Lightning strike damaged Lexus electronics and electrical systems, repair costs $220K

[Raubern]

The car owner, Ms. Ye,  told a reporter from Shin Min Daily News that on November 16 last year, she and her husband drove a Lexus ES300 to a relative’s house for a party. Her husband parked the car at Springleaf Avenue, near a playground. 

She said that a thunderstorm occurred at 2.30pm that day.  The rain stopped about an hour later and they decided to go back. They found that the door could not opened, and the engine could not be started. The airbag on the left side of the car's rear seat also exploded.

Ms. Ye then contacted the car workshop. After the technician arrived to check, it still couldn't start, and the car was eventually towed away.

She said that there was no updates on her car for more than two weeks after the incident. 

Then on December 19 last year, the car manufacturer informed them the damage to the car was caused by act of nature, which involves environmental or external factors beyond the manufacturer's control.

Ms. Ye is convinced that the car was damaged by lightning. She said that there were scorch marks on the bottom of a nearby Foxtail Palm tree and some of its leaves were scorched black, which may have been caused by a lightning strike.

She said that a car workshop quoted her a repair fee of up to $220,000, and the car insurance she purchased covered accidents caused by natural disasters, and the repair cost was ultimately borne by the insurance company.

However, she said that after the incident, no one was willing to repair her car. It was not until the end of January this year that she found someone to repair the car. It has been 7 months since the incident and her car is still undergoing repair. She has no choice but to buy a Toyota to commute.

https://www.zaobao.com.sg/news/singapore/story20240603-3776514?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR0Fon5YXe2Io0gXSGsMPoQI19jigWEKjGTkoSyTqcQW8LvFeQZOjbW-iuI_aem_AeCYlceZmlox8ds26oxEI_bFO-rMMtAsIQoHhYWqNWDpY0hmdWd1Bnw1Pc53cif0drLNUKPPP2Tgcq6TravxB3Gm

[t0y0ta]

Story is weird.

Can understand the list price of all the fried electrical components (ECU and the integrated audio is v ex) + wiring easily more than 100k. Then effort to dismantle everything and also risk.

But usually insurance will just write off the car if the cost of repair is more than the scrap value + remaining COE. For this car, should be no more than 100k. Insurance should just write off and pay out the car value to the couple. So this part I really don't understand.

Unless they nego with insurance company to say just pay them the market value - what the company will get from scrapping and they will use that remaining cash compensation (can't be a lot) to find someone to repair. In which case I can understand why they have difficulty finding ppl to repair.... simply is no budget no one want to take this shit job

[Si4dr]

Even repair back doubt it will as reliable as a Lexus...sure many problems

[Inlinefour]

my friend worried lighting strike onto erp 2.0 whole car will explode bo 

 

cheehong kia know or not huh 

 

or he only confuse and no longer convince all motorist 

[Maxus-MIFA9]

On 6/3/2024 at 8:13 PM, Inlinefour said:

my friend worried lighting strike onto erp 2.0 whole car will explode bo 

 

cheehong kia know or not huh 

 

or he only confuse and no longer convince all motorist 

If strike, can claim from LTA if OBU fault ? 

[Inlinefour]

even if its true...insurer will say Act of Thor 

 

LL suck thumb lor 

[13177]

First time hear car kena lightning until so jialat. 😅

[Jamesc]

A car is a faraday cage. 

 

[Theoldjaffa]

On 6/3/2024 at 7:15 PM, t0y0ta said:

Story is weird.

Can understand the list price of all the fried electrical components (ECU and the integrated audio is v ex) + wiring easily more than 100k. Then effort to dismantle everything and also risk.

But usually insurance will just write off the car if the cost of repair is more than the scrap value + remaining COE. For this car, should be no more than 100k. Insurance should just write off and pay out the car value to the couple. So this part I really don't understand.

Unless they nego with insurance company to say just pay them the market value - what the company will get from scrapping and they will use that remaining cash compensation (can't be a lot) to find someone to repair. In which case I can understand why they have difficulty finding ppl to repair.... simply is no budget no one want to take this shit job

Ms Ye want to repair the car and continue to drive to be safe from lightning in future. Cos… Lightning doesn’t strike the same place twice

[Benarsenal]

On 6/3/2024 at 7:15 PM, t0y0ta said:

Story is weird.

