After the news of two brand new Nanos inexplicably catching fire, Tata Motors undertook a comprehensive investigation related to the cause of the fire. A team consisting of internal members and an independent forensic expert was formed to carry out the investigation.
The analysis revealed that the incidents in these two cars, which were being transported to or from dealers, were isolated instances and the reasons are unrelated. This further established the conclusion that the Tata Nano’s design is robust.
The Mumbai incident in March 2010, where a Nano caught fire after it was delivered to the customer, was found to have remnants of a foreign object on the hot exhaust system which most probably led to combustion. In the second incident that took place in April in Gujarat’s Anand district, where the car was being delivered to a dealership, there was an evidence of a ruptured fuel line.
The company has further decided that it will put to rest any concerns by inspecting all customer cars and, where necessary will also add additional protection to ensure the car’s safety.
Beginning May 24, each owner will be individually contacted over the next few weeks to fix appointments for such inspections. These inspections would be provided free of cost to the customers. Tata Motors has further cleared that this doesn’t constitute as a recall.