We Are Seeing More Car Fires Recently.
In reality, car fires are entirely preventable occurrences that are frequently the result of slip-shot and even neglectful maintenance by workshops and car accessory technicians. Proper maintenance goes a long way in keeping your car from catching fire.
Many Malaysian car owners love to ‘trick out’ or modify their new cars with fancy cabin lights, external lights and more and the wiring done can cause an electric fault with almost all modern cars. The factory wiring loom should never be tampered with and you will lose your warranty if you do so.
The four biggest causes of car fires are an accident, fuel leak, slip-shot electric wiring and an engine running too hot.
An Accident
This is probably the most common cause of car fires and we have seen this along the North South highway many times. Just drive safe and keep a distance from the car in front of you, which most highway drivers NEVER do.
Fuel System Leaks
Fuel leaks are the next biggest cause of car fires. When petrol leaks and vaporizes into the air under the hood, the fuel/oxygen mix is ideal for ignition. All it needs is an errant little spark and your car will burst into flames and the petrol along the line will feed the flames.
Petrol fires typically arise from worn fuel lines or faulty fuel line connectors, as well as leaky fuel-injection systems. Old car owners, please get your fuel lines and connectors checked every time you service your car. It is not expensive to look at.
Electrical System Failures
The electrical system is the biggest issue for car fires. This is now getting seen also in battery operated vehicles (EV’s). In a combustion engine (petrol) car, the 12-volt battery can produce hydrogen gas when charging, creating an explosion hazard. Battery and starter cables carry sufficient current to ignite combustibles in the event of a fault condition.
The fuses, fusible links and circuit breakers provide an element of safety in case of overloaded wiring, but sometimes components breakdown, shoddy repairs or poor installation of aftermarket equipment can defeat these safeguards.
And it does not always have to occur in the engine compartment. Electrical faults in high-current devices such as electric seat or power window motors can result in ignition of insulation, carpets or even discarded paper accumulated under seats.
Aftermarket Accessories
Low quality car accessory installations can easily introduce an electrical fault and cause a fire down the road. Sound system and fancy lighting installations can go horribly wrong, more so today because the amperage required to run these aftermarket components is much higher.
Always get your aftermarket accessories installed by an authorized electrical technician and not your cheap aftermarket accessory shop intern.
Similarly, sloppy mechanics that overlook complex issues involving a lot of modern vehicle computers and wiring looms, especially cars in the last decade or so. Shoddy repair jobs and shortcuts to earn a quick Ringgit can introduce unwelcome hazards in the engine compartment and the result can be a car fire that could injure you and your passengers.