Can understand the list price of all the fried electrical components (ECU and the integrated audio is v ex) + wiring easily more than 100k. Then effort to dismantle everything and also risk.

But usually insurance will just write off the car if the cost of repair is more than the scrap value + remaining COE. For this car, should be no more than 100k. Insurance should just write off and pay out the car value to the couple. So this part I really don't understand.

Unless they nego with insurance company to say just pay them the market value - what the company will get from scrapping and they will use that remaining cash compensation (can't be a lot) to find someone to repair. In which case I can understand why they have difficulty finding ppl to repair.... simply is no budget no one want to take this shit job

Yeah. If repair cost so high then most likely is write off liao.

[Kopites]

On 6/3/2024 at 8:47 PM, 13177 said:

First time hear car kena lightning until so jialat. 😅

Likely not a direct hit. Probably a nearby tree or sort. Electronic stuffs got electrocuted. 

She should count her blessing for not being inside the car then. 🙏

[Jamesc]

Perfectly safe if in a car struck by lightening. 

 

[Sosaria]

On 6/3/2024 at 10:39 PM, Kopites said:

Likely not a direct hit. Probably a nearby tree or sort. Electronic stuffs got electrocuted. 

She should count her blessing for not being inside the car then. 🙏

The metal shell of the car will conduct most of the current away, and the occupant will likely be unharmed, but the high current flow creates momentary induced current and voltage spikes in the surrounding electronics - if they are not properly shielded.

Should've just scrapped the car since the insurance co didn't run away from this act of nature. By now could be driving a new lexus instead of plain vanilla toyota.

Edited June 3 by Sosaria

[Benarsenal]

MRT also kena lightning ok

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/transport/lightning-strike-sparks-power-trip-that-disrupted-mrt-services-on-nsl-for-over-2-hours

[macrosszero]

What the car owner want? 

If she wants compensation she can go and sing this:

[Vratenza]

On 6/3/2024 at 7:15 PM, t0y0ta said:

Story is weird.

Can understand the list price of all the fried electrical components (ECU and the integrated audio is v ex) + wiring easily more than 100k. Then effort to dismantle everything and also risk.

But usually insurance will just write off the car if the cost of repair is more than the scrap value + remaining COE. For this car, should be no more than 100k. Insurance should just write off and pay out the car value to the couple. So this part I really don't understand.

Unless they nego with insurance company to say just pay them the market value - what the company will get from scrapping and they will use that remaining cash compensation (can't be a lot) to find someone to repair. In which case I can understand why they have difficulty finding ppl to repair.... simply is no budget no one want to take this shit job

Insurance not stupid. 

Most likely the couple got external repair quote of 220k and insurance refuse to pay, offered market value, couple refuse to take, metal teeth, keep on searching for cheaper quote till some desperate workshop willing to take the job at below market rate... 

Now workshop just keep the car at the back of the workshop as a pet project... Got time fiddle abit... No time cannot be bothered... 

See who expire first... Coe or the couple... 

Ps.. The quote of 220k is also probably a quote that is meant to put off the couple... Knowing no insurance or person in right mind will pay that sum. 

Edited June 3 by Vratenza

[mersaylee]

On 6/3/2024 at 10:57 PM, Jamesc said:

Perfectly safe if in a car struck by lightening. 

 

One ex colleague rented a car during oz holiday with frenz...kena...car wouldn't restart...doors wouldn't open...every part of the car felt hot to touch...when tow truck came...the extendable leleo antenna couldn't be found...yessi...it was during those days when car antenna was extendable type...😂

[RadX]

On 6/4/2024 at 7:01 AM, mersaylee said:

One ex colleague rented a car during oz holiday with frenz...kena...car wouldn't restart...doors wouldn't open...every part of the car felt hot to touch...when tow truck came...the extendable leleo antenna couldn't be found...yessi...it was during those days when car antenna was extendable type...😂

Ex means did not survive the lightning!😂🪦