Electrical fire under seat

[8 Ball]

I have a 2001 Boxster S, pretty much stock. today I had an electrical fire under the drivers seat, in the area where the seat belt locks down. I just started the car in a parking lot, put down the top and drove to the ticket booth to pay and while I handed the guy the ticket I saw some smoke at my right elbow. I then looked down and started seeing more and more smoke. I opened the door to get out and there was enough smoke that if the top was down it would have been solid inside. I started trying to open the space between the seat and the carpet next to it and blow out the fire and I saw a red ember about 1/4" wide down in there. I then turned off the car which turned off the fire but the smoke kept coming for a while. Pretty much once the smoke settled down I figured out the electric controlls for the drivers seat don't work any more. the passenger seat works and everything else works. Lucky me had the top down or the burned rubber smell would have been in the top forever. Any idea what happened?

8 Ball

From the sounds of it, there was/is something on fire under your seat. Yup, I reckon so. Unless you have taken out the seat and jacked around with stuff I dont see how it could happen. Was water present, making a short?

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

Pretty much impossible to diagnose without seeing it. But, I wouldn't be surprised if some of the wiring chafed and grounded out against the chassis or seat rails. Carefully inspect the existing wiring for signs. Do you adjust the seat often? Allow stuff to collect under the seat?

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[8 Ball]

I hardly ever move the seat, I am the only one that drives the car. Maybe I move the seat when I clean. I don't keep anything under the seat, there actually is no room with all the wires and motors. I didn't even have the seatbelt on when it happened because I was getting my wallet and going to pay form my parkng. I was lucky I wasn't driving. My best guess is maybe a coin fell out of my pocket and just happened to hit the right spot. The fire was just forward of the seatbelt latch. At this time I can't tell because I can hardly see down between the side of the seat and the center carpeted area. I tried looking under the seat from the front but don't see anything melted or anything. I can't move the seat because the motors are not working now. I suppose my next step is to figure out how to remove the seat and see what went on. I don't have heated seats so that is not the problem. Also there was no water present.

8 Ball

[8 Ball]

Now here is the latest. We need to remove the seat so we can see what cought on fire. It is an electric seat and the fire burned out the electrical and the seat will not move. We need to move the seat in order to remove it. Move it forward to remove the back two screws and back to remove the front two and out it comes. I've called my local mechanic, talked to Porsche friends and even went so far to call the dealer, nobody knows how to remove an electric seat if the power does not work. The dealer suggested taking the seat apart starting with the leather and working your way down. Looking for suggestions

8 Ball

Finish what the fire started and collect insurance money....lol.
Well, think logically, what makes the seat move, and what locks it into place. Find that out and your getting somewhere. Then you just have to unlock it. maybe unbolt the motor?

[Tool Pants]

On Sept. 5th a local 1999 996 owned by Chuck Jones had an electrical fire under the dash.

Something going on with these cars....

[8 Ball]

As it turns out this is the way to remove an electric seat without the power. The fuse will burn out before the motor so replace the fuse and move the seat slightly until that fuse burns out again and again and hopefully you can move the seat enough to remove it. In my case we never really found out what caught on fire but I believe something electrical got hot and it burned some of the foam insulation and that is what made all the smoke. There was a small burn in the electrical panel that is under the drivers seat, to replace that one panel was $900 for the part alone. After that was replaced the seat still does not work right because the motors have damage. I should have replaced it with a used manual seat.

Other than that, and I have talked to a lot of people, that is the only way to remove the seat without power (but we really used the power). The suggestion the dealer had was to remove the leather of the seat and work your way down until you can move the gears by hand. I still can't believe Porsche doesn't have a spot under the seat to turn with a wrench or something to move the seat so it can be removed in the case of a power failure.

8 Ball

[dcporsche99]

Hey 8Ball,

I must have missed this thread when you posted it. Sorry to hear about the fire. Glad no one was hurt.

Anyway, I'm sure one of the folks on here have an extra manual seat laying around for you as a replacement.

Thanks for sharing your experience.