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Automatic transmission car crash

That's what happens when you give a kid a sports car. I drove like an ass when I was that age, and I only drove a Civic. I probably would've killed myself if I had a fast RWD car.
 
Originally posted by: giantpinkbunnyhead
what in the world does that crash have to do with automatics? I saw no mention in the article regarding the crash vehicle's transmission type.
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I was thinking if I was driving a automatic and if I got into a crash, if the engine is in somewhat a "good shape", it could still be "working" causing a fire.. however, if a person is driving a manual, if he got into an accident, his car would lock up the tires and the motor would not be working anymore... no spark.. less likely to cause a fire..

The article has nothing to do with automatics causing fires.. I was just thinking about it because both of my accidents were just as bad, but both of my cars never caught on fire... I bet there are more cases where the motor was still running because they were an automatic even in a "bad" accident.. causes these fires...
 
Originally posted by: wasssup
That's what happens when you give a kid a sports car. I drove like an ass when I was that age, and I only drove a Civic. I probably would've killed myself if I had a fast RWD car.
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it was an rx8... they can come as a manual and AUTOMATICS; bet it was an automatic :-(
 
Originally posted by: eleison

I was thinking if I was driving a automatic and if I got into a crash, if the engine is in somewhat a "good shape", it could still be "working" causing a fire.. however, if a person is driving a manual, if he got into an accident, his car would lock up the tires and the motor would not be working anymore... no spark.. less likely to cause a fire...
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Edit: Actually, in the event of an accident, the shock shuts the fuel pump off in either car.
 
"He was a very nice kid. He was never in any trouble."

(Except for a little street racing that got him killed)
 
Originally posted by: 91TTZ
Originally posted by: eleison

I was thinking if I was driving a automatic and if I got into a crash, if the engine is in somewhat a "good shape", it could still be "working" causing a fire.. however, if a person is driving a manual, if he got into an accident, his car would lock up the tires and the motor would not be working anymore... no spark.. less likely to cause a fire...
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That is a good point.
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Not really, fires are usually caused by a fuel leak, (that's why fuel pumps these days shut off when the airbags go on), and if there is a fuel leak something is going to spark.
 
Originally posted by: SVT Cobra
Originally posted by: 91TTZ
Originally posted by: eleison

I was thinking if I was driving a automatic and if I got into a crash, if the engine is in somewhat a "good shape", it could still be "working" causing a fire.. however, if a person is driving a manual, if he got into an accident, his car would lock up the tires and the motor would not be working anymore... no spark.. less likely to cause a fire...
Click to expand...



That is a good point.
Click to expand...

Not really, fires are usually caused by a fuel leak, (that's why fuel pumps these days shut off when the airbags go on), and if there is a fuel leak something is going to spark.
Click to expand...

Damn, you replied as I was editing my post. You're too quick.
 
Originally posted by: 91TTZ
Originally posted by: SVT Cobra
Originally posted by: 91TTZ
Originally posted by: eleison

I was thinking if I was driving a automatic and if I got into a crash, if the engine is in somewhat a "good shape", it could still be "working" causing a fire.. however, if a person is driving a manual, if he got into an accident, his car would lock up the tires and the motor would not be working anymore... no spark.. less likely to cause a fire...
Click to expand...



That is a good point.
Click to expand...

Not really, fires are usually caused by a fuel leak, (that's why fuel pumps these days shut off when the airbags go on), and if there is a fuel leak something is going to spark.
Click to expand...

Damn, you replied as I was editing my post. You're too quick.
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thanks for the info... need to do more research. In my first accident, my airbags did not go off (the car was totaled).. in the 2nd, my side airbags went off but not my front. In both cases, a lot of fuild leaked, but the engine was not turning anymore (my cars were both manuals).

Personally, I think that if theres a fuel leak, automatics will naturally be more apt to catch fire while manuals would not. Having a "turning" motor when there is a fuel leak is a lot more dangerous then have a "dead" motor.
 
AFAIK, the ONLY way an automatic transmission could cause a fire, is if the cooler lines sprung a leak and sprayed onto the hot exhaust manifold, and even that would be pretty uncommon. Lots of smoke, sure, but a fire? VERY unusual.
 
Originally posted by: eleison
Personally, I think that if theres a fuel leak, automatics will naturally be more apt to catch fire while manuals would not. Having a "turning" motor when there is a fuel leak is a lot more dangerous then have a "dead" motor.
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If the fuel pump shuts off at time of impact, your engine (unless the cut-off circuit fails) isn't going to be running anymore, regardless of the transmission.

edit: fixed broken quote tag
 
Originally posted by: Raduque


If the fuel pump shuts off at time of impact, your engine (unless the cut-off circuit fails) isn't going to be running anymore, regardless of the transmission.

edit: fixed broken quote tag
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1) If the fuel pump shuts off; if you get into an accident, why would your fuel pump shut off? Remember sometimes airbags don't go off when they have to. Also, driving an automatic, you can go from 60-0 (basically to stop) using your brakes very quickly, but your engine still "turns" at the end. In a manual, your engine stops if you go from 60 to stop.

2) getting into an accident, wouldn't that likely damage your "cut-off" circuits causing them to fail?
 
Originally posted by: BoomerD
AFAIK, the ONLY way an automatic transmission could cause a fire, is if the cooler lines sprung a leak and sprayed onto the hot exhaust manifold, and even that would be pretty uncommon. Lots of smoke, sure, but a fire? VERY unusual.
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Bingo. Tranny fluid wont catch fire but it will smoke like hell.
 
Originally posted by: eleison
Originally posted by: Raduque


If the fuel pump shuts off at time of impact, your engine (unless the cut-off circuit fails) isn't going to be running anymore, regardless of the transmission.

edit: fixed broken quote tag
Click to expand...


1) If the fuel pump shuts off; if you get into an accident, why would your fuel pump shut off? Remember sometimes airbags don't go off when they have to. Also, driving an automatic, you can go from 60-0 (basically to stop) using your brakes very quickly, but your engine still "turns" at the end. In a manual, your engine stops if you go from 60 to stop.

2) getting into an accident, wouldn't that likely damage your "cut-off" circuits causing them to fail?
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By "turns" I'm assuming you mean the engine's still idling.

The fuel pump cutoff circuit is usually a simple mechanical switch that reacts to a hard impact. I can't tell you where the relay would be located, but I can tell you it wouldn't be in the engine bay or near the most common points of impact (front end, rear end). It's very probably in or near the reset breaker which would be in the most protected section of the vehicle - the passenger cabin. Power is also routed through this system anyway, so if it fails for some reason (lets say an impact knocks it loose and a wire disconnects) the fuel pump is going to shut off regardless. It's designed to, work or fail, stop power to the fuel pump. Unless the impact is not enough to trigger the cutoff, or the vehicle simply doesn't have one, the engine isn't going to be running in a severe impact.

Judging by the damage in the picture of your linked article, I'd have to be very surprised if that engine was still running after impact, simply from damage to the engine itself, regardless of the fuel pump shutoff safety.

Airbags may not fire in a crash because those are fairly complex, computer-controlled circuity. Maybe the ECU took a knock, or even the fusebox in the engine bay came loose and disconnected from power?

If anybody knows how these systems truly work (I'm going off what I've learned by working on cars of various years), feel free to correct me.

edit: yes, I know i contradicted myself. What i meant by "fails" in my first posting was more along the lines of "fusing into a solid conductive lump".
 
Could certain upgrades to a car make it more susceptible to a car fire? Especially those in the street racing world?
 
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