Ten tips for driving to avoid spontaneous combustion of vehicles

With the high temperature warning coming, drivers should not only take personal measures to prevent heatstroke and cool down, but also pay attention to vehicle maintenance. Preventing spontaneous combustion is the key. Prevention is better than fire. So how to prevent spontaneous combustion while driving? Here are ten tips to keep your vehicle away from spontaneous combustion. Safe driving is the key!

Prevention is the key. How to prevent spontaneous combustion while driving?

30℃, 32℃, 34℃, 35℃... we have entered the dog days of summer, which also means that the hottest time of the year is about to come. However, such temperatures have "injured" many citizens' beloved cars. Some cars have boiled over while driving, and the most terrifying thing is that the cars have caught fire. Such news appears in major media every day.

There are two common causes of vehicle spontaneous combustion: on the one hand, the wires in the vehicle are exposed due to maintenance or additional configuration, which causes friction and damage during driving, resulting in a short circuit and fire; on the other hand, oil leakage occurs due to problems in the oil circuit, and once static sparks appear, they will often cause a fire. Therefore, in summer, drivers should conduct further inspections of the car's electrical circuits and oil lines, and must be equipped with fire-fighting tools in the car just in case.

1. Circuit inspection

Check the circuit. Cars that are more than three years old should have their circuits checked before summer arrives, with the focus being on the ignition system in the engine compartment. Because after the engine is started, the temperature of the ignition coil will be very high. After the car has been used for a period of time, the high temperature generated by the ignition coil will cause the insulation layer of the high-voltage ignition wire to soften, age, and crack. In this way, the insulation of the high-voltage ignition wire cannot be guaranteed. In severe cases, high-voltage leakage will occur. If there is leakage of oil and gas, it will "ignite at the touch of a button".

2. Beware of odors in the car

If you smell rubber odor or see smoke coming from the gap between the hood and the dashboard while driving, you should quickly pull over, turn off the engine, disconnect the main power switch of the vehicle, check for fuel leaks and whether the water tank is empty. Do not be careless.

3. Clean the hidden oil stains on the car body in time

It has been observed that at least one out of every 20 vehicles has oil leakage. In addition, a small number of vehicles also have splashed oil stains near the oil port, which poses a risk of spontaneous combustion of the vehicle. When cleaning the car, don't just focus on the appearance, but also pay attention to the maintenance/cleaning of the above-mentioned places.

4. Avoid modification to prevent spontaneous combustion

Frequent car fires are usually caused by damage to the oil circuit, electrical circuit and modified car parts, and have no direct relationship with the newness or oldness of the car. Vehicles that have undergone irregular repairs or modifications may also have the risk of spontaneous combustion. Some roadside shop workers are not professional enough. They do not analyze the vehicle's wiring layout and specific structure before operation, do not consider the power of different lines and the capacity of the equipment, randomly connect wires, and do not add insurance where the load is heavy. These incorrect operations will cause danger.

5. Say no to smoking

Many people think that smoking on a truck is the most normal thing, but few people regard it as the cause of the truck's spontaneous combustion. However, this is actually the point that is most easily overlooked. Unextinguished cigarette butts in the cab are an absolute safety hazard. Many truck drivers have the habit of smoking, and after lighting a cigarette they habitually throw the lighter on the center console. After being exposed to the sun for a long time, the temperature inside the car rises and the flammable gas in the lighter can easily explode and cause a fire. Some perfumes placed on the center console also contain flammable chemicals, which can easily become a time bomb that causes the truck to spontaneously combust.

6. Perform daily inspections

Do not neglect daily vehicle inspections. Pay attention to whether the terminals of electrical equipment, the connection and insulation of wires are reliable. Also check the sealing of fuel pipes, brake fluid pipes and power steering pipes. If leakage is found in these pipes, deal with it in time.

7. It is best to park on a clean surface (without flammable materials)

The exhaust pipe under the car chassis is a high-temperature component. The temperature of the exhaust pipe is very high when the car is working normally, especially the position of the three-way catalytic converter. In addition, there is the problem of heat dissipation difficulty in summer. Even if the car is parked and idling after normal driving, the temperature of the exhaust pipe will reach 800 degrees Celsius or even higher. In order to prevent this high-temperature exhaust pipe from causing us trouble, we must also master some skills when parking. If the car is parked on a road covered with hay, paint, or other flammable materials after normal driving, the high temperature exhaust pipe may ignite these flammable materials. Although the oil filter where this accident occurred is very small, it is still avoidable if possible. After all, it is not difficult to park the car on a clean ground.

8. Maintain frequently and check frequently

The gasoline filters of some cars are located near high-voltage lines. If the gasoline pipes are aging and not replaced in time, they can easily be ignited by sparks. Many car owners have a misunderstanding about maintenance, thinking that replacing the three filters is regular maintenance. In fact, regular maintenance also includes inspection of the braking system, steering system, gasoline lines, electrical lines, etc.

9. Be familiar with the use of fire extinguishers

The vehicle is equipped with a fire extinguisher. Generally speaking, a fire extinguishing device of about 2 kg can play an emergency fire extinguishing role. At present, many drivers just drive recklessly without maintaining or repairing their vehicles. They do not understand the condition of their vehicles, so it is too late once an accident occurs on the road. Judging from the handling of spontaneous combustion car accidents, some drivers have no idea how to put out fires. They just spray the fire extinguisher randomly but don’t know how to spray or where to spray in the most effective way. Some drivers don’t even know how to use a fire extinguisher. Therefore, car owners should be familiar with the use of fire extinguishers to avoid being helpless in the event of an accident.