Beware of 'time bombs' left in cars on hot days

In Vietnam, in the summer, with peak temperatures reaching 38-40 degrees Celsius, the greenhouse effect can cause the temperature in the cabin to reach 65-70 degrees Celsius. High temperatures combined with direct sunlight can cause many items in the car to be damaged, deformed, and even cause dangerous fires and explosions.

Experts say that there are accessories and items that should not be left in the car when it is hot or exposed to direct sunlight. This not only damages the car's interior and makes it unhygienic, but also poses a very dangerous risk of fire.

Below are some seemingly harmless items that can be harmful if exposed to direct sunlight. Drivers need to know:

Crystal and glass decorations

Many car owners like to place crystal balls or glass decorations on the dashboard or hang them on the rearview mirror near the windshield. However, these can become unexpected dangers when exposed to strong sunlight.

Crystal balls or glass hangings can turn into converging lenses and burn interior materials when exposed to strong sunlight, posing a risk of car fire. Therefore, such decorations should be removed from the car immediately, especially in the summer.

Mineral water bottle

Mineral water bottles are present in almost every car – from the door compartment, the back of the seat, the gear shift area to the dashboard. However, experts warn that when plastic water bottles are left in the harsh sunlight for a long time, the chemical components in the plastic can change and leach into the water, causing harm to the health of the user.

More dangerously, the bottle shell also has the ability to converge light like a lens, creating an extremely strong beam of light - potentially causing fire or explosion in a closed environment such as a car compartment.

Carbonated drinks, perfumes

Carbonated drinks or bottles of perfume, which seem harmless, can become “mini bombs” when left in a car under the hot sun. Under the impact of high temperatures, the liquid inside expands strongly, easily causing the metal shell to explode, damaging the car’s interior and causing the car owner to panic.

Not stopping there, the chemical components in perfumes or carbonated soft drinks are also easily transformed when exposed to heat, possibly releasing toxic substances that affect health. Therefore, these items should be removed from the car immediately when the weather is hot.

Gas lighter, mini fire extinguisher

Many people leave lighters in their cars, but this is considered a "time bomb" in hot weather because the gas in the lighter expands easily when exposed to high temperatures, leading to the risk of explosion. When a gas lighter explodes, some parts of the car can be damaged, even causing a fire.

In addition, an item that seems to bring safety – the mini fire extinguisher – can become a potential danger if not properly stored. There have been many cases of fire extinguishers exploding due to being exposed to the sun for too long, causing damage and danger to people in the car.

According to experts, if you need to equip a mini fire extinguisher in your car, place it in a shady place, avoiding direct sunlight such as the door compartment, trunk or under the seat. Absolutely do not place it on the dashboard or near the glass doors - where sunlight can shine directly for a long time.

Electronic equipment

According to experts, leaving electronic devices such as phones, cameras, laptops, etc. in the car under the hot sun can seriously affect their lifespan and performance.

In an environment where temperatures can reach 65–70 degrees Celsius inside a car, electronic components are easily damaged or even melted, leading to data loss or complete device failure. Therefore, on hot days, leaving electronic devices in the car should be minimized.

Even devices that are permanently installed on the car, such as dash cams or solar-powered tire pressure sensors, are not immune to the risk of failure. There have been cases where sensors placed on the center console were scorched due to prolonged exposure to the sun.

To ensure durability and safety, when you have to park your car in the sun, you should remove these devices and store them in a shady place or cover them carefully to avoid direct sunlight.

In addition to electronic devices or flammable bottles, experts also recommend not leaving medicine, cosmetics, food, candy or chocolate in cars during hot weather. When the temperature inside the car exceeds 50 degrees Celsius - a common occurrence in summer - these items not only deteriorate and lose their effectiveness, but can also be harmful to health or melt, stick to the interior, causing unhygienic conditions and unpleasant odors.

In case of having to park the car in the sun for a long time, the car owner should proactively take measures to cover it, especially the windshield area - the area that absorbs the most heat. In addition, slightly opening the window a small gap also helps hot air escape, reducing the greenhouse effect and keeping the car from becoming a "steamer" in the middle of summer.