High temperatures can increase your risk of fire when on the road. Vehicles in Arizona are also at risk of electrical, mechanical, and human-caused fires. A vehicle fire can get out of control quickly and cause injury and property damage. Understanding the most common causes of car fires in Arizona can help you protect your vehicle and lower your risk of a fire.
- Poor Vehicle Maintenance
Neglecting vehicle maintenance can increase your risk of a vehicle fire. If you ignore broken parts, fluid leaks, faulty wiring, or leaking seals or hoses, your vehicle may be at a higher risk of a fire. This risk increases if your vehicle is old.
- Improper or Neglected Repairs
Likewise, not scheduling a repair or attempting a repair yourself can also increase the risk of a vehicle fire.
- Design Flaws
In some cases, vehicle design flaws can cause a fire. Most vehicle fires start in the engine, drivetrain, or wheel areas, and defective parts and design flaws can cause a fire. Stay up to date on recall notices for your vehicle, and ask your auto repair technician about recall warnings when you bring your vehicle in for service.
- Overheating Battery, Engine, or Catalytic Converter
Electric, hybrid, and gas-powered vehicles are at risk of a fire caused by an overheating battery. Hybrid cars are at the highest risk, with gasoline-powered cars next. An overheating catalytic converter can also cause a fire, and a catalytic converter that is clogged, damaged, or overworked is at a higher risk of overheating. Overheating engines are also a fire risk. An overheating engine has hot fluids that can spill out and land on other hot areas of the car, causing a fire.
- Arson
While arson isn’t the most common cause of vehicle fires in Arizona, it is a possibility. In most cases, this happens when a vehicle is unoccupied and is an act of vandalism.
- Collisions
A vehicle collision can spark a fire. The engine, battery, and gas tank are at the highest risk for a collision-related fire. If you are in a major collision, try to get away from your vehicle as quickly and safely as possible.
- Electrical System Problems
An electrical system problem can increase your risk of a vehicle fire. Electrical wiring problems and battery issues can cause sparks that ignite vapors or fluids.
- Fluid Leaks
Fluid leaks can ignite and cause a fire. Gasoline, diesel fuel, engine oil, transmission fluid, brake fluid, and engine coolant can all leak and catch fire.
To protect yourself and your vehicle from damage due to a vehicle fire, it’s important to have the number of a trusted, reliable towing service on hand. At Barnett’s Towing, we are the largest family-owned and operated towing company in Arizona, and we offer 24-hour emergency towing services, light duty and heavy duty towing services, and specialty towing services. Call us today or contact us online to learn more about our emergency towing services in Arizona.
