let you know if there is any problem with the starter, well there is...' and ask to see pics before you do anything more. Its a shame people try to walk over young people like us

[Maple50175]

Ill try that. He lives in UTAH I think so hes in the middle of nowhere. Ill see what he says but its messed.......

[Maple50175]

okay fizz i just emailed him and ill see what he has to say. Ill keep you updated. Im afraid hes going to send me a starter that was his old one or something

[uncle_el]

you should have sold the part as is, to avoid this hassle. really, as you're not an auto parts dealer, but a lay person, you shouldn't be expected to have that sort of knowledge. after all, it could have been a number of things that started the fire. in any event, to do the right thing, you might as well wait on the faulty starter, and get it's replacement.

[micksf22accord]

sounds like bs or the idoit installed it wrong or something. but make him give you prove it to you like fizz said. It sounds like he just wants money out of you

[GrayCar]

If the guy's car caught fire, wouldn't he be after you for more than just the starter? You know, like maybe the entire motor that was burned up...?

[Maple50175]

he said it was just the "wires" :-/ let me check my email and see if i got a reply hold on

[i97supratti]

He would have to provide warranty out of his pockets.

[accordaffair]

Well I can say that you shouldn't always trust what a fireman tells you about your car. I had a friend who's car was leaking gas one day and the fireman who came to control the mess told him it was a faulty charcoal canister, which it wasn't. A fireman is not a mechanic so why do they always think they are?

[YK86]

It is possible it caused a fire. There's no way of knowing if it was actually your starter you sold or not though. Maybe he didn't change his old starter yet, had the short, and is just trying to scam you? This kind of thing is the reason I rather sell parts for less money in "as is" condition just incase anyone ever decides to take advantage of me.

A 3rd gen Accord recently had a simular fire and this is what he stated:

The starter seized up and caused a dead short. The +12 to the starter and ground on the tranny burned right up. I had been having trouble with the starter, so I am really not suprised by this.

The good news is that besides two toasty wires, a dead starter and this horrible smell, there wasn't any other damage. I'll have to clean up the soot and all the melted insulation but otherwise she's fine. All the electrics work great, not one bit of damage to them.