Last week I got a new mb/cpu/ram/PSU and since then I've been running everything at stock clocks to make sure the system is stable. Tonight I went to start a game and I heard a hissing sound, so I looked into the window of my Antec 1200 and heard a PoP and then fan maxed out and fire shot straight out of the top air intake of the 480. I slamed the power button on the PSU off and then aired out the room. I've never seen anything like this happen before. The only thing I noticed was since updating to the new Beta a few weeks ago (before the new build), the gpu fan would max out for a second and I would see EVGA precision read the the video card went from idle 39C spike to 123C then back to 39C, in less then a second. Otherwise everything had been working great for the last week with the new parts.
 
New:
i7 950 @ 3.06
EVGA SLI 3 (131-GT-E767)
6GB 3x2 Muskin Redline 6-8-6-24 1.65v
Corsair AX1200w PSU
 
I left a message with evga support so I hope they call early tommorow. Anyone else heard of this happening with the 480?
 
UPDATE: People wanted picture of a fire breathing 480 but sorry, my camera wasn't ready for that. I have stripped down the card for the first time to find the problem and added pictures later in this post. I will also put them here for people that don't want to look through the post.

well I know I didn't drop any screws in it when building it, and I always turn the PSU upside just for that reason before I use it. I think it would have craped out right away if a screw was in it but that's intersting. Thanks for the reply.

Sounds like you had the KNOWN issue of running more than one program that monitored the videocard fan/temps.
 
The warning you got that this was happening, was the temp spikes and fan ramp.
 
RMA the card and next time use only ONE program at a time to monitor/adjust your videocards.

There is a known issue with more than one program that "polls/modify" certain features of 400 series videocards.
The issue can lead to... 50c+ temps spikes, fan shutdowns and misreporting of values that can lead to mutiple problems with volts, temps and the fan controls.
-This is not to say that you just didnt have a card failure outright-
But there have been many burnt up videocards because of this problem.....
Just be glad you bought EVGA, it will be an easy RMA and be VERY careful not to use more than ONE program at a time that intefaces with the built-in features of 400 series videocards.
 
If your using Precision for fan control, TURN IT OFF before running anything like.. GPU-z, HW-Monitor, Everest, ELEET Etc (even things as simple as desktop wigets showing temps and fan speeds) and any others that interact with the hardware/software controls or monitoring features of 400 series cards. 

Thank you for explaining. I buy EVGA because of thier customer service and Lifetime warrantee. I had to RMA an 8800GTX before because the heatsink didn't touch the memory chips and it was the quickest and easiest RMA process I've ever delt with, So I've stuck with them ever since.

woa pics plz ?
 
that defiantly should have left some marks.

RBIEZE

maniacvvv
There is a known issue with more than one program that "polls/modify" certain features of 400 series videocards.
The issue can lead to... 50c+ temps spikes, fan shutdowns and misreporting of values that can lead to mutiple problems with volts, temps and the fan controls.
-This is not to say that you just didnt have a card failure outright-
But there have been many burnt up videocards because of this problem.....
Just be glad you bought EVGA, it will be an easy RMA and be VERY careful not to use more than ONE program at a time that intefaces with the built-in features of 400 series videocards.
If your using Precision for fan control, TURN IT OFF before running anything like.. GPU-z, HW-Monitor, Everest, ELEET Etc (even things as simple as desktop wigets showing temps and fan speeds) and any others that interact with the hardware/software controls or monitoring features of 400 series cards. 

What?!?!
I fail to understand how running two monitoring programs at once would cause a critical failure to a vidcard .
Are you saying that somehow the Gpu voltage is being modified ???

+1  Since you state that it is a "known" issue that running the two programs simultaneously can cause catastrophic failure (if it is the card that burst into flames and not another piece of hardware), please post the links to the articles where you read this takes place.

Unwinder

bobmitch 
I quickly looked at Afterburner in my tray and fan speed said 86, while my GPU temp was 44.  Very likely there is something with Precision, Afterburner and the like...Unwinder writes all the programs.

