Do all types of cars have instances of spontaneously combusting/starting on fire?

[Anonymous]

DH has been seriously thinking about a Tesla.

I've been seeing some news stories about Teslas that have either started on fire while someone was driving one or when it was parked in a garage.

DH says all cars probably have problems like this, but we don't read about it b/c it's not that interesting.... but when it happens to a Tesla, then there is news interest in taking Tesla down a notch.

What say you?

Is this something to be concerned about?

[Anonymous]

Our friend had a BMW that caught on fire. It happens with all brands but some may be worse than others.

[Anonymous]

A friend's jeep spontaneously combusted. That was 1993/94.

[Anonymous]

There is a unique problem with the Tesla, in that the batteries regenerate fuel for the fire while burning. If you have one catch fire in an attached garage you can kiss the house goodbye.

[Anonymous]

it happens to all cars but if you consider the number of regular cars over the years that caught fire vs the number of Tesla cars, the ration for tesla is much higher I am sure.

[Anonymous]

Any car can catch fire. Personally, I think Elon Musk is a nutter and I don't trust him to make good safety calls. But I don't know of any statistics that say he's wrong on this point.

It's difficult to compare EVs and ICE car fire frequency because there are so many ICE cars and they tend to be older. For example, is a newer or well maintained ICE car less likely to catch fire than an older EV? I don't know.

[Anonymous]

If you trust the numbers, Tesla catches fire at the rate of one per 195 million miles driven. For all cars, the rate is 19 million miles.

I think what causes irrational fear is the way a Lithium Ion battery vents, smokes, and catches fire. It just goes, there is no stopping it, and it could do it with no external trigger or earning sign.

That said. I am not worried about it at all. I am not a fan of Tesla - will likely never own one.

[Anonymous]

All cars catch fire. For example in a combustion engine, if the hose feeding fuel to the engine comes loose, it spews fuel all over the hot engine block and you have a good ol' fire on your hands. Happened to my uncle's Fiat back when I was a kid.

You're much, much more likely go get in a car accident than have your car catch on fire, so focus your worries on that instead.

[Anonymous]

Any car can burn.

That being said, I would NEVER charge an EV inside my home garage. Absolutely not, under no circumstances.

[Anonymous]

Japanese cars really light up. I think it is a Pearl Harbor thing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:A friend's jeep spontaneously combusted. That was 1993/94.

Yes, google Jeep issues with exploding gas tanks. Awful cars, I'll never buy one.

[Anonymous]

It's a Ferrari meme. Porsche had to recall the GT3 because of it

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:A friend's jeep spontaneously combusted. That was 1993/94.

Yes, google Jeep issues with exploding gas tanks. Awful cars, I'll never buy one.

You’re not right got Jeeps anyway. You would diminish the brand if you were allowed to own one.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's a Ferrari meme. Porsche had to recall the GT3 because of it

Actually it was Lambo’s that were burning with amazing frequency.

Ferraris just break down and won’t run at all, let alone catch fire.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:If you trust the numbers, Tesla catches fire at the rate of one per 195 million miles driven. For all cars, the rate is 19 million miles.

I think what causes irrational fear is the way a Lithium Ion battery vents, smokes, and catches fire. It just goes, there is no stopping it, and it could do it with no external trigger or earning sign.

That said. I am not worried about it at all. I am not a fan of Tesla - will likely never own one.

I agree on all counts. My friend in high school was driving with his family on vacation, when suddenly the car spontaneously went up in flames. They all got out unhurt, but it was a shock.