Second Fisker Karma fire under investigation

Investigators hired by Fisker Automotive are looking into a Fisker Karma plug-in hybrid sedan that caught fire on Aug. 11 in a suburb outside San Jose, Calif.

This is the second instance of a fire involving a Karma in the last three months.

In a statement Monday, Fisker said its investigators from Pacific Rim Investigative Services Group don't believe the latest fire was caused by the Karma's lithium-ion battery.

Fisker said the fire began outside the Karma's engine compartment. Investigators are focusing on the car's left-front tire, Fisker said.

The Karma's battery pack has been closely scrutinized after a battery failed while the car was being tested by Consumer Reports magazine in March. Then, in May, a Karma was destroyed in a garage fire in Sugar Land, Texas. The car was not plugged in, Fisker says. The cause of the fire has not been determined.

Fisker recalled 239 Karmas in December to fix a defect in the battery that increased the risk of a fire. The Karma's battery pack is built by A123 Systems Inc.

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