Mahindra responds to XUV700 fire on Jaipur highway: Alleges tampering to original wiring – Times of India

On May 21, the owner of a Mahindra XUV700 took to social media and shared images and videos of his precious possession getting charred to a crisp. According to details shared in the post, the man was travelling with his family on the Jaipur highway, when the flagship SUV went up in flames without any sign of overheating or any other malfunction. Since the post made, the visual have gone viral on social media. However on May 22, Mahindra issued an official statement on the matter after conducting an investigation to determine the cause.

According to Mahindra’s official statement, a team of field service agents reached out to the owner of the XUV700 and an investigation is undergoing to determine the reason behind the fire. The team’s initial findings suggest that the factory fitted/original wiring of the SUV was tampered with, to accommodate after-market electrical accessories. The investigation determines that this could be the main cause behind the flagship SUV going up in flames without any warning.

Meanwhile, the owner has not made any statement regarding any modifications that were made to the XUV700, in his post. However, tampering with a vehicle’s factory-fitted wiring from an unauthorised workshop is not advised as a vehicle is susceptible to fire for a number of reasons. Factors such as fuel leaks, malfunctioning electronics or contact between sensitive components and the engine can lead to fire incidents. Moreover, in modern cars that feature heavy electrical wiring, components and several fabrics, the fire can spread more quickly and endanger the lives of its occupants. One should always keep a fire extinguisher handy and immediately inform the local police and their insurance company of the incident.