 
No need to involve me into it please. I'm not developing E-LEET, GPU-Z and Everest causing known conflicts with NVIDIA driver fan control implementation due to low-level access to I2C bus instead of using NVAPI. Fan control layer of both PRecision and Afterburner use NVAPI only for maximum safety.

This is a example and Unwinder explaining this issue

+1 bio, eleet and precision open at once is a known issue.
I have seen it on these forums quite frequently.
 
chizow documented it pretty well if we can dig up that thread or get him to comment.
 
OP's card destructing may or may not have to do w/ e-leet starting at login, we may never know.

pics or it didnt happen lol.
 
rma and all should be well assuming the psu is ok.
 
really thouhg pictures would have been nice, i need a new background and a fire breathing 4xx would look sweet.

I run Aida64, HWMonitor, RealTemp, and Afterburner all at the same time 24/7. Never had an issue with my GTX 460...

I've been in the RMA process now. I got this message back last night:
"Hello,
we can definitly assist with getting that card replaced for you, if there was a pop and a small flame, a component definitly failed in the card. One thing you may want to check though, watch the 12 volt output on your PSU as I have seen a PSU that surged internally cause that same issue. Just suggesting that you monitor it some, not syaing it is for sure the source, just don't want to see another card fried by another component.
Please goto our site, login, Mouse over member home, and select View my products, click View details on the item in question and click Start new RMA next to the card in question. Follow the prompts, and enter 764133 when asked for a support ticket number."
I sent a message back and asked what I should use to monitor the 12v. E-Leet and Bios read 12.04-12.10. I don't have a multimeter either. ATM I have 2 EVGA 8800GT's in SLI with the same power connectors and gamed last night for an hour with no issues.
I've done all the neccssary steps and now I'm just waiting for RMA to be approved. I had to take the cover off to take a look and I can't see any physical damage yet. I only took off the top cover, I'll check underneeth too. Theres just the nasty smelling dust from whatever went up in flames.
BTW people I'm sorry I couldn't get pictures. I heard a hissing sound, looked at my PC, then heard that pop and the flame was shooting out of the top of the GPU with the fan on max speed. It was a good show for sure, but the fire was blasting toward my new ram and figured that it would be a good time to cut the power lol.
I was one of the people who got thier 480 when it first launched. This was when you would see the card on newegg for no more then 30 seconds before it sold out and I was able to grab one. Just wondering if the first batch of 480's were rushed in QC to be competitive with ATI.
 
UPDATE: Here are some pics of the card stripped down.

Oh wow that's crazy.

Like I said for the last week it's been at stock clocks. When I did overclock it the max I could reach was 875/1750 (I think)/2060mem. That was max and pushing it at 1.11250v. I only used that for a little bit during the first week I got it, but the temps ran into 80's-90c. Then I used it at 850/1700/2060 without issue since May. I have the Antec 1200 case with sidefan installed and the extra bay fan installed for GPU. I always monitor the card with the G15 readout w/precision and it would average 75c. I know the limit is 100c and I only got close to that once using Furmark. Furmark is mean lol, it heated up my old 285 SSC that i had overclocked to around 85c and climbing, and I just stopped it because the highest I ever saw that card go was 70c during long gaming sessions.
 
Edit: to Answer the Max question it did hit 100c once when the fan was on auto.

Another reason why you should water cool these beasts :P
 
Anyways, dang, I'm sorry, I hope evga takes good care of you, I know they will!
 
I don't think those programs would cause a sudden load into just ONE of the vrms, maybe one was faulty, since if it was a sudden power surge, or anything else, It should've affected the entire row of the VRM's.
 
You had a good clocker there my friend, sorry to see it go. Mine can only hit 880 max with 1.175V... ON water too. :(
 
I hope evga takes care of me tho, since I managed to kinda smear the sticker on the back of one my my cards.