Got scammed on highway: Biker flagged us for sparks coming from engine

The final take from this expensive lesson is never to open the bonnet unless you are there.

BHPian KUV50 recently shared this with other enthusiasts.

I was driving with my wife (both senior citizen) in our 2011 Swift Dzire from B'luru to Belegavi on 14th June 2024. Road was clear and weather was good. We were going at 80 kmpH. After passing Sira (about 120 km from B'luru), a motorcyclist overtook us from left and frantically pointed to the front left wheel of our car. I ignored him and drove on, but quietly checked for wheel wobble or one side drag by keeping my hands off the steering, but nearby, so that I could grab the steering if required. Nothing, car kept going steady and straight.

After another kilometre or so, the bike caught up with us again, and repeated the pointing gesture towards front left wheel. We slowed down and rolled down the window a couple of inches. The man said there is smoke from left wheel side. This could be serious (everybody is afraid of fire in a car), so we slowed down and stopped by the side of the highway.

Just as I was opening the door to get out and see, the man came up, and asked me to open the bonnet quickly. I did so, and by the time I could unbuckle the seatbelt and get out, he had the bonnet open and there was smoke. He waved with his cap, and the smoke disappeared.

He said it must have been momentary and asked us to drive on slowly. We did that and after just about 100m, he caught up and asked to stop and open the bonnet. Again, by the time I could get out he had bonnet open and I could see some flames and smoke. He asked for a cloth or water and by the time I got these, he waved his cap at the flames, and there was only smoke.

Still he threw water where the flames had appeared, and after touching showed some oil on his hands.

He said that most probably the ECM was damaged by rats/bandicoots (a common problem even in our cities), and hence the fire. I said that let me try to call the nearest Maruti dealership. He said they will take ages, but that he is a mechanic and will ask his helper who was on his pillion to go by the motorcycle and get it. It will take only 10 minutes, he said.

His helper went and was back in 15 minutes with 2 black units neatly wrapped in plastic. Then the helper went under the engine with the package and a ring spanner. The man asked me to keep the clutch pedal pressed to ease the access to change the units. Later on I realised that this was a ploy to get me out of the way.

In 5 minutes the man brought 2 similar looking black units, holding them in a towel, saying that they were hot and leaking oil. He showed them for a couple of seconds and then threw them by the side of the road.

He said to tie either tobacco leaves or Hans chhap tobacco sachet near the engine to keep the rats away, as they do not like tobacco smell. This will avoid trouble in future.

Then he said the parts cost 18,000 and labor 4,000. Of course he did not have PhonePe (that would leave an identity track). So we went 20-25 km to Hiriyur, and there I drew cash from ICICI bank branch ATM, and gave it to him. While talking, he said that his name is Ashok Patkar, he is from Bandra, Mumbai and had come to Sira 40 years ago. So he speaks only broken Marathi, a little Hindi and mostly Kannada.

We thought we were saved and thanked God! After that we travelled upto Sangli, Maharashtra and returned to Bangalore. However after returning I contacted Maruti regional office and finally got a maruti dealership near our house to jack up the car and see for myself with help of their service persons, what was the trouble. But we could not see any evidence of any work having been done on or near the engine. After I drew the sketch of the part, I was told that there is no such part in Dzire.

Then my son found a similar incident near Powai, Mumbai reported on Team-BHP. There the conmen claimed sparks in a Hyundai car.

The final take from this expensive lesson is never to open the bonnet unless you are there. I had this rule for the dicky, because I was told that even security personnel were not above planting stuff in the dicky while checking and then claiming that they found contraband in the car.

Final advice and lesson, call 1033, the NHAI highway assistance hotline if in any trouble.

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