I have just had a fantactic trip to Westeren Australia, came back on the 6th Nov. On the 24 Oct there was a fire in the garage block, which my car lives in. Smoke damage to the whole of the veh. My parents who where looking after my house, contact the insurance campany, who had the the veh removed to a car company in Northampton ( they are not skoda, and will remain nameless at this time as there is a complaint going through). They have cleaned the car to a crap standard. I spend 6 hours cleaning it top to bottom, and use good stuff on it.

However my main conceren is what potential damage has been done by the smoke to the engine, eg where has the smoke gone!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Anyone who can help, so i can get my insurance company to get Furby to a good skoda doctor to get checked out.

SERIOUS COMENTS ONLY PLEASE AS THIS HAS TO SAY THE LEAST UPSET ME

Eeeek! Looks uber-mean in the second pic though.

I wouldn't have though that the smoke itself would do any damage to the engine. The interior might smell, is there a pollen filter in a Fabia? Might honk a bit.

From the pictures it doesn't look as thought there's any fire damage to the car, how much heat was it exposed to? Since the exterior plastics look ok, it bodes well for the interior ones (engine bay) too.

Tough luck mate, but surely quite lucky too?

Fordo!

I take it all the windows were closed.......if so just chage the air and pollen filters and get some of that aircon cleaner/refresher from the dealer ....a good wash clean a polish and it should be fine ........if it has got too hot it may be different ...plastics could be brittle...but from the pics it looks OK

Nice tints

As a serious point I wold say that the smoke should not have done any serious damage as the car sits in smoke all day every day on the road.

I would change every filter that may have been contaminated such as the air filter and pollen. You may also want to get the MAF checked out as a coating of smoke on that will not be good for it. Ditto goes for the bearings on the fans as bearings don't like carbon all over them.

As said did the car get really hot, it doesn't look like it due to a lack of paint damage. The items inside the engine bay should be fine, just check for any obvious signs of damage to connectors etc.

I would think a good valet inside and out and you should be ok, then unplug any exposed connectors, wipe the metal contacts with a cotton bud dipped in IPA and remove any smoke and dirt on them.

I think apart from the filters, replace those everything should be fine. The filters should have stopped any nasties getting in, and as the engine wasnt running so no induction nothing should have got into the engine.

Eeeek! Looks uber-mean in the second pic though.

I wouldn't have though that the smoke itself would do any damage to the engine. The interior might smell, is there a pollen filter in a Fabia? Might honk a bit.

From the pictures it doesn't look as thought there's any fire damage to the car, how much heat was it exposed to? Since the exterior plastics look ok, it bodes well for the interior ones (engine bay) too.

Tough luck mate, but surely quite lucky too?

Fordo!

Thanks, no there was no heat damage to the veh, the fire spread was way from mine but as the are conected mine acted as a vent for the smoke. Yes there is a pollen filter on the veh

I take it all the windows were closed.......if so just chage the air and pollen filters and get some of that aircon cleaner/refresher from the dealer ....a good wash clean a polish and it should be fine ........if it has got too hot it may be different ...plastics could be brittle...but from the pics it looks OK

Yes all windows were closed, the drive is open from where the recovery towed the veh out engine was not started, heat damage is nill, just smoke, the garage is black, but Chemdry are dealing with that...

I take it all the windows were closed.......if so just chage the air and pollen filters and get some of that aircon cleaner/refresher from the dealer ....a good wash clean a polish and it should be fine ........if it has got too hot it may be different ...plastics could be brittle...but from the pics it looks OK[/quote

Yep have been in contact with a local Furby Doctors, and they say chnage all filters and also the sound damping in the engine compartment. Will push the insurance company all the way on this one. Furby deserves the best!!!!!!!!!

and we all pay alot for are insurance!!!!!!!

Yes, other than the filters, if the interior is just fine then the only other thing that can absorb the smell would be the sound deadening under the bonnet. That wont be too expensive so I cant see them kicking up a fuss.

Just give it a bloody good clean and all will be well.

Yes, other than the filters, if the interior is just fine then the only other thing that can absorb the smell would be the sound deadening under the bonnet. That wont be too expensive so I cant see them kicking up a fuss.

Just give it a bloody good clean and all will be well.

you should see the clean the garage the insurance comonay sent it to, gave it. they cliamed it tooked them two days to clean. But when confronted by a very jet lagged and upset Furby driver, they didn't say a word. The wheels had not been removed, and somke still clunged to the spoke things!!!!!!!Prats, they may be named and shamed...............but not for now!!!!!!!!

