ALT-1 Common causes of Car Fires
The likeliness of the irruption of a car fire is potentially high because motor vehicles contain a variety of highly flammable liquids such as gasoline and oil. Other risks are associated with the potential for fuel leaks that may easily ignite and the risk of electrical devices that may create the grounds for short circuits, sparks and over heating. Add on top of that, the fact that cars house a variety of products that can easily catch fire such as upholstery or the presence of batteries that can create dangerous explosions.
Causes of Car Fires
A car fire, therefore, can be the result of a malfunction, worn out parts, manufacturer defect, accidents or a deliberate criminal act known as arson. Following are some circumstances that can cause motorists to find themselves in some much heated situations. .
- Most fires tend to start from the engine compartment. A firewall, meant to protect passengers, offers some time for the passengers to escape. The firewall, however does not protect passengers from noxious fumes that may develop or explosions.
-Hoses and pumps in the car tend to move flammable liquids towards hot areas of the engine. A leak from the hose or pump therefore. will create the ideal grounds for a fire.
-The presence of debris making contact with hot areas is a good fire start up. For instance, a bird nest placed in a strategic area may cause the irruption of a fire or some leaves accumulating in areas near the catalytic converter may easily catch fire.
-At times, owners may create the ideal grounds for a fire to irrupt. Smoking in a vehicle and accidentally dropping a cigarette inside the vehicle could easily cause the upholstery or the driver's clothes to catch fire. Children placing fireworks nearby parked vehicles are also creating the right grounds for a disaster.
-At other times, a manufacturer defect may cause a vehicle to catch fire under certain circumstances. A notorious case was the Ford Pinto case, where its design had a defect making the car's gas tank easily catch fire in case of rear end collision. To make things worse, at a certain speed these models also had a tendency for its doors to jam shut, leaving its passengers stuck in a burning, deadly trap.
-Other potential culprits that could easily generate a fire are the following: sidesaddle gas tanks outside the truck's frame fuel tanks placed between rear axle and bumper, inadequate fuel line materials, defective fuel filler necks, fuel lines lacking safety valves and more.
-Arson, is another cause of car fires. These deliberate criminal acts are often fueled by vandalism performed on abandoned or stolen cars. Cars are often set on fire on isolated roads at times with little passer byers.
The above are only a few examples of scenarios that may fuel a fire. It can never be emphasized enough the importance of performing maintenance work on cars. Hoses, pumps, fluid lines, caps and filters need to be inspected for proper functionality. While accidents and manufacturer defects are things out of our control, at least as car owners at a minimum, we should take action as much as we can to prevent potential fire hazards in our cars.
References:
Automotive Fire Safety by Toyoland
