Cub Cadet caught Fire! Use with caution!

#1 08-19-2010, 02:59 PM

My 2 year old Cub Cadet LT1045 lawn tractor burst into flames after using it for about 20 minutes. Has something like this happened to anyone before? Very dissatisfied with Cub Cadet / MTD's response...which was they don't warranty fires! I know, that's just a bogus excuse to get out of honoring their warranty. But at the moment I own a burnt carcass of a mower and my grass is growing higher. Anyone got any input or suggestions on the matter?

ACecil · #2 08-19-2010, 03:18 PM

Sorry, to see your misfortune. I've seen videos on YouTube of other Cub Cadets being on fire.

Merk · #3 08-19-2010, 05:20 PM

Where did the fire start?
Did you buy it new?
How clean was it under the hood?

R Bedell · #4 08-19-2010, 05:23 PM

I just got done reading three pages on this topic on MTF.

The question I have, but didn't see addressed was.......what caused the fire...???

#5 08-19-2010, 05:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R Bedell

I just got done reading three pages on this topic on MTF.

The question I have, but didn't see addressed was.......what caused the fire...???

I can't tell you what caused the fire. The best conclusion is that it was either a faulty wiring harness as a cub cadet dealer has suggested or perhaps just too much heat from the exhaust and engine underneath a plastic hood. (they have since remodeled this area on their newer tractors) But even without finding out a reason for the fire first, Cub Cadet immediately came back with a reply of fires are not covered, submit to your homeowners policy. That is unacceptable. I'm just tying to find other people in my situation ( which I have found already).

CMA's129 · #6 08-19-2010, 05:44 PM

Was it leaking oil? I know they have been replacing the cork gaskets under the valve covers with RTV on A lot of these.

#7 08-19-2010, 05:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Merk

Where did the fire start?
Did you buy it new?
How clean was it under the hood?

The fire started in the front...on top??
It was purchased new and was still within the original warranty period.
It was very clean prior to this incident

R Bedell · #8 08-19-2010, 05:58 PM

In my line of work, I have seen a lot of burnt wires. I would find it hard to see, that wires would start that kind of fire.

However, the heat from a Muffler or Exhaust is a tremendous source of heat. I can't visualize this design, in that all my Cubs are older models (all metal hoods).

Was there a Heat Shield to protect the plastic hood? Was it intact & in good shape?

#9 08-19-2010, 06:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by R Bedell

In my line of work, I have seen a lot of burnt wires. I would find it hard to see, that wires would start that kind of fire.

However, the heat from a Muffler or Exhaust is a tremendous source of heat. I can't visualize this design, in that all my Cubs are older models (all metal hoods).

Was there a Heat Shield to protect the plastic hood? Was it intact & in good shape?

I only stated the faulty wiring because that was a suggestion from a Cub Cadet dealer. I think it's just poor design to have hot exhaust and an engine with a plastic cover over it. And no, there isn't any heat shield...if there was one, it probably wouldn't have caught fire. I guess they figured they could save themselves a few bucks by eliminating this important safety feature.