What to Do If Your Car Catches Fire

Although less of a risk than decades ago, vehicle fires are still common enough to be a concern

Benjamin Preston

By Benjamin Preston

Updated January 14, 2025

car catching fire

Imagine you’re driving down the road and suddenly smell smoke or see flames shoot from under the hood or dash. What should you do? Read on for Consumer Reports’ advice on how to stay safe if your car catches fire.

You may have seen news reports about recalls and investigations into models with a fire risk. For example, thousands of Hyundai and Kia vehicles have caught fire since 2010, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), and there have been well-publicized recalls involving other models, some of which are equipped with lithium-ion batteries. And how many of us have seen videos or photos posted online depicting a Tesla EV engulfed in flames? (To be fair, not a lot of data exists yet regarding the frequency of fires in gasoline-powered cars vs. those powered by battery-only and hybrid powertrains, so it’s unclear which type is more common, although battery fires tend to last longer and take more water to put out.)

In this article

What to Do If Your Car Catches Fire
How to Avoid a Car Fire
Your Garage Needs a Heat Detector

Although they’re not all that common in the grand scheme of things and have decreased by 60 percent since 1980, vehicle fires are still a very real possibility. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), 15 percent of fire deaths in 2023 (the most recent year for which data is available) were caused by vehicle fires. And with the average age of vehicles on the road creeping up each year, the NFPA says that vehicle fires from mechanical and electrical malfunctions become more of a risk as cars get older.

The truth is, vehicle fires are a frequent enough occurrence in this country to warrant serious thought by motorists. The NFPA estimates that there were 210,500 vehicle fires in the U.S. in 2023. That’s an average of nearly 600 fires per day.

Counting all highway vehicle fires in 2023, there were 367 deaths, 1,068 injuries, and about $2.6 billion in property damage, according to the U.S. Fire Administration. Data from the National Fire Incident Reporting System shows that collisions were a contributing factor in only about 5 percent of highway vehicle fires (although they were responsible for 60 percent of the fatalities in such fires) between 2014 and 2016, the last years for which data are publicly available. Mechanical failure or malfunction was cited in 45 percent of vehicle fires during the same period, and electrical problems played a role in more than a fifth of the fires.

Fortunately, there are a few steps you can take to keep yourself and your passengers safe. For starters, you can get fire extinguishers for your garage and your car. Only buy extinguishers that have been listed or certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory, such as Underwriters Laboratories, ETL, CSA, and FM Approvals. You’ll notice letters on them that indicate the type(s) of fires they can handle. Class A extinguishers are designed to put out rubbish, wood, and paper fires; Class B are for oil and grease fires; and Class C are for electrical fires. Class ABC models work on all of those fires.

No matter which fire extinguisher you buy, make sure its pressure indicator shows “full” and that it was manufactured within the last year. The NFPA recommends that dry chemical extinguishers intended to be discarded after use should be disposed of 12 years after the date of manufacture.

Where Vehicle Fires Start

A majority of fires originate within the vehicle itself. Click on flames to learn more.

Source: National Fire Data Center.

What to Do If Your Car Catches Fire

Vehicle fires can spread rapidly, so you need to respond quickly:

Pull over as soon as you can and shut off the car. This stops the flow of fuel in gasoline-powered cars and shuts down the powertrain and accessories in electric vehicles.
Get yourself and your passengers out of the car as quickly as possible. The NFPA recommends staying at least 100 feet away from the car. It’s also a good idea to stay upwind of the burning car if possible to avoid inhaling toxic smoke and to stay out of the path of the potential spread of wind-driven fire.
Call 911 or have another motorist make the call to get emergency services on their way as soon as possible.
Attempt to put out the fire only if you have clear access to the source from outside the car, have a suitable fire extinguisher, know how to use it correctly, and can maintain a safe distance away from the car. Only use an extinguisher approved for Class B or Class C fires; a label on the extinguisher will identify which kind of fire it’s suitable for. Unless the fire is small and localized to a specific part of the car, avoid it. Wait for the professionals to arrive if the car is engulfed in flames.
Never open the hood or trunk if you suspect there’s a fire there because the additional air flowing in could cause the fire to enlarge.
Be aware of your surroundings. Never stand on an active roadway. If you’re parked by the side of the road, stay far behind the vehicle to avoid being hit if another car strikes your vehicle.

Factors Contributing to Car Fires

Mechanical failure or malfunction

Electrical failure or malfunction, including a leak or break in a component

Misuse of material or product, like spilling flammable liquid too close to car

Source: National Fire Data Center.

How to Avoid a Car Fire

You can take steps to make sure your car doesn’t catch fire in the first place:

Have your car serviced regularly by a professional mechanic, says John Ibbotson, chief mechanic for CR. If you spot leaks or your car isn’t running properly, get it checked. A well-maintained car is less likely to have a fire. Become familiar with oil levels and engine temperatures during the normal operation of your car.
If you must transport gasoline, carry only a small amount in a certified gas can that’s sealed, the NFPA suggests. Keep a window open for ventilation.
Gas cans and propane cylinders should never be transported in the passenger compartment, the NFPA says.
Never park a car where flammables, such as tall grass, are touching the catalytic converter, which can reach temperatures above 1,000° F.
Follow manufacturer recommendations for EV and plug-in hybrid (PHEV) charging, and only use a charger certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory.
Install a residual current device with your EV charger. It will shut off the power if it detects an electrical fault.
Never plug a Level 1 charger (the 110-volt cord that comes with most EVs and PHEVs) into an extension cord or multi-outlet adapter.

The NFPA says to look for danger signs that a fire could be possible down the road:

Beware of the smell of burning rubber or plastic.
Check for cracked or loose wiring or electrical problems, including a fuse that blows more than once.
Check for oil or fluid leaks.
Make sure the oil cap is securely tightened.
Watch for rapid changes in fuel or oil levels or notable increases in engine temperature.

Your Garage Needs a Heat Detector

It’s important to have a fire alert system in your garage, especially if it’s attached to your house or near rooms where people sleep. Fires can spread quickly and pose a serious threat to life and property. But a typical smoke alarm won’t work well enough for your garage because tailpipe fumes or dust blown in through a large garage door opening could set off false alarms. According to the U.S. Fire Administration, you need a device called a heat detector. It sounds an alert when it measures higher than normal temperatures, not smoke.

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Benjamin Preston

Benjamin Preston

Benjamin Preston covered new and used car buying, auto insurance, car maintenance and repair, and electric bikes for Consumer Reports.