good motoring
Why do cars catch fire
H.Kishie Singh

The Qualis that caught fire. — Photo by Malkiat Singh

Cars are catching fire with alarming regularity. In some cases the occupants have escaped unscathed while a couple of times drivers have been charred to death. Some time back there were instances where two cars caught fire, both involved Toyota Qualis. Other cases involved Esteems, Maruti 800 and a motley make of almost all cars.

Before we try and figure out the cause, let us consider what is the course of action to be taken in case your car bursts into flames. A preventive measure would be not to fit any fancy after-sales gadgets in your car. This would include accessories like central locking, (factory-fitted is the only option) hooters that go keep beep while reversing, gods, goddesses and gurus that flash and blink while sitting on your dash board.

The manufacturer has made provisions for you to fit a music system into your car. Some manufacturers have even supplied speakers, all you are required to do is slide the music equipment into the slot provided and plug in the leads. The connections into the wiring harness are already in place.

This way there has been no tampering with the wiring harness. While talking to a couple of manufacturers and dealers about the causes of these fire, one found them a bit baffled. All these spate of fires have happened in the last half year. Why not before? The answer is only an educated guess. There is a new manufacturer on the scene and he is offering something at cutrate prices. Fitting these gadgets also means cutting into the wiring harness. And this is where the problem starts.

The manufacturer says, "Do not cut the wiring harness" because for one it renders your warranty lord if the car is new. Two, it is dangerous.

Let us analyse the fires in the two Qualis. The two vehicles were burnt completely, and quickly. The fire spread through out the vehicle, pointing to an electrical fire. Both vehicles were diesel and diesel has a very low flashpoint. Diesel would not burn so fast, thus all indicators point to an electrical fire. Another indicator that it was an electrical fire was that only smoke was coming out of the bonnet.

A press report mentioned a short circuit. This means the wiring harness had been tampered with. Both vehicles were Toyota, which boasts of the highest quality fitments in the world. Under normal circumstances the wiring would last forever.

Another point to remember. The press reports the driver as saying he "tried to open the bonnet". This is definitely not recommended. The area in the engine well is confined and a fire may die due to oxygen starvation. To open the bonnet wide open will introduce oxygen and the fire might be rekindled.

The recommended procedure in an emergency is to get out of the vehicle fast and move away as far as possible. Forget your bags and belongings. Life is more precious. If it was a car with a petrol engine, an exploding petrol tank will throw burning fuel up to a height of 40-50 metres. It will burn anything it lands on. It could be you. Of course, a fire extinguisher would be a handy item to have in the car, so remember to buy one.

In the accompanying photograph, the front end of the vehicle is completely burnt out and destroyed, including the number plate. Thus means the vehicle was not carrying the prescribed plates. Plastic will burn, metal will melt but the prescribed plates are fire-resistant and embossed and then painted. Even if the paint burns off the embossing remains. The vehicle can still be identified.