My Vibe's on fire!

[ragingfish]

So I don't think I ever told you all the story of the day I thought my Vibe was on fire! So I was driving around doing errands, and I was headed home. I put on my heat and smelled a burning plastic smell. I figured it was normal, as it was the first time I had used the heat. But rather than dissipate, the smell got stronger. So when I got home I popped the hood, and sure enough, whitish smoke was coming off the engine. Me not being a car person, I start freaking out. I don't know what the hell could possibly be wrong with my car! So I frantically call my dealer (keeping in mind this is about 12 or 1 PM on a Saturday), and he says, "sound like a loose hose or small leak." I went up adn down the listings in the yellow pages and found an STS center that was open. I hauled *** down there, and while I was waiting, it was crazy, I was pacing back and forth like I was waiting for my baby to be born, (ROFL!). Anyway, the long and the short of it is, there was no problem. Apparantly, I drove over a plastic grocery bag. It got caught underneath somehow and started melting onto the catalytic coverter. Hence, the smell, and the smoke. They scraped it off, no damage, no charge. But scary, eh? I always drive over them bags, not thinking twice about it! Amazing what little things can cause such massive havoc! Thought I'd share that little story with everyone in case something similar happens to y'all!

[Sputnik]

I'm definitely no car person either and freak at the slightest hint of something wrong with the car... probably the years of driving my mom's 11 year old Grand Am and it constantly breaking down. Anyway the time they left the oil cap off my car after an oil change I saw blue smoke coming from my hood and I was on the phone immediately with the service department... but mostly that was just to tell them off for leaving the cap off.

[Frosty]

We were on a family vacation 25 years ago near Toronto on the QEW and there were just miles of small construction cones keeping us in our lanes. My dad pointed out to us kids that some "idiot" in an adjacent lane hit a cone and had it stuck under their car. We were having a great time laughing and pointing when the cone was released from their car, did a couple of bounces and flips, came over to our lane and stopped dead center of our lane. Dad had no where to go and of course hit the cone.Well now we have this horrible noise under our car and if it didn't wedge into the exhaust and start to melt, stink..... So Dad had to pull over, crawl under the car, get everyone out to lift the car a bit, and pull out the cone.I always think of that story when I feel like laughing at some poor unfortunate, I always think my number will be up next.

[ragingfish]

It happened AGAIN!For the last week, anytime I would get out of the car after driving at least 10-15 minutes, it would reek of burning plastic. Took it to the dealer today, sure enough, a plastic bag had melted all over the cat converter. They had to sand and chip it off...cost me almost $40 in labour!Grrrrrrrrrrrrr.....

[joatmon]

we were on a long road trip (not in the vibe) and I was catching some Zs while someone else drove, and they woke me up because there was a weird sound from one of the wheels, sounded like a flat tire, so I told them to pull over. Got out and found the left rear wheel hub was on fire, apparently the bearing went out, friction got the thing hot enough to ignite the grease. Kind of frightening to see flames licking at the gas filler tube. Was able to pour a bunch of water from melted ice in the cooler on it to get the fire out, and then had to call a tow because the bearing and spinde were so shot that i couldn't believe the entire wheel hadn't fallen off at highway speed.

[GMJAP]

Hope that wasn't your Vibe, joatmon!

[Mavrik]

I will surve to avoid anything on the road including plastic bags, have seen and experienced the results of that sticking to the exhaust.When I used to work at Wal-Mart years ago, this biker guy (true story) parked his bike and went inside and when he came back out found a plastic bag had drifted across the parkinglot and melted to his shiney chrome exhaust. The guy got right pissed and went back inside and yelled at the manager blaming her for it, haha she held her ground and said it was an act of god they were not responsible for since Wal-Mart did not make someone litter or create the wind that blew it against his bike. eventually he stormed off, funny as hell to watch.

[sidewinder]

Another reason to try to avoid running over plastic bags. In our shop I have seen plastic bags rapped around the driveline or axle and if near the transaxle they can actually take out the seal on the transaxle or rear diff. Fishing line or wire that can get wrapped around these same items can do a lot of damage.

[joatmon]

Quote, originally posted by GMJAP »Hope that wasn't your Vibe, joatmon!Quote, originally posted by joatmon »we were on a long road trip (not in the vibe) ...

[Jahntassa]

Had the plastic bag on the cat happpen in my Probe.. MAN what a smell. Nothing yet on the Vibe...

[GMJAP]

Quote, originally posted by joatmon »