Under What Circumstances Do Cars Spontaneously Combust?
2 Answers
When a car's engine is running, the high temperature of the ignition coil can cause the insulation layer of the high-voltage ignition wire to soften, age, and crack. This makes it easier for the high-voltage ignition electricity to penetrate the insulation layer, leading to high-voltage leakage. The continuous temperature rise at the leakage point can ignite leaked gasoline from the engine or carburetor, ultimately causing a fire. More relevant information is as follows: 1. Grounding: Among fire accidents caused by circuit faults, the most significant factor is grounding. Especially for many new car owners who cherish their newly purchased vehicles, they often install alarms, upgrade high-end audio systems, or modify the appearance. These actions can potentially cause wire grounding, leading to vehicle spontaneous combustion. A common issue is the starter switch contacts sintering and causing welding, which prevents the starter solenoid from releasing. This results in excessively long starting times (the safe starting time for a starter is 5 seconds), causing the starter to overheat and catch fire. 2. Note: Poor circuit connections and excessive local resistance can generate heat, causing wire connection points to heat up and ignite flammable materials. When the vehicle is in motion or starting, it may sometimes experience backfire, which can also cause a fire. If the vehicle's engine lubrication system lacks oil, the surfaces of mechanical parts in contact and moving relative to each other can generate high temperatures through friction. Contact with flammable materials under these conditions can potentially cause a fire. Additionally, most modern cars are equipped with a three-way catalytic converter, a device located on the exhaust pipe that reaches very high temperatures. If parked improperly, such as near flammable materials, it can potentially lead to a fire.
I've been in the automotive repair industry for over a decade and have witnessed numerous cases of vehicle spontaneous combustion. Common causes include electrical system short circuits, particularly due to aging wiring in older vehicles or improper modifications leading to overload and overheating; fuel leaks, such as ruptured fuel tanks or fuel lines, which can easily ignite upon contact with sparks; engine overheating, where cooling system failures cause temperatures to skyrocket and trigger combustion; mechanical friction generating sparks, like overly tight brake pads or bearing failures; and external factors, such as cigarette butts thrown into the car or parking under extreme heat causing flammable materials to expand. It's advisable to regularly inspect wiring, avoid illegal modifications, and be mindful of parking environments—since spontaneous combustion often occurs silently, prevention is far more critical than repair.