I'd be suprised if you ever get the small of smoke out completely, it penetrates every area possible so there is no way you can ever clean it all up 100%

Make sure the insurance company send to a proper specialist valeters, at least that way you stand a chance.

BTW in house fires, any upholstery that is smoke damaged (sofas etc) are replaced rather than cleaned due to the fact they will always smell afterwards, I would imagine the same applies to vehicle carpets, seats and sound deadening!

out of interest, is this being covered by car or house insurance?

Good points John, but surely the pollen filter and door seals would stop any smell getting into the cabin in the first place?

We had a house fire years ago and the house was completely filled with smoke. The insurance assessor came round and said to replace everything in the house. The smoke in our fire was of an accrid variety, caused by a lino flooring burning after someone known to us put a match through the door.

We queried the need to change everything i.e door handles. taps, the TV, radio etc as these were all working. We were told that due to the corrosive nature of the smoke, the problems would start in 6 months time as the pcbs in the TV start to fail. We took his advice and he was right too. A few months later, the door handles tarnished beyond repair and the TV packed up etc etc.

Now, I don't know what the nature of your fire was, but this isn't necessarily as simple as change the filters and you'll be right. I hope I'm wrong, but you need professional advice on this from people qualified on the subject.

HTH

out of interest, is this being covered by car or house insurance?

damage to car is all done on car insurance, and then garage on building and contents ect........

We had a house fire years ago and the house was completely filled with smoke. The insurance assessor came round and said to replace everything in the house. The smoke in our fire was of an accrid variety, caused by a lino flooring burning after someone known to us put a match through the door.

We queried the need to change everything i.e door handles. taps, the TV, radio etc as these were all working. We were told that due to the corrosive nature of the smoke, the problems would start in 6 months time as the pcbs in the TV start to fail. We took his advice and he was right too. A few months later, the door handles tarnished beyond repair and the TV packed up etc etc.

Now, I don't know what the nature of your fire was, but this isn't necessarily as simple as change the filters and you'll be right. I hope I'm wrong, but you need professional advice on this from people qualified on the subject.

HTH

Ture, have spoken to local skoda dealer and he has said that the veh needs to have diags run. Have spoken to insurance and have an appointment with an independant inspector, to disscuss all this and hopefully get things put right.

Good points John, but surely the pollen filter and door seals would stop any smell getting into the cabin in the first place?

Unforunately a car is not a sealed unit, there are vents dotted around to stop that booming noise you get with your windows open at high speed, and also to let air circulate, as otherwise things would get damp with condensation and go mouldy!

You know when you drive past a bonfire or something, even with all the windows closed and A/C set to recirculate, you can still smell it!

With all due respect to the Skoda techs that have or are going to look at your car, they are not smoke damage experts, I very much doubt they have ever seen a car like yours before, It really needs to go to someone who knows exactly what they are talking about, who that might be I have no idea, but I really cant imagine your average mechanic knowing much about it!!

As a quick test you could take a few cotton buds with you and poke them into air vents or any tight nooks or crannies, if they come out black then your onto a loser.

Good points John, but surely the pollen filter and door seals would stop any smell getting into the cabin in the first place?

Smoke can travel anywhere, it can still get inside of the car dispite it being closed up. I would be concerned about the seats, as that burning smell is difficult to get rid off.

We had to change all the furniture in our old appartment after a fire, which was 2 rooms away.

If your claiming off their insurance i suggest you go for a new interior as well. Or if it works out to your benifit just keep rejecting the car till they write it off and give you money for a new 1 and they will just flog it on. As a firefighter seeing this every day i would suggest you get it spotless inside and out as some types of soot can be toxic if breathed in.

Well update.........friday 17 Nov, furby is back. piant work is fine, and all cleanable areas have been done. All the damping and filters have been chnaged. There is no smoke damage to the interior, well sealed car!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

However the smell of smoke form the engine is still there be it very slight. The only way to get rid of everything, is to strip it down to the bare components. This is not going to happen, no matter how I push.

Still no one lost a life, and should be grateful for that.

Thanks for everyones advice in this.............happy driving:)

Glad to hear it's worked out to your satisfaction, I'd have probably been a bit more fussy but thats just me, perhaps a full wet valet of the interior might help with the remaining smell?

If nothing else, the shampoo will mask the smell for a bit!!

Throw a tube of aircon cleaner through it.

Throw a tube of aircon cleaner through it.

Right........:confused: silly question I know, but never heard of that, take it I could buy it form Halfords or dealers?????????

Both, halfords sell a kit or your local dealer can do it for you.

What he said, the halfords one is a little comma bottle you discharge that cleans the aircon , but also smellifies your car with (IIRC) a menthol type smell.