what causes a car to catch on fire while driving

Cars usually catch fire while driving when a fuel or oil leak meets a very hot bit of engine or exhaust, helped along by sparks from dodgy electrics. Electrical shorts, tired wiring looms, or aftermarket accessories fitted with more enthusiasm than skill can turn a commute into a barbecue. Leaking petrol, diesel, or power-steering fluid dripping onto a catalytic converter or manifold is another classic party trick. Overheating components like turbos, brakes, or a dragging wheel bearing can build enough heat to ignite nearby plastics and rubber. Poor maintenance—cracked hoses, missing heat shields, wrong fuses—raises the odds, as does carrying flammables rolling about the cabin like it’s a chemistry set on wheels. If you smell fuel, see smoke, or the dash lights up like Christmas, pull over safely and get out—cars are replaceable, you aren’t.