Kubota M5660SUHD caught on fire (60hrs)!

[Whites Store Tractor Head]

9 month old tractor and I run it for maybe 10 minutes and notice that it has less power than usual
Anyhow I see smoke out in the hood area on top of engine. I open the hood and flames spread out all the way to fuse box and the dashboard (plastic)
I manage to douse off the fire and all the wiring is now bare and burnt to a crisp. The quote to repair is at least 30k which is close to what I paid (actually I still have 40 payments due)!


Question: What could have caused it (it was plastic/ wiring burning and super hot!)...not fuel related.
The dealer told me I need to turn to insurance co; i.e it is not covered by warranty!

Obviously I don't want to spend as much as a new tractor on this; besides the wiring and the dashboard cover everything looks like new! I am getting a 6060HD delivered in a few days as I can't wait to get a resolution to this....

 

[Whites Store Tractor Head]

9 month old tractor and I run it for maybe 10 minutes and notice that it has less power than usual
Anyhow I see smoke out in the hood area on top of engine. I open the hood and flames spread out all the way to fuse box and the dashboard (plastic)
I manage to douse off the fire and all the wiring is now bare and burnt to a crisp. The quote to repair is at least 30k which is close to what I paid (actually I still have 40 payments due)!


Question: What could have caused it (it was plastic/ wiring burning and super hot!)...not fuel related.
The dealer told me I need to turn to insurance co; i.e it is not covered by warranty!

Obviously I don't want to spend as much as a new tractor on this; besides the wiring and the dashboard cover everything looks like new! I am getting a 6060HD delivered in a few days as I can't wait to get a resolution to this....

Kubota has had problems with mice eating there soy base wiring. I think there was a class action suit regarding this problem. Good luck.

 

[WinterDeere]

State Farms (home owners policy) told me to open a claim and they'll send an agent.
I know I did not insure that tractor specifically but I might still be covered.

I also have State Farm, and my agent told me my tractor is covered under my homeowner's policy, when I bought my new Deere 3033R. I had called to see if the high value ($45k) would require a rider, but they said no, it's covered.

 

[beenthere]

9 month old tractor and I run it for maybe 10 minutes and notice that it has less power than usual
Anyhow I see smoke out in the hood area on top of engine. I open the hood and flames spread out all the way to fuse box and the dashboard (plastic)
I manage to douse off the fire and all the wiring is now bare and burnt to a crisp. The quote to repair is at least 30k which is close to what I paid (actually I still have 40 payments due)!


Question: What could have caused it (it was plastic/ wiring burning and super hot!)...not fuel related.
The dealer told me I need to turn to insurance co; i.e it is not covered by warranty!

Obviously I don't want to spend as much as a new tractor on this; besides the wiring and the dashboard cover everything looks like new! I am getting a 6060HD delivered in a few days as I can't wait to get a resolution to this....

Came close to a fire when a wren built a nest under the hood of one of my tractors. Depends on where it was being parked if mouse or bird or squirrel nested or stored a cache of food around the engine manifold.
No clue given as to what evidence remained after the fire. A fire marshal or similar might help.

 

[Sid Post]

I have quite a few 6v old tractors, I've yet to burn out a starter using a 12v batt.. I have a 6v BN that dad bought when I was a kid that's had a 12v batteries used in it for over 50 years...

These old tractors have been used this way for MANY years without problems.

SR

Wow! That would be pretty impressive to me.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

Wow! That would be pretty impressive to me.

Where I live it's not impressive at all, go to any old tractor show and you will find plenty of old tractors, the same way as mine are.

SR

 

[LouNY]

Our old Farmall 400 has a 6 volt starter and switches the only thing changed was the generator for an alternator and the 12 volt battery, the Farmall H is the same, the Allis WD was also done for a great many years, my Brothers WD45 pulling tractors are on 12 volts with original 6 volt starters.

 

[fbitz777]

Kubota has had problems with mice eating there soy base wiring. I think there was a class action suit regarding this problem. Good luck.

Thanks; I really think this could be a cause because it happened overnight as I had left the tractor in a middle of a farm field (usually I have it on gravel) and the fire happened while the machine was not really hot.

I had issue with soy base wiring on a Tesla and I had thought only German based cars used soy based wiring.

 

[Mike_in_Missouri]

Unfortunately i did not insure (never had any claim in 30 years) but I should have since this was financed by Kubota

New Holland wouldn't let me purchase without insurance, first. Surprised you were able to finance without insurance. I didn't have to buy their insurance but did have to provide proof of insurance with the other financing documents.

 

[Sawyer Rob]

I had issue with soy base wiring on a Tesla and I had thought only German based cars used soy based wiring.

My wife bought a new Subaru, it had soy-based wiring, and a squirrel chewed it all up.

Subaru put electrical tape on the wires to fix it, or she would have had to pay to have them all replaced.

SR