fire extinguishers

[Srdl]

They are compulsory in France so I always have one in the boot ready for our occasional European trips. It must be well past it's “use by” date though so probably no practical use.

Presumably is a standard fit for some markets?

 

[Flyinspanner]

In general unless you know what you are doing an extinguisher of the size carried in most cars will do next to nothing.
In some cases using one could not only increase the danger to the user but also aggravate the fire - opening the bonnet for example increases air flow to an engine fire.

That said if you have had the training (as I have) an extinguisher can make a huge difference. I had an oil fire in a Mini many years ago and just a three second squirt of a BCF extinguisher (since banned) sorted it.

The other issue with in car extinguishers is the lack of servicing they get. An extinguisher should be checked regularly, especially dry powder which with vibration in a car can compact down and fail to work when called on.

Very valid points, opening the bonnet can cause a big flare. And you can loose your skin on your fingers if you attempt without fire gloves!!

I undertake fire training annually (and learn how to avoid getting your hair set on fire etc when opening stuff.

BCF was great for knocking down flames (used to be the standard kit on aircraft....and six miles up, you do want the best....)

Likewise, those of you with extinguishers, how old are they? Can they be refilled? ...if you are buying new, that’s maybe something to check, lifespan/refillable? Get a sharpie and write on “use before” date.

Is it upright or an inverted type? Can you use it in the dark just by feel? (Handy when you need to)

Stay safe out there

 

[Blobcat]

The advice was not to open the bonnet but to blast it through the radiator, that's easier said than done on some cars. You could just pop the bonnet from the release lever but not lift the bonnet and blast the extinguisher through the gap.

 

[L John]

Never thought of carrying one. If my car ever caught fire I would step out of the car and let my insurance company deal with it. I pay them more than enough!!!

An extinguisher would be good in a car that has little/no market value but very high personal/sentimental value, as your interests are with the vehicle itself rather than the money it’s worth.


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I know for a fact my insurance wouldn't give me enough cash to get a car as good as the one I have now.
10 year old, kept in a cosy garage, not a mark on it. Looks and feels like I'm driving a brand new car. OK a few stone chips at the front if I'm being picky and the wheels are not 100% but no scratches or kerbing on them.
Insurance would probably give me enough to buy something half as good. So yes, I have an extinguisher in the boot.

 

[00slk]

I had a barrow escape when the banjo bolt holding the float bowl to the carburettor came undone on my SUs... The banjo bolt also provides fuel to the carburettor.... Felt a bad misfire and have some welly but it didn't clear so pulled over and popped the bonnet.... My nice double fuel pump in the boot was doing a sterling job of feeding the float bowl which in turned emptying itself over the red-hot exhaust manifold. It didn't catch fire but would have been a mighty fireball if it had! And yes Peter...it was my rally car on both occasions....

Such fun when we were young, the last time I set fire to a car was my race car, someone thought it would be a good idea to fit plastic see through fuel lines on a fuel injected car, the lines leaked and sprayed fuel or the dissy which ignited, luckily I was running the car on av-gas and it burned really slowly, I was able to walk causally to the drivers side of the car and reach across to grab the extinguisher and put the fire out, worse was I had to use my own extinguisher Even funnier was this also happened in my workshop at home and my son rushed into the house yelling that I had set the race car on fire, to which my wife replied 'Oh that's nice tell him his dinners on the table'

 

[DREAMER NO2]

2 in my car in the boot . Old school me .

 

[flowrider]

My 215 has the first aid kit in the rear seat armrest, and two front seat cubbies. I use these for emergency 500ml bottles of water

I have an umbrella in my passenger seat locker and various odds and ends in the driver seat locker so no room for a fire extinguisher. My wife tells me an umbrella is far more important!

 

[Flyinspanner]

My 215 has the first aid kit in the rear seat armrest, and two front seat cubbies. I use these for emergency 500ml bottles of water

Hope the 500ml water isn’t for you to drink after it’s heated in there over a few cycles, plastic bottles leach carcinogens into the water when warmed....

 

[sonic]

Back in the 80's as a Panda driver used to have a big BCF extinguish in the boot, I think I used one once at a car fire.
Not sure if they carry them now?

 

[LostKiwi]

Back in the 80's as a Panda driver used to have a big BCF extinguish in the boot, I think I used one once at a car fire.
Not sure if they carry them now?

If they do carry an extinguisher it won't be BCF as it's banned.

 

[MalcQV]

I had one in my [almost] deceased Alfa and have on in my 360. OEM in the 360 and I have just had it refilled.
I think the only real use is if somebody else has a small car fire and I suppose my own car.

 

[Capra]

I had one in my [almost] deceased Alfa and have on in my 360. OEM in the 360 and I have just had it refilled.
I think the only real use is if somebody else has a small car fire and I suppose my own car.

Looks like most have one just in case someone else is in trouble.

 

[Naraic]

I have an umbrella in my passenger seat locker and various odds and ends in the driver seat locker so no room for a fire extinguisher. My wife tells me an umbrella is far more important!

The under seat cubbies/lockers are not designed for fire extinguishers anyway.

 

[Naraic]

Hope the 500ml water isn’t for you to drink after it’s heated in there over a few cycles, plastic bottles leach carcinogens into the water when warmed....

But, you can buy specific bottles for drinking water which are safe.

 

[Naraic]

Looks like most have one just in case someone else is in trouble.

The only time I ever used one was on an oil fire on a stranger's car in a carpark.

 

[barnaclebill15]

Halon is the best for extinguishing fires unfortunately as it's a CFC (holes in the ozone layer) it's banned but I understand still allowed on aircraft as they are so good, comes in a green extinguisher. Had a fixed set on an oil tanker built in the 90's, allowed until the ship scrapped, one bottle was getting low pressure and we wanted to land it for recharge and found out it was not allowed to be landed in Europe.
In the end we were in the USA and the one place that is allowed to recharge them was close by and we got it done, they have a storage tank where old extinguishers can be discharged into.

 

[alexanderfoti]

My W221, W210 and W215 AMG's had them under the front drivers seat. Never used luckily!

 

[LostKiwi]

The 230 has one in the base of the passenger seat.