Why does any Car Catch Fire Suddenly

Cars usually go up in flames due to lack of maintenance.

A fire can only start if a spark or very hot surface is close to combustible material surrounded by oxygen.

Regular inspection for leaks, shabby wires, and bad connections is essential to avoid fire.

The leaking fuel starts more fires than any other issue in the car.

In older cars, a carburetor tends to leak when the float level is set incorrectly, or the fuel union gaskets are worn.

In modern cars, the fuel injectors & fuel pressure regulators are sealed off with O-rings, which deteriorate with time, resulting in a fuel leak.

A fire starts when the leaked fuel comes in contact with a spark, which may be a result of poor insulation of a spark plug.

Sometimes, if the leaked fuel lands on a very hot exhaust manifold, then also it leads to a fire.

Electrical shorts can cause the wiring to overheat and get hot enough to start a fire.

If the wiring connecting the component to the car's wiring loom is fitted incorrectly, it can draw a very high current.

If the earth cable between the engine & the car's frame is poorly connected or broken, the electricity finds its way back to the battery.

This results in the throttle cable getting hot enough to start a fire.

If the heat shields get damaged, then the interior of the exhaust system which becomes very hot during the running of the car can cause a fire.

A retarded engine ignition setting will cause part of the exhaust system to glow red hot, and the shields can't cope with it, resulting in a fire.

If the oil filler cap is not replaced correctly, that will cause the crankcase pressure to blow oil over the engine resulting in a fire.

If the oil filter is replaced without renewing the gasket, which results in oil squirting out while the engine is running has the potential to cause a fire.

It is rare, but sometimes a fire can be caused due to your car's engine overheating.

If you see smoke coming out of the vehicle or a fire building up, then switch off the engine and come out of the car.

The best way to avoid a fire in your car is to take preventive steps by regularly checking the components of your car.