Warning to all Smokers!! - take lighters out of the car..

Dizzyblabla

With the fabulous weather we've been having lately, I have to give a warning, take all lighters out of the car when you're leaving it in the sun.
I got into my car 2 weeks ago and saw bits of orange plastic everywhere, my lighter had exploded (luckily not when I was in the car) It hadn't occurred to me at all that leaving a lighter in the dashboard would do such a thing, so be warned the lot of ye!

qz

Here I thought to only look out for lung cancer! Thanks for the heads up!

Victor

[strike]"Caution: flammable"[/strike]

[strike]"Caution: flammable. Do not leave in direct sunlight."[/strike]

[strike]"Caution: flammable. Do not leave in direct sunlight on a black surface."[/strike]

"Caution: flammable. Do not leave in direct sunlight on a black surface under curved glass."

:rolleyes:

Dizzyblabla

Victor wrote:

[strike]"Caution: flammable"[/strike]

[strike]"Caution: flammable. Do not leave in direct sunlight."[/strike]

[strike]"Caution: flammable. Do not leave in direct sunlight on a black surface."[/strike]

"Caution: flammable. Do not leave in direct sunlight on a black surface under curved glass."

:rolleyes:

It wasn't in direct sunlight!! it was in the dash! - it was just the heat of the car or something? I understand flammable, but really didn't think it would explode!!!
I'll get some pics of it and you'll see what I mean!

qz

Pics please!

drdre

yeah pics would be interested,but thanks for the advise.did it damage your car.

franksm

Same goes for sunscreen too - a bottle stored in the glovebox can burst open. Not only does it create a mess, it can melt through plastic. Expensive damage to the dash !

Dilbert75

Cigarette lighters + (unattended) kids = death. Don't smoke so always ditch the lighter first thing when I get a car. Never leave the kids unattended either, though when you're trying to get them into the house one-by-one on a rainy day, it can be hard to get them all moving in military precision.

Canis Lupus

Todays lesson:

Heat makes stuff expand.

Nuff said I use a zippo tho so no exploding lighters for moi.

Victor

Dilbert75 wrote:

Cigarette lighters + (unattended) kids = death. Don't smoke so always ditch the lighter first thing when I get a car. .

I think she meant it was a gas lighter, not and electrical one.

But yes, electrical ones can make plastic seat covers evaporate.

Dizzyblabla

drdre wrote:

yeah pics would be interested,but thanks for the advise.did it damage your car.

It didn't damage my car, but here's a pic of some of the pieces that I've managed to find (I keep finiding more all over the car!)



sorry about the quality, I just thought of it there and took it with my phone...

r3boot

another thing to look out for is airosols and cans, they explode as well also CDs and tapes left in the stereo.

I've seen all these things happen back home where the temp goes up to 50+ in the summer but this is the first I've heard of it here.

phelo05

why bring a lighter in the car in the first place why don,t ya just use the built in car lighter????

Creamy Goodness

phelo05 wrote:

why bring a lighter in the car in the first place why don,t ya just use the built in car lighter????

not that i smoke or anything but i do notice them in built lighters take ages to light up might just be for convienence that people use lighters

Balfa

I keep a can of lynx in my glovebox here in dallas, where ambient temps easily reach 40'C, which translates to like, i dunno, 50'C inside the car (mental note - buy thermometer)? Hot enough that the steering wheel (never mind the metal seatbelt attachments) is too hot to touch until the A/C has been blowing for a minute or two.

Strange that I've never had exploding issues. Though maybe they can and package aerosols here at above-room-temperature, so that it has to get even hotter to experience the same expansion?

Balfa

Also, those cigarette are the weirdest things. They've been in cars since the Dawn Of Time, but i think i've only ever seen one used once. I know the amount of electronics that use the socket for power has meant you can't really get rid of them at this stage, but i find it weird that the lighters happened to become so prolific in he first place.

Does anyone know are they standard in cars in every country or do, for example, the japanese manufacturers fit them specially for the european and north american markets or something?

phelo05

Cremo wrote:

not that i smoke or anything but i do notice them in built lighters take ages to light up might just be for convienence that people use lighters

suppose impatient smokers huh i,ve also noticed with people that i know who smoke and not one of them go down to buy there own smokes in the shop they usually get sumone else to go like a non smoker i guess the smokes make emlazy also

Victor

Balfa wrote:

I keep a can of lynx in my glovebox here in dallas, where ambient temps easily reach 40'C, which translates to like, i dunno, 50'C inside the car (mental note - buy thermometer)? Hot enough that the steering wheel (never mind the metal seatbelt attachments) is too hot to touch until the A/C has been blowing for a minute or two.

I was in an air conditioned car in San José at 8am - I touched the arm rest and scalded myself. :eek:

Macy

phelo05 wrote:

suppose impatient smokers huh

Those damn impatient smokers wanting to concentrate on lighting their smoke in the shortest possible time whilst driving...

I only used the in car lighter when i couldn't get my lighter easy or it had run out. They're not actually that good for lighting a cig, much more useful as a phone charger . Certainly to me